Core woods

[wizardgoat]

I've mostly heard of maple, bamboo, and mulberry being traditional asiatic core woods, what are some other woods that work as well?
I read somewhere that if a stave is used, you should
actually flip it around, so the outer growth ring becomes the
belly, and it's much easier to make a big "C" bend.
Have you (James), or anyone done this?
Also, would vine maple be a good sub for whatever
species of maple is usually used?
Cheers! Ryan

[mikekeswick]

Yes the outside of the 'stave' should be the belly side.
Don't look beyond hard maple accer saccarum for corewood. It is perfect!
I've used cherry (prunus avium) and hornbeam succesfully.
Mulberry is more often used for the non bending sections and tips.
Bamboo needs to be green when you use it as it needs to be flattened with heat.
Ideally you want a diffuse porous wood, great steam bending abilities and also the ability to be glued well....of course it MUST be flawlessly straight with not even a hint of a knot.

[Parnell]

So for most of the Asiatic composites made are people using quarter sawn straight grained lumber?

[wizardgoat]

So is accer saccarum the maple they carry in hardwood stores?
Should I be looking for a piece where I could chase a ring, or a piece where all the lines are running vertical on all 4 faces?
I just wanna do it right.
I geuss vine maple would work, no such thing as a flawless stave