"Del, on a real stiff wood like ipe and some other tropicals I will often leave the bamboo a bit thicker to avoid using a core. The belly slat needs to be thin enough to accept the bends I am glueing it up in. I kind of play the thickess as I need to. "
Badger, That's the exact type of detail I was talking about, the little nuances that many take for granted but are so often left out. Great stuff... this is going to be really good!