PaulS:
Thanks for the response. I have my hands full with the other stuff. BUT . . .
I found something that may be too good to be true. I put in my query to
http://www.scopeusout.com/ who offer laminated blanks, with fifty laminations per inch, of an African wood. Through stained, it has acceptable coloring on screen.
Blanks are ungodly expensive. I do not have a comparison of weight for this with sixteen laminations per inch birch, and European Walnut.
Assuming it is not too heavy because of excessive adhesive, I suspect hardness of wood is irrelevant. The "wood" would be adhesive with wood filler. And were I to want it, checkering circa 1770-1810 was perhaps 7 lpi and square shaped. Softness would not be a factor.
If money becomes too much of a factor, I would create a temporary fix with less expensive laminated wood, and incorporate pillars at wood-to-metal disassembly points.
Surprisingly, I have found no manufacturer, or reseller, who offers laminated walnut or laminated maple. I suspect I could have special blanks made, but situation reverts to unglodly expensive where I may have a superior solution.
