thanks Brian, 3/16" it is then. maybe it won't bend as others have suggested, but I'm going to try because the wood is already resawn. this is more akin to building an instrument body... maybe I'll make a good tight skin for it and have a drum for those times when the fire is too bright and the woods are too quiet.

guys, thanks for the tips and advice. my last boat had a plaque that read: "NO TASK SHALL BE EVADED MERELY BECAUSE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE" Which is to say I'm taking up the bending wrc challenge and will illustrate the results when it's over. worst case, very expensive kindling and a cheap lesson by kinesthetic learning.

regards,

Michael