For the honeylocust-copper riser, I think I'm going to try pinning it and testing it with excessive amounts of force and repetitions with some kind of test jig. If it fails, in the trash heap it goes. If it passes, perhaps I've discovered a new method for assembling a riser (not likely). As for the blackwood-quilted maple riser, I ordered a large strip of black phenolic today that I will attempt to use as the core of the I-beam. I promise to send pictures of the surgeries and my pass-fail results. Thanks guys!