Basswood has been my wood of choice since I won the GA state Science Olympiad bridge building event back in 2004. I have since used Basswood with much success in bridges and towers. My Fernbank Bridge was built completely using Basswood.

I have developed a system for bending wood for my arch bridges, and though I do not claim it is the best way, it works well for me. Now it does require some materials and equipment that hopefully you will already own and not need to do any equipment leasing on to try this method. [...]

I am constantly asked whether balsa is better than basswood. Here are some of my notes comparing the two woods. Balsa is cheaper and more available than basswood. This means you can buy more wood, and build more bridges for the same amount of money. By building more, you will gain valuable experience and improve [...]