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Does anyone have an opinion on grain direction for a bridge patch? This is an OM with a maple patch. I have an old piece of maple but it's flat grained. Should I use it or do the pro's on vertical grain strength win over?

EDIT: Bad information given (thanks Howard)

As to grain direction (on a 1/4 sawn bridge patch), yes, there are many opinions about it. Some go perpendicular to the top grain, some (few though) go with the top grain direction, and some go neither of the fore mentioned, aligning more skewed.

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Most woods (maple included) split more easily on a flat sawn than on a quartersawn surface. Rift sawn will resist splitting the most. I also skew the grain a bit so the pin holes won't align to the same grain line (the pin holes are skewed, too, but in the opposite direction). Actually, I usually do a two layer laminate, but it's not necessary.

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Thanks for the replies. Howard, I like the idea of a laminated bridge patch (stronger, plus easy to lay up with the 25' radius of my top). With a lamination is there any effect on tone in your mind?

To attest to what Howard is saying I was reminded of difference in "split ability" a couple of days ago spliting some Eucalyptus. I could let the axe just drop when spliting tangentially but when spliting radially I had to wail on the piece at least 3 times. The axe just bounced off the first couple of hits. The difference was extreme.
Link

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Thanks for that image, Link. It really gets the point across.