Barry
For what its worth all americans swear by basswood for bending - it makes very good laminated wingtips, etc (we call it Lime)
If you could give us chapter and verse on what you are bending, we might be able to help, even if we can't let you have any apple ready cut.
I have about 10Kg of apple branches, about 100 years old, around 3 to 4 inches diameter dry and incredibly dense, but I have never managed to find a bandsaw to slice it up with. You are very welcome to have it. I guess it would need to be ripped into say 1/2 inch planks and left another year of so.
I have spend 50 years bending woods for models, and as long as I avoid ramin and obechi I havn't had problems. You can bend any of God's composites with heat, patience and tension
regards
andrew