Martin McIntosh Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 What are we to do now to get light wood? I have just looked at the Balsa Cabin site and they have suspended sales of sheet already. My LMS has a good stock but despite the fact that am no fan of panic buying I may well head there tomorrow and stock up because I generally only build from scratch. Lack of the basic building material would ruin the hobby for me and I am in the middle of a new build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Kits seem to be available still so I guess all balsa is going to kitmakers at the moment. It seems to me that the situation is unlikely to change much in the immediate future and we need to find alternative materials. Liteply is available and could be used in fuselages. Veneered foam wings, fin and tailplanes could be used. Its difficult to find a substitute for LE & TE, wingtips etc so perhaps we need to save any available balsa for those areas - maybe even recycling old models for those parts. Not too much trouble building a squarish sports model from alternative materials but scale models and competition models may be more of a problem. Aeromodelers are great innovators though. Looks like we will have to redesign plans for available materials! Correx seems easily available from local builders merchants - 8 by 4ft sheets are only 4 pounds for 2mm and 8 pounds for 4mm. Seems worthy of consideration. Links to plans etc in the thread on using cardboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 One technique that could be used more is lamination using veneer strips instead of balsa in the way that it's mostly been done on wing tips etc. Could be used to make curved fuselage components. Lots more work perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 Depends on what you wish to build. In the past I have used foam cores for wings, tails, fins and turtle decks but it still needs a surface covering, brown paper maybe. Not much use on a Tiger Moth sort of thing though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Carlton Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Check this thread for much more on this; UK Balsa Supplies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Green2 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 This is a worry, what can I use to make stringers for a 40-60 size Hawker Hurricane fuselage for example? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Posted by James Green2 on 30/10/2020 20:45:53: This is a worry, what can I use to make stringers for a 40-60 size Hawker Hurricane fuselage for example? Strip down obechi perhaps!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Colbourne Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Posted by James Green2 on 30/10/2020 20:45:53: This is a worry, what can I use to make stringers for a 40-60 size Hawker Hurricane fuselage for example? Is heavier grade balsa really going to make a huge difference there? The stringers don't look that thick on the full size, so aren't likely to be a great volume of wood on a model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Green2 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Thank you for the suggestions, obeche looks promising! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Carlton Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Spruce stringers are not bad. You can drop the size a bit and get a more scale size, plus a bit of crush resistance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perttime Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Use less of the heavier and stronger balsa. Thinner sheet, thinner strips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted October 31, 2020 Author Share Posted October 31, 2020 My Vailley Aviation 1:5 Hurri plan stated 1/4x1/8 spruce stringers with 1/8sq balsa capping. Big mistake to use it since it requires 1kg of lead up front to balance that lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Lee Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Posted by Martin McIntosh on 30/10/2020 18:29:54: What are we to do now to get light wood? I have just looked at the Balsa Cabin site and they have suspended sales of sheet already. My LMS has a good stock but despite the fact that am no fan of panic buying I may well head there tomorrow and stock up because I generally only build from scratch. Lack of the basic building material would ruin the hobby for me and I am in the middle of a new build. I'd agree with the path you are taking Martin but if you get desperate check out the Continental shops such as Lindinger who I have used a few times (but not for raw balsa) & found to be excellent and Pichler. Delivery costs & time are comparable to UK suppliers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Parker Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Hi All, Page 9 of this month's RCM&E does not read well on balsa availability for the near future and indicating price rises of 150%, could make building models a luxury. So keep onto those kits in the attic and balsa stock even the scrap pieces were going to have to be very frugal. Regards Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Green2 Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 I'm going down the foam and brown paper route depending on model from now on. Corrugated cardboard cuts well on my laser cnc machine too. So to to experiment! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Stainforth Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 John, Thanks for the tip re foreign suppliers of balsa. They seem to have plenty of stock. I suppose they must have a different supplier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Gray Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Just had a quick look on those 2 sites, couldn’t find a mention of hard, medium or soft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Parkes Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Been in to my local model shop this morning to check on their balsa supplies , the shop is Penn models in Kingswinford West Mids. they are as well stocked as usual with plenty full quantities of all sizes of balsa and hard woods, prices seem to be reasonable and they do mail order, if you live in the area give them a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted October 31, 2020 Author Share Posted October 31, 2020 Also went to my local-ish MS today and they were limiting purchases due to the on line demand so I had to guess as to what I shall need for my 1:5 Chipmunk fus. etc to finish the basic construction. I did not go overboard and just bought what I think that I shall require. Luckily I am a regular customer. Some people were trying to order 40 sheets of this and 40 of that and the orders were refused; quite rightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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