Flimsy balsa

[WonderWoman]

I made some frames out of 3mm thick balsa but its a bit too thick, so I bought some 1mm wood and they are too flimsy.
Is there any way i can toughen them up without making them thicker?
Would varnishing it make any difference?

 

[Taffy Turner]

WW,

You could try giving them a coat of sanding sealer, that may help. You can buy small tins of sanding sealer at most model shops - probably from the same place that you bought the balsa.

Regards

Gary

 

[WonderWoman]

Sanding sealer, okey doke, its on my list of things to find.

Thanks

 

[martyn2]

if you run a bit of superglue or zap as you might find it where you are that it will increase the wood strength buy a lot to make it stronger add a bit of thin paper this is what we use to do when building model aeroplanes where strength and weight was important

Martyn

 

[Gill]

Hi WW

Balsa is an inherently flimsy material and you're going to have problems with its durability. If you're looking to use thin pieces of wood, it may be worth looking at the pieces of stripwood such as those available from Hobbies of Dereham.

With Christmas approaching, you might also want to consider adding a Proxxon or Dremel miniature power tool to Santa's shopping list. I believe Proxxon make a miniature router table, as do Dremel. I've used the Dremel successfully in the past to thickness very fine strips of timber.

Gill

 

[martyn2]

nice site Gill i could get lost for hours in there :shock:

martyn

 

[WonderWoman]

Il buy anything thats in association with a company calle Knobs & Knockers!!!!

Hehehe.

My heads in a tizzy with information.
Il have a proper look when Ive warmed up due to no heating working in this thing that some people call an office.

Thanks for info.

 

[Gill]

Hi WW

At 1/8" (3mm), this boardmight be too thick for your purposes. Nevertheless, if you can find a way to mill it to your desired thickness, you'll find it much stronger than balsa.

Although I haven't used his services myself, I know that Dirk will mail to the UK.

Gill

 

[engineer one]

balsa is always going to cause you problems.

there are things such as basswood which is available
in smaller sections from model railway people.

it would be useful to know what kind of frames you
are making to understand how you could produce them
from a more sensible material.

paul :wink:

 

[WonderWoman]

Im just really after simple rectangle frames for a craft project.

I looked at balsa wood again at the weekend.
1mm is too thin, 3mm is a bit too thick so I was looking for 2mm but couldnt work out which was which as they label them in 1/38 or 2/18, very confusing.Wish id taken a ruler with me, would have been alot easier.

 

[wizer]

Try this WW... Go to google and type in the following:

1/38 inch in millimetres

Works for all measurements.

 

[WonderWoman]

OK, thanks

 

[engineer one]

can't help with the patterned stuff, but re the frame wood,
have you asked for and tried obeche a different kind of
light wood with more strength than balsa.

strange to think they are both hardwoods!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

paul :wink: