Scioly.org

Does anyone know the best place to get balsa and bass wood?

brayden box wrote:Does anyone know the best place to get balsa and bass wood? :)

I've used National Balsa and Specialized Balsa. I like that with Specialized Balsa I can select densities and grain (but at a higher price). I've also found that the wood cut by Specialized Balsa is very consistent while National Balsa's wood sometimes has some unwanted tapers. But National Balsa's wood is generally a lower price which makes it good for building a bunch of wood and testing general designs until you find one you like.

If you have one nearby, a local hobby shop allows you to hand select your wood, which can be the best option if you know what you're doing. When you order online you don't see the wood so people usually order more than they need, and some of it becomes scrap because it doesn't match their needs.

bernard wrote:

brayden box wrote:Does anyone know the best place to get balsa and bass wood?

I've used National Balsa and Specialized Balsa. I like that with Specialized Balsa I can select densities and grain (but at a higher price). I've also found that the wood cut by Specialized Balsa is very consistent while National Balsa's wood sometimes has some unwanted tapers. But National Balsa's wood is generally a lower price which makes it good for building a bunch of wood and testing general designs until you find one you like.

If you have one nearby, a local hobby shop allows you to hand select your wood, which can be the best option if you know what you're doing. When you order online you don't see the wood so people usually order more than they need, and some of it becomes scrap because it doesn't match their needs.

thanks for the help!!!

Can any one tell me the measurements for the best balsa wood ?

Golden Viper wrote:Can any one tell me the measurements for the best balsa wood ?

What do you mean by measurements? Do you mean things like tensile and compressive strength? If you mean dimensions, it depends on the location of the wood and what kind of forces are acting on it.

For example, the base of the bridge is where the wood is being pulled apart, that is where you would use a very thin piece of bass wood.

brayden box wrote:For example, the base of the bridge is where the wood is being pulled apart, that is where you would use a very thin piece of bass wood.

For some bridges that would work. For some it wouldn't be strong enough to hold the bridge together. And for some it might be too strong and not beneficial for keeping a low bridge mass. Find out by testing designs and observing carefully.