Greetings,
How many of you use Balsa and Bass wood?
Which one do you prefer and what projects have you made with either?
Just curious.
I have done alot with Balsa.
From roads, to fences, buildings, cross bucks, the ideas are endless and its easy to work with and well priced.
Mark in Texas
I haven’t used much balsa in modeling, but I used to use it for model rockets. It’s lighter, but it’s softer, more open grained. I don’t like the way it paints or stains as good as basswood. Basswood seems more like “real” wood. It doesn’t have the almost fuzzy texture that balsa has. It is sturdier, so you can handle it better and use thinner stock. I haven’t bought much balsa lately, but I don’t think it’s cheaper than basswood. Check out
http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com , they have a ton of stuff and they’re much more reasonably priced than places like Michaels or AC Moore.
I prefer basswood. It’s tighter grained, smoother and takes stain or paint better than balsa. It works great for trestles, fences etc.
Tom Watkins
I prefer balsa wood easier to cut and work with. But bass wood has it’s place. This picture is pretty much unrelated to trains but it is entirely made of balsa wood except for a few spots made of bass wood for support. I made this as a training tool for work. It is 3 foot by 4 foot and is 24 1/2 inches tall.
http://www.freepgs.com/Juby4life/IM000533.JPG
Thanks,
Jeremy
Bass wood comes from the Linden tree and given a choice between Bass and Balsa i would take Bass wood any day as it is stronger and more pliable. If I’m not mistaken it is the wood that is used for carving as it is easy to use.
Always basswood, never balsa for me. Balsa is way too soft, and my in opinion is for RC airplanes only, because it is so light weight.
I have made several projects from old (1950s) model rail magazines. In that period balsa was used extensively in areas of buildings where strength wasnt necessary or where the balsa was covered in the finished model. Cost it seems was a consideration even in the ‘good old days’.
Randy
Balsa wood used to be more commonly encountered in hobby shops than it is now, which probably accounts for why older MR and RMC articles mention it alot.
It used to be dirt cheap too. And paper printed to look like brick or stone was also common back then, with balsa as a good cheap support for it. Some modelers achieved magnificent results with brick paper back then. Check mid 1950s MRs if you don’t believe me.
Basswood, if coated with sanding sealer and carefully rubbed with steel wool (and followed by more coats of sanding sealer) can do a pretty decent job of simulating steel. Balsa has a deeper grain.
If you have ever used a burning tool or burning pen, some very interesting effects are possible with balsa wood because it almost “melts” away. You can create a stone-like effect rather easily for example (a small soldering iron can achieve similar results but gets hotter). Also the heat tends to seal and close the wood grain of balsa. But the wood burning smell will permeate the house so alert your co-residents before you try this.
Dave Nelson
Dumb question time: are there any bass trees you can cut down to get the wood or do you have to buy it? I’ve never heard of a bass tree. Are there any inexpensive places that sell a lot of this stuff.
I would like to cut some ties from it.
Dave Nelson;
I too, fondly remember the late E.L.Moore from Model Railroader and Model Trains articles on balsa structures, and later, his woodburning techniques for it.
Great stuff.[:D][8D]
regards,
Mike
PS: FJ & G;
Fergie already advised where basswood comes from. If you cut down a linden tree, it might be best if you owned it.[;)][}:)]
As mentioned above, basswood is cut from linden trees. And you’d need some rather expensive cutting equipment in order to properly slice it up into ties or other finished products–you’d be better off just buying it at the hobby shop, unless you have a friend that owns a planing mill that can do miniature millwork!!
Actually, if you find a hardwood supplier in your area they will often have some for sale.
I’ve bought “logs” before, and cut them down for modeling. You might find a 6 x 8 or some other large odd size. Of course you will need a table saw to work with a chunk like that.
The project was a concrete arch bridge, that is on public display to this day at the Twin City Model Railroad Club in St Paul.
Are ya ready for this?
I’m burning it in my wood stove as we speek! Hurricane Juan took out a very large number of Lindens last fall a real shame as these trees flower in June and are very fragrant. Though I am wondering about keeping a few logs and running them through the plane.
I like balsa for certain things that don’t show, like structure bases. You can make balsa stronger by gluing sheets together with the grains at right angles. . . its like a two-ply balsa plywood and its much stronger than a single sheet…
Somebody above mentioned that balsa can be “fuzzy”; a coat or two of sanding sealer will solve that problem.
[:D]I have used both balsa and basswood for some building projects. Balsa is ok and if sealed properly can be fairly strong, but in the long run I’d prefer to use basswood. If you have the time to cut it to strips, Tongue depressers, thin wood coffee stir sticks, popsicle craft sticks can do in a pinch for ties and such. I once coated a small sheet of balsa with liquified styreen plastic sprue from an old model kit, and once it dried it warped the balsa and I used that piece to build a rounded-roof quanset hut type balsa structure. (I still have it too ) Only thing is that basswood can get a little pricey.
I always use basswood. It is great for building wooden structures.
I started out using Balsa, but it lacks the strength that basswood has. I found and started using a cheap thin an light plastic sheeting (like the thin plastic sheet you find with “For Sale” Printed on it) for buildings and such. You know that thin white/gray cardboard you get in a new packaged shirt or package of socks? Well I’ve used that also in building structures, and have built 3 very impressive HO buildings with it too.