Bending Sheet Balsa Wood

Balsa is a popular choice for making light rigid structures including model bridge tests model tree houses to scale architectural projects and for the construction of model aircraft.

Bending sheet balsa wood.

Find a jar can or a mailing tube to form the sheet around. The wood may conform easily. Economy it s cheaper to make a wingtip out of a strip of balsa than to use up a much larger sheet of balsa and having to discard the bulk of it. You can get a bend radius of as little as two feet by bending 1 4 inch plywood whereas the minimum bend radius for 3 4 inch plywood is 12 feet.

Choose a sub category. Special methods for bending balsa wood may not be necessary if the curve is a gentle one and the radius is large. I then have a small sponge to throughly wet one side of the sheet. I use a small bowl with a cup of water or so and a tablespoon of ammonia.

Or call 413 277 9500 8 30am 4pm est. This video is showing you how to bend balsa wood. My previous video ht. It is low density but still high strength.

Basswood is a lightweight wood ideal for model building. Basswood as light as it is is a relatively simple wood to bend. These radii increase if you bend the sheet along the grain of the wood instead of across it because splinters are more likely to form when bending along the grain. Home balsa wood balsa sheets 24 sheets.

For more complex or tighter curves however use some. Bending wood allows you to create complex models or shapes that can accommodate numerous woodworking projects. This video will be very useful for you if your making a model or some sculpture etc. Balsa wood is soft and lightweight with a coarse open grain.

To form sheet balsa first i have the sheet to near net size. Finish sanding with the grain produces a smoother surface. Strength balsa is strongest when the grain runs the length of the wood. Balsa wood is often the wood of choice when a woodworking project involves curves that require the wood to be bent.

Often during a construction project you will need to bend wood.