Balsa is tricky business.

It varies in weight and structural characteristics. Also the wood can be warped or even brittle. Sometimes it’s so dense you can’t cut it. Sometimes it’s lighter than foam and if you bend it, it shatters like glass.

Balsa companies cut it with varying degrees of precision. They cut with different grain orientations.

I’m am exploring some other materials to be used in conjunction with balsa or to replace balsa.

They include paper, foam, depron, tissue, cedar and other woods. I’m looking at some plastics as well.

I’ll be sharing my adventures with materials here. Stay tuned!