Bending balsa
Bending balsa
its a VERY well known technique its how we used to make rolled balsa bodies for rubber powered competition airplanes. Back in the day we used spent developing solutions from blue print machines ( ammonia solution). Rolling the balsa sheet around a snooker queue. That is how tight a curve you can get if you give it long enough to soak. Full strength takes a couple of weeks to recover.
"that's not a bug its just an undocumented creature."
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE (28 April 1948 - 12 March 2015)
Sir Terence David John "Terry" Pratchett, OBE (28 April 1948 - 12 March 2015)
Liked by drspock and Rookysailor and
Bending balsa
Hello, I am having a problem with the final stages of planking on my Billing Boats St Canute!! I am very interested with your method, could you please let me know what you are using in your 50-50 mix? I normally have a huge amount of patience as I have built a couple of plany on frame boats but some some reason I am really having a problem with this build...
Thank you very much
Regards
Richard
Thank you very much
Regards
Richard
Liked by TOWN3810
Bending balsa
Just finished my 1/24 scale "Perkasa".Frankly,I never new I had the patience!
Have started a 54" USS " Crocket" and have reached the balsa bending stage and have never done this before.The Crocket has very tight bends around the bow area,and involves a tight "knuckle".
I spent much time looking at balsa bending,and the use of ammonia as a fibre relaxing medium arose.
By experimenting, I find that a 50/50 solution applied to the area to bend for just a few minutes,then wiped off,renders the wood extremely pliable.
Gloves and eye protection must be worn,with good ventlation-
It does work!!.
Hope this is of use to someone.
Have started a 54" USS " Crocket" and have reached the balsa bending stage and have never done this before.The Crocket has very tight bends around the bow area,and involves a tight "knuckle".
I spent much time looking at balsa bending,and the use of ammonia as a fibre relaxing medium arose.
By experimenting, I find that a 50/50 solution applied to the area to bend for just a few minutes,then wiped off,renders the wood extremely pliable.
Gloves and eye protection must be worn,with good ventlation-
It does work!!.
Hope this is of use to someone.
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