How to work with the light balsa wood

balsa wood is a lightweight wood variety taken from trees of the same name that hail from the rainforests of Central America, South America, and a few other regions. The warm and humid conditions in these areas are ideal for the growth of this plant. Balsa trees grow quite rapidly - it usually takes less than a decade for a tree to be mature enough for cutting. However, once past the ten-year marker, an unharvested tree would harden on the outside and rot inside, rendering it a useless piece.
Initially, balsa wood was only taken from the forests. But due to wide consumer interests and the profitability of the industry, farmers have begun their own plantations. Ecuador is largely responsible for the world supply of the wood, followed by suppliers from India, Indonesia and the Caribbean.
Attributes of Balsa
In spite of its light weight, balsa wood has incredible strength. In fact, among all the lightweight wood varieties, balsa is considered to be the strongest. This is because each cell of the tree is naturally infused with water that makes it rigid enough to withstand the jungle setting. However, vpthaumrg when pooled together with the rest of the wood varieties, balsa is only third or fourth in the strength category.
There are different grains of balsa wood, and each has attributes of its own. A-grain balsa lumber is the most flexible type. When immersed in water, it can easily be manipulated into the required forms and shapes. On the other hand, A-grain balsa changes very easily, affecting its life span. Balsa of the B-grain variety is the most readily available kind. This is the ideal type because B-grain balsa can be used for numerous purposes. Lastly, there is the C-grain balsa which can easily be recognized through the evident grain line patterns. Among the three grain types, C-grain balsa is the most brittle and warp-resistant.
Common Uses for Balsa
Balsa wood was first used during World War I as a substitute for cork. During this period, life rafts and armor plates were constructed of balsa. In World War II, balsa use was upgraded for the making of airplanes. It became the primary material for the famous British de Havilland Mosquito combat airplane.
Apart from being lightweight and durable, balsa wood also has the ability to float, which makes it an ideal material for surfboards and other water sports equipment. Another popular use for balsa lumber is model kits, usually that of airplanes. Again, because the material is light, model airplanes constructed from balsa generally perform better than its other counterparts. Doll houses and the miniature furniture that accompany them are also routinely made out of balsa. The same is true for stage furniture and other props. The other parts of the balsa tree are used for insulation, stuffing, sound-absorption and packing.
How to Work with Balsa
Before hacking into the wood, one must have a clear plan as to what the end product would be. When manipulating balsa, it is important to be careful because, as said earlier, its price is quite high, so waste is something to avoid. Another thing to bear in mind is to choose the right type of balsa for a particular project. This will ensure the quality of the wood used for the endeavor.
In order to manipulate balsa wood for whatever purpose, the necessary tools should be on hand. While it is relatively soft and easy to carve and shape, using the proper equipment would make the job more accurate. In addition, the wood is also quite expensive, and the chances of improper handling are lessened with the right gadgets. No need for power tools or saws - for the most part, four or five precision knives are all that is needed. It is also more convenient to keep replacement blades around. Sanding blocks are also necessary tools to smooth out the wood.
The bottom line is that balsa wood is a great lightweight material of great strength that has many valuable uses and applications, it should be strongly considered when deciding upon your choice of wood. For more, the related article comes from http://www.balsafactory.com/.