Seal Balsa before applying epoxy ?
observations:
1) your sealer creates a chemical bond with the balsa;
2) you ask the epoxy to chemically and mechanically bond to the sealer (and any scuffed areas to bare balsa;
3) is not the bond only as strong as the sealer/balsa connection?
would you epoxy over a interior surface joint that had paint on the surfaces and expect the the same strength as to bare wood?