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Old 07-16-2010 | 06:13 PM
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CGRetired
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From: Galloway, NJ
Default RE: CA Hardening of Balsa Wood


ORIGINAL: RCKen



Strength isn't the thing you need to worry about if you soak balsa with CA like that. Weight is going to be your problem. That wood is going to wind up being very heavy with that much CA on it. If it were me I'd put together an order to Balsa USA or Lonestar Balsa and get the correct wood for the job. Spruce and Bassword are used because they are strong woods and still relatively lightweight.

Ken</p>
Yeah, I was sort of surprised that anyone suggested applying CA to Balsa to hold servos in place. The balsa will "strengthen" with the application of CA to the servo screw holes, but they will eventually pull out. The best suggestion here is to either make a hardwood frame to mount the servos on or back up the balsa with some hardwood or 1/8" aircraft ply... something to take the strain of the working servos.

CGr.