eaglelope

I'm working on my second kit, a CG Super Chipmunk. It's going slowly but well so far. I'm working on flaps and ailerons which are cut from pretty hefty aileron stock (.5" x 1.75"). Most of it is very easy to work with but one piece of the stock that came withthe kit is as hard as a rock!

My razor saw can barely get through this stuff. My Great Planes Slot Machine won't make a dent in it to cut slots (it cuts the other pieces fine). I have broken the tips off of three X-Acto blades trying to manually cut slots in this stuff. I have never seen anything like this before. Is this common or have I stumbled into a new race of Super Balsa?

Mark

majortom-RCU

My Feedback: (40)

It's not unusual to find considerable variation in the quality of balsa in a kit--density, grain quality, etc. I've had pretty hard balsa before, but I think the piece you have takes the cake. Either take it to a machinist or replace it with something closer to normal. If you ever get into scratch building, you will want to hand-select your own balsa, or pay extra for the supplier to do it to your specifications.

eaglelope

I had noticed some variation in density before but this stuff is weird. At one point I tried one of the DuBro hardened steel hinge slotting tools (shaped like a fork) and the tines bent!

I'll give Goldberg a call and see if I can get some aileron stock without the titanium cross breeding...

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

By all means, call CG and get a replacement. I had the same thing in my 10-300 Ultimate kit. One aileron was as hard as oak. They shipped out replacement at no cost, and it was here before I expected it. Excellent customer service.

Pilgrim

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto!

Call them, they will take care of you

Charlie P.

I had a kit like that once . . . then I realized I had just sawn my one-piece spruce wing spar in two.

cwrr5

My Feedback: (32)

Balsa IS a hardwood - the stuff in most kits is proof!

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

I just did the CG Chipmunk last year. And there was some difference in the density of the 3 pieces of trailing edge stock. But not like yours. I would call them. You might have trouble finding stock in that size elsewhere. And they should know that the product going out the door isn't up to snuff. That is an expensive kit. They should replace anything and everything that is not correct. Or their kits risk a poor reputation. I understand that the company changed hands recently. So someone must be motivated to make a go of the company . Let them know, so they have the chance to improve.

50+AirYears

A great book about balsa aside from Sig's booklet is the early pages of Thor Hyerdahl's Kon Tiki. Balsa is technically a hardwood tree, since it is deciduous, not coniferous. Hyerdahls states that the balsa logs have so much water in them they jam power saws and have to be cut with axes, and before drying are so heavy they have to be lashed to a couple fresh cut Cedar logs to float down the river.

One of the books also hints that balsa can be dense enough that in one plane, it is stronger than some Oaks.

Also, it is suspected of being a weed, since it only seems to produce large leafs that shade other trees saplings for the relatively short time the balsa tree lives. One of the books claims that a blasa tree only lives 20 to 40 years.

eaglelope

I called them and didn't have much luck on free replacement but I got what I needed for $4 plus $6 shipping. I may have been able to argue a little harder but I just wasn't in the mood....

I did look around for replacement stock and couldn't find it anywhere else but thru CG. My replacement stock is here and the project continues.

I guess I never realized that balsa is a hardwood but this particular piece has set me straight!

Mark

damifino

Well, so much for customer service, huh? Come on, Goldberg operators! You won't last long treating us like that!

CafeenMan

While I've always had a great deal of respect for the late Carl Goldberg, his kits frankly weren't/aren't that great when it comes to wood quality. A buddy of mine recently completed an Extra 3xx (don't know which flavor) by Goldberg. The spars could have been used for industrial push-broom handles and the span is only something like 6' feet or so. They could have used balsa the same size which would have been strong enough.

If I were to build Goldberg designs I would do so from plans because most of the wood needs to be replaced to have a structure built as I think it should be.

eaglelope

At the risk of slipping a bit off topic (but hey, it's my thread) who are some of the best balsa supply houses?

My club had a fun fly this weekend and the press had a scratch built giant Skybolt that was beautiful. If you're trying to get a nice selection of wood for a project like that, where do you order from?

Mark

CafeenMan

Anyone who has contest balsa in stock.

I've ordered from Balsa USA and Lonestar Models. Those are the only I've had experience with and both provided good quality wood. I order contest balsa and general stock which varies from being as light as contest to hard as a rock and everything in between (if you order enough). It all has a purpose.

50+AirYears

I had good service from Superior balsa, as well.

bbbair

Everything that you ever wanted to know about Balsa Wood and were afraid to ask can be found here;

http://www.stanbridges.com.au/balsahistory.asp

I found it very interesting!