kahn41

My Feedback: (4)

I am going to be building a hellcat soon and need to know where all you builders are buying your Balsa wood at reasonable prices? Contes,t sticks, sheets ect.
Thanks all

Mitsu1

My Feedback: (13)

I would like to know a good reasonable source as well, especially since Lone-Star Balsa burned down last month.

MasterAlex

You could try the following:

[link=http://www.balsausa.com/]BalsaUSA[/link]
[link=http://www.nationalbalsa.com/index.html]National Balsa Co.[/link]

Picked up these names after a few searches myself. I compared BalsaUSA to the LoneStar prices - they are a bit more - but then again they are still shipping product. A shame about the LoneStar fire. Hope they are able to recover.

-MA

Rodney

I've had excellent results from BalsaUSA

Mitsu1

My Feedback: (13)

National balsa's website is aggrevating, .. so I plan to order from BalsaUSA.

fritzke

My Feedback: (1)

You are down to Balsa USA:
http://www.balsausa.com/
Or through Tower Hobbies, decent prices as well.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...SM&C=RCA&V=TOW
The old superior balsa page has been "hijacked" by a URL squatter, don't bother.
Dave

MasterAlex

I wondered what happened to that URL!

mmattockx

Or Dynamic Balsa:

http://www.dbalsa.com/

As a bonus, they also cut foam cores for a lot of classics and magazine plan models.


Mark

dominic magri

support your local hobby shop..... or judt get to know them well enough that they give you a discount. i currently get 30% off everything no matter what price[8D]

MasterAlex

Dominic

That's a great point - you must have spend some decent $$ with that establishment to receive that kind of treatment. As you mention above - getting to know your LHS means more than just going in and shooting the breeze

Let me take your above example a bit further. If I go in and visit your LHS, I am not afforded the 30% discount - which, by the way, since I now know you're getting makes it feel like I'm paying a 30% markup [>:]. Unless I go in, explain the situation, go through the requisite "haggle dance" I am effectively getting gouged for shopping locally (I get enough of that at the Gas Pump, but I digress ).

Makes clicking an URL, typing in an order at a no-hassle (usually less costly) site much more attractive. I "feel" like I'm getting the best deal because I can "shop around" on the net and proove it. Do I get to select my own wood? No, but you accept that as a limitation as soon as you consider on-line purchases.

Just an opinion ...

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

Dominic.....

I cannot support the local shop. For I like to buy maybe ten sheets of a certain size of wood, and they only have three. Their simple rules are that once the three are gone, they will re-order more. But there has to be some vacant spots in other bins too. Thus I may have to wait until end of month or longer for them to order up a resupply.


Wm.

dominic magri

yes... most people who walk in would not get the discount aswell, but i think i have "earned" it. My trips to the lhs are usually arround an hour or two, while i talk to many of the guys working behind the counter. over the last 2 or 3 years, i have learned how to place orders, help other customers, and even other customers models.

i do think that buying in bulk may be better online because think if you owned a hs. you wouldnt want a ton of stock that doesnt move quickly tying up space.

Spike

My Feedback: (1)

I'll second (third?) the Balsa USA recommendation. I've been buying from them for years and have always been happy with them. They also make some very nice kits.

kahn41

My Feedback: (4)

If I buy bulk the only way to buy is on line! Why on earth would you pay a couple bucks for a single sheet of balsa when you can buy on line for half the price? I buy most other stuff from the LHS

WhiteRook

My Feedback: (38)

BALSA USA www.balsausa.com

Nathan_L

Are you serious?

I just ordered some wood from National Balsa...it has not shipped yet so we shall see. They have a serious backlog from lonestar balsa burning down. I ordered about $300 of just sheet and sticks for a new project.

Even if I got a 30% discount at the hobby shop I could expect to walk out of there (assuming they even had that all - which they don't) would be at least double - maybe even more. I could see paying $700-$1000 for that at a hobby shop. Most hobby shops just don't carry the variety, espeically when you need 48" size stuff. Plus throw in the fact most online shops let you specify contest or lighter balsa for certain sizes you really come out ahead. You pay double but most hobby shops have a midwest balsa display and it's not all that great of balsa to begin with. As a side note Hobby Lobby (craft stores) have the same display and usually their prices are 50% of what most hobby shops have them for. Just a thought.

It's like the difference in buying 4-40 screws in 4 packs at the hobby shop for $2.00 and ordering 100 from rtlfasteners for $2.50. Sure you get it faster but if you actually need more than 4 you get raped.

Your paying for conveinence at a hobby shop, if you don't need it today I'd definetly go elsewhere.

Maybe you just have the world's best hobby shop where you can get contest grade sheet in 4" or 6" wide in 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8" in bulk quanities. I've never seen one.

DBono99

My Feedback: (1)

Hi All I placed an order with Balsa USA on Monday the 3rd. It should arrive today, Monday the 10th..I did take a trip to my LHS, looking for trailing edges and tapered stock, the prices were outrages, example, 1 TE sheet was $3.75 Blasa USA was $1.10. So I placed a $70.00 order with Balsa USA..

Dan
PS I did spend $110.00 at my LHS for other stuff