SELECT R/C BALSA™

From Nelson Hobby

Now available from Nelson Hobby is our SELECT R/C BALSA™. Offered is a large selection of high quality balsa wood strips, sheets, and blocks at very reasonable prices. Several densisty grades are available.

With the exception of balsa blocks, we now have are full selection of balsa wood sheets and strips.

 

Our Select R/C Balsa™ is cut and sanded to very close tolerances. Accuracy in thickness is only plus or minus a few thousands of an inch. Many suppliers of balsa can not process balsa wood to the accuracy found in our balsa wood.

Our balsa wood is manufactured by an internationally known importer and processor of balsa wood that sells internationally to industrial, commercial, aerospace, crafts, model industry, and to educational markets world wide.

We measure very accurately the weight of each piece of sheet stock and individual blocks, and sort them into three weights or density ranges. Our lightest weight balsa wood is in the 6-10 pound density range. Standard weight balsa wood is in the 10-13 pound range, and our heavy (hard) balsa wood is in the13-15 pound range. Strip stock is from the heavier density balsa, but is available in the light weight grade as well.

Our Select R/C Balsa™ is sold direct only via our Nelson Hobby Direct shopping cart or by phone and fax orders. Check out our selection of sizes and our low prices.

In order to allow our customers to have the lowest possible prices and be competitive with other retail sources of balsa wood,  our balsa wood is not offered to distributors or dealers. After you have seen our wood, you will notice the outstanding quality of our Select R/C Balsa™. Perhaps the best quality available to modelers.

The selection of balsa wood we are offering are sizes that would be used in the building of radio controlled sport, scale and aerobatic aircraft that are to be flown outdoors. More sizes can be supplied as we gain information from what our customers need in addition to what is currently offered.

Light weight (soft) balsa wood is used where the primary concern is for minimum weight and less importance for strength. It is suitable for sheeting purposes over foam wing cores. Wing tips, cowls, fillets, and thick solid wood control surfaces, other than strip ailerons, are suited for light weight  balsa wood. One must make certain that the hinges and control linkages are suitably attached to appropriate reinforcing material when light weight balsa is used.

Light weight (low density) balsa wood is becoming a scarce commodity for the importers who process finished balsa wood from raw balsa wood. Because of the limited availability of light weight balsa wood, a higher price has to be charged. Our light weight balsa may not be available on a regular basis. If possible, one should order light weight balsa only if it is absolutely necessary. Instead of using light weight balsa wood, one should consider using a thinner or smaller size standard weight balsa wood. An example would be the need for a light weight solid balsa wing tip. It can be made very light from standard weight balsa wood if it is hollowed out to a thin wall thickness.

Our light weight balsa is graded in 6, 7, 8, 9 pounds/cu.ft density grades. When ordering light weight balsa we suggest you let us now in the comment section which density you prefer. We will try and provide that density for you. Because of the limited availability of the low density balsa wood, we may have to substitute a higher or lower grade of light weight balsa. We will notify you by e-mail if we are unable to fill your light weight balsa order. Perhaps you can substitute a standard grade of balsa instead.

Note that 6" width woods will generaly not be available in light weight grades (less than 11 pounds/cu.ft.). Almost all of the raw 6" width planks have a desnity of over 11 pounds/cu.ft.. There is very little light weight balsa in 6 inch widths.

Our heavy weight (hard) balsa wood is also in a some what limited supply. Our supplier tries to use as much as possible of the heavy weight balsa for customers who don't care about the weight of balsa wood.

Offered is a limited selection of C-Grain balsa wood. C-Grain balsa is very strong but difficult to bend without cracking or splitting. It has a somewhat white color to it. Grain lines are pronounced and are short in length. C-Grain is excellent for ribs, shear webs, fuselage sides, laminating bulkheads, and other applications where light weight and high strength is required. It is difficult to use for sheeting leading edges as it may crack when bending around the airfoil shape.

Our standard weight balsa grade generally does not include C-Grain balsa. Some of the light weight balsa may be C-Grain. The hard balsa usually does not have a C-Grain.

Importers of balsa wood cannot specify the weight, sizes, and weights of balsa wood they want. They have to use what they get. Raw balsa planks in 6 inch widths and 48 inch lengths at times are also difficult to get.

The vast majority of all balsa wood is used for commercial purposes, especially as an insulation material for low temperature liquid gas containers, especially in ocean going tankers. The weight of the balsa used in these containers is of no importance. Another large user of low quality balsa wood is in the making of light weight shipping pallets. Balsa is used in a end grain application to laminate it between aluminum sheets. The craft and school educational market is another large consumer of lower quality balsa wood.

 

ORDERING INFORMATION

We recommend that you place your orders for

Select R/C Balsa™ in our Shopping Cart. Click on

our shopping cart button on the top or bottom

horizontal title bar at the beginning

or end of this section.

All balsa wood prices are offered as a net price. There is no extra discount for larger orders. Our profit margins are as low as we can make them. We want to pass on the lowest price for the balsa wood to our customers regardless of the size of the order.

When ordering balsa in our shopping cart along with some of our other products, those other items will still have the normal quantity discounts offered. A mixed order of other products and balsa wood will then reflect the net prices of our wood and the discounted prices of our other products.

If you have a special request for your balsa order, please note it in the comment section.

Minimum order is $35.00.

Major credit cards are accepted. Checks are accepted, but allow 10 days for the check to clear our bank.

The actual amount of the order as shown in the shopping cart total is not automatically billed to the customer's credit card. The customer's credit card is not billed until a formal invoice is created when the order is shipped.

Note that the shipping cost shown in our shopping cart total does not indicate the actual balsa wood shipping cost mentioned below.

SHIPPING INFORMATION

We ship only by UPS or United States Postal Service (USPS). UPS surface is the suggested method of shipping. If shipped by USPS there is an additional $5.00 handling charge to help cover the costs of bringing the package to the post office and for the waiting delays inside the post office.

Insurance costs are not charged to the customer.

International orders will be charged actual shipping costs plus a $5.00 handling fee.

UPS SURFACE SHIPPING & HANDLING

COSTS FOR BALSA WOOD:

Orders under $100 a $9.00 cost.

Orders from $101.01 to $150 a $12.00 cost.

Orders from $150.01 to $200 a $15.00 cost.

Orders from $200.01 to $300 a $18.00 cost.

Orders over $300.01 actual cost of shipping.

Note that our final shipping cost reflected in our shopping cart does not reflect the balsa wood shipping costs shown.

Our shopping cart software at this time cannot be programmed for showing the shipping and handling costs for only balsa wood.

Over size packages, Priority Mail Shipping, and other special shipping  methods will have those additional costs charged to the customer.

As we gain more experience in the shipping of our balsa wood to customers, there may be adjustments to our shipping policies. The rapidly changing of shipping costs and related supplies are a significant cost of doing business today.

36" STRIP HARD BALSA WOOD PRICES

Standard Weight Approximately 13+ Pounds/Cu .Ft.

General purpose wood for most applications.

 

36" STRIP LIGHT BALSA WOOD PRICES

Standard Weight less than 10 Pounds/Cu .Ft.

Use for minimum weight or non structural applications.

36" SHEET BALSA WOOD PRICES

Standard Weight 10-13 Pounds/Cu .Ft.

General purpose wood for most applications.

Heavy grade of balsa is available at same prices. Add dash-H to item number for heavy grade wood.

ITEM NO	DESCRIPTION	PRICE
BW116236	1/16 X 2 X 36	.71
BS332236	3/32 X 2 X 36	.87
BW12236	1/8 X 2 X 36	.85
BW316236	3/16 X 2 X 36	1.13
BS14236	1/4 X 2 X 36	1.26
BW38236	3/8 X 2 X 36	1.96
BW12336	1/2 X 2 X 36	2.07
BW116336	1/16 X 3 X 36	.76
BW332336	3/32 X 3 X 36	.79
BW18336	1/8 X 3 X 36	1.00
BW316336	3/16 X 3 X 36	1.34
BW14336	1/4 X 3 X 36	1.51
BW38336	3/8 X 3 X 36	1.85
BW12336	1/2 X 3 X 36	2.42
BW116436	1/16 X 4 X 36	1.08
BW332436	3/32 X 4 X 36	1.22
BW18436	1/8 X 4 X 36	1.44
BW316436	3/16 X 4 X 36	1.40
BW14436	1/4 X 4 X 36	1.79
BW38436	3/8 X 4 X 36	2.73
BW116636	1/16 X 6 X 36	1.89
BW332636	3/32 X 6 X 36	2.16

 

48" SHEET BALSA WOOD PRICES

Standard Weight 10-13 Pounds/Cu .Ft.

General purpose wood for most applications.

ITEM NO	DESCRIPTION	PRICE
BW116448	1/16 X 4 X 48	1.73
BS332448	3/32 X 4 X 48	1.81

36" SHEET BALSA WOOD PRICES

Light Weight 7-10 Pounds/Cu.Ft.

Lightest weight wood where weight savings is more important than structural strength requirements. All sizes except 6 inch widths are available. List gives some examples of pricing.

Availability may be limited.

ITEM NO	DESCRIPTION	PRICE
BWL116436-L	1/16 X 4 X 36	1.62
BWL332436-L	3/32 X 4 X 36	1.83
BWL18436-L	1/8 X 4 X 36	2.16
BWL316436-L	3/16 X 4 X 36	2.10
BWL14436-L	1/4 X 4 X 36	2.68
BWL38436-L	3/8 X 4 X 36	4.09

48" SHEET BALSA WOOD PRICES

Light Weight 7-10 Pounds/Cu.Ft.

Lightest weight wood where weight savings is more important than structural strength requirements.

Availability may be limited.

ITEM NO	DESCRIPTION	PRICE
BWL116448-L	1/16 X 4 X 48	2.59
BWL332448-L	3/32 X 4 X 48	2.71

BALSA BLOCK WOOD PRICES

Standard Weight 10-13 Pounds/Cu .Ft.

General purpose wood for most applications.

Prices not available at this time.

 

ITEM NO	DESCRIPTION	PRICE
BWB1110	1 X 1 X 10
BWB1210	1 X 2 X 10
BWB11510	1 X 1 1/2 X 10
BWB2210	2 X 2 X 10
BWB12310	1/2 X 3 X 10
BWB1310	1 X 3 X 10
BWB2310	2 X 3 X 10
BWB3310	3 X 3 X 10
BWB2310	2 X 4 X 10
BWB1120	1 X 1 X 20
BWB1220	1 X 2 X 20
BWB11520	1 X 1 1/2 X 20
BWB2220	2 X 2 X 20
BWB1320	1 X 3 X 20
BWB2320	2 X 3 X 20
BWB3320	3 X 3 X 20
BWB2420	2 X 4 X 20
BWB1130	1 X 1 X 30
BWB1230	1 X 2 X 30
BWB2230	2 X 2 X 30
BWB1330	1 X 3 X 30
BWB2330	2 X 3 X 30
BWB3330	3 X 3 X 30
BWB2430	2 X 4 X 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BALSA BLOCK WOOD PRICES

Light Weight 7-10 Pounds/Cu.Ft.

Lightest weight wood where weight savings is more important than structural strength requirements.

Availability may be limited.

Prices not available at this time.

ITEM NO	DESCRIPTION	PRICE
BWB1120-L	1 X 1 X 10
BWB1210-L	1 X 2 X 10
BWB11510-L	1 X 1 1/2 X 10
BWB2210-L	2 X 2 X 10
BWB1310-L	1 X 3 X 10
BWB2310-L	2 X 3 X 10
BWB3310-L	3 X 3 X 10
BWB2410-L	2 X 4 X 10
BWB1120-L	1 X 1 X 20
BWB1220-L	1 X 2 X 20
BWB11520-L	1 X 1 1/2 X 20
BWB2220-L	2 X 2 X 20
BWB1320-L	1 X 3 X 20
BWB2320-L	2 X 3 X 20
BWB3320-L	3 X 3 X 20
BWB2420-L	2 X 4 X 20
BWB1130-L	1 X 1 X 30
BWB1230-L	1 X 2 X 30
BWB115230-L	1 X 1 1/2 X 30
BWB2230-L	2 X 2 X 30
BWB1330-L	1 X 3 X 30
BWB2330-L	2 X 3 X 30
BWB3330-L	3 X 3 X 30
BWB2430-L	2 X 4 X 30

Prices and sizes offered are subject to change without notice.

Updated 4/16/08