where to buy balsa wood

Yes I buy from Hobby Lobby in small amounts but I want to make a large order ($75- $100), I think that's why Sig had trouble filling it. Too many different sizes & shapes.

RK Flyer

These guys had a nice display at the Toledo Show I went to a couple of years back. I have not ordered anything from them, cause I haven’t depleted my existing stock, yet.

https://www.nationalbalsa.com/

Their business card was a piece of balsa, with their logo and address laser cut into it.

Some one mentioned shopping at "Craft and Sewing" stores, for similar items that we use in our hobby. My wife frequents a factory "Outlet" store for "Notions Marketing"  They have a weekly e-mail telling whats on "special" for the week and a Special Word you can us to get 50% off one Item when you check out.  She bought these for me cause she knows like balsa.
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15 sheets - 3/32 x 4 x 36  $7.50 less 50% = $3.25
20 sheets - 1/8 x 3 x 36   $1.00  less 50% =  $0.50 ( I think it should have been $1.00/sheet, but the whole bundle was marked as one)

Marleysky wrote:Some one mentioned shopping at "Craft and Sewing" stores, for similar items that we use in our hobby. My wife frequents a factory "Outlet" store for "Notions Marketing"  They have a weekly e-mail telling whats on "special" for the week and a Special Word you can us to get 50% off one Item when you check out.  She bought these for me cause she knows like balsa.
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15 sheets - 3/32 x 4 x 36  $7.50 less 50% = $3.25
20 sheets - 1/8 x 3 x 36   $1.00  less 50% =  $0.50 ( I think it should have been $1.00/sheet, but the whole bundle was marked as one)

"THAT" my good friend.. is a SCORE!!! Tower Hobbies has balsawood. Years ago I bought an assortment/bundle of 3" x 36" sheets in varying thicknesses. The grain-types varied.. and overall.. it was a good assortment of nice straight quality wood.

Here's a current link to their 20-sheet assortment/bundle for $24.99 +shipping.. Scroll-down to see the sheet-sizes/quantity included.

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXJD37&P=ML

Naturally.. you're at the mercy of whoever "picked" the stock for the bundle with regard to the grain-type... but unless you're building contest models.. there's a good amount of wood there for the money.

I see balsawood (Midwest kiosks) frequently in my craft-store travels. Unlike hobby-shops; "craft-stores" are alive and well. The Midwest kiosks usually consist of balsawood, basswood and spruce. They also "may" have birch plywood stock; usually on the bottom of the rack. You may be surprised at what you can find at the craft-store.. for model-building materials.

I bought a small digital postal-scale a few years ago. Mine is a "Dymo"-brand (remember the label-makers?) I bought it at Walmart on the cheap. If you're looking for really lightweight wood.. invest in a scale. Bring it with you when you go wood-shopping.... and "hand-pick" each piece of wood. Select the grain-type.. check for warps.. and weigh the sheets. The "grams" setting on my scale has a higher resolution than the ounces. You'll be surprised at the weight-difference between the sheets.

I last purchased from the craft section of a large local hardware store. Quality seemed good. Because in craft work it needs to have an attractive finish, grain and quality looked pretty good. Fairly light but not pulpy. I looked up the supplier and it seems that they sell the same grade for both craft and model building. No choice in weight or density.

We actually have the obligatory Mid West rack here in the Home Depot, Lowe's, and Hobby lobby but i think other guys find the good stuff first..... grrr.....note to self ask when the delivery is scheduled

over the years I got plenty of what I was looking for locally but it is truly hit n miss