Balsa Building Basics

While passing through Dayton, Ohio Josh and Peter stopped by Radical RC and picked up some laser cut balsa build kits and wanted to go over a few basic tips to help get you started in balsa building.

Dave Thacker is the designer of the kits that Josh and Peter are building.

These balsa kits are laser cut and tabbed to fit precisely, making the build process go quickly.

Similar to building a foam board kit, you'll want to have a good work area to setup and build everything.

These Radical RC kits have some basic plans and parts lists. You'll want to read over the parts lists of plans like this and be sure that you have everything you need in your kit.

There are many types of balsa kits available but there are some basic building tips that are universal. First, double-check that all of your parts and pieces are in your kit and also be sure to prepare your work area.

Josh likes to use the boards from a drop ceiling for his balsa builds. They offer a cutting area as well as a place to pin down your balsa (if needed).

Wax paper makes a great surface to help keep glue from sticking to your work table.

Scratch the surface to see which side has the wax on it and place the wax face up.

Wax paper also offers a see-through layer for building kits that require you to align with paper plans.

There are many types of CA (Cyanoacrylate) glues to choose from, each offering thier own qualities. Unlike foam board and hot glue, balsa pieces need to fit tightly together (without gaps) in order for thin CA to adhere.
CLICK HERE for a full list of glue options.

Plastic Transfer Pipettes are a great tool to get glue in areas that are hard to reach with your glue bottle.

You will need to get a few of these as they will only be good for one use.

When getting your parts separated from the molds, it's a good idea to stack matching pieces together so they are easier to organize and assemble as you build.

Always be sure to fit your model together BEFORE glueing. 

Once you're happy with the fit of your pieces start glueing.

You'll want to sand your balsa frame before covering otherwise the sharp edges could pierce the film covering. When sanding your balsa kit be sure to sand with the edge grain so you don't break the glue connections.

These tips are just a few of the basics to get you started with your balsa builds. We encourage you to pick up a balsa kit and give it a try! Stay tuned for future episodes where we'll be diving in deeper to the build process and other types of kit building along with balsa scratch building!

Thanks for watching, be sure to let us know any tips that you might have by joining the discussion in the FORUM.