Balsa wood will now and forever be BANNED from my house! I have found no use for it. It splinters. It breaks. It warps. It's GONE!From now on, I will use basswood or card stock or cardboard for everything I make!
Balsa is just TOO frustrating. The only thing I've ever seen made out of it are little airplanes.
I have no use for those either! Even they break!
10 comments:
Kathi, it looks like you were cutting against the grain of the wood. Were you using a new blade in your exacto? I need to come and give you some lessons. Once you get the hang of it, you will like it...How about foamcore board or illustration board. Those would work also. Any of these, you have to not try to cut through on the first try if you are using an exacto.
It takes about three cuts. The first cut will establish the line that you want. Use the blade like a pencil. One long stroke instead of short ones. The second one will cut the body or the material. The third should get you through it. It does take practice, but it is worth it in the end. It takes practice, like everything else. I hope that you will take the scraps and practice. Good Luck!!!
Kathi, I am surprised you're having so much trouble with it for your furniture. I have used it for the "under-structure" of many upholstered pieces without issue. A very sharp blade and a metal ruler (as I see you have from your photo) ahould give a nice clean straight cut. WHen making any curves, I find a jeweler's saw works the best. (the is a smaller version of a coping saw). I don't own a power saw so I make all my cuts with blade or handsaw. At what point was it splintering and warping?
Balsa wood makes a very nice base for sofas and chairs. It can also work nicely for the box cushions. You just have to add a layer of padding.
My favorite for furniture is foamcore board. Don't give up!
Yes, De, I like foamcore for that purpose, too. And usually always have that around.
Kathi, don't give on these two substrates. Your furniture will last longer. After you've put so much time into it, you don't want to squish or fall apart. Like Casey said, practice and follow here technique advice...it really does work. I promise!
Thanks for the encouragement! I'll look for some foamcore and maybe try that instead? I really appreciate such good advice from the EXPERTS! :D I might even invest in a jeweler's saw too?
Hardly an expert... :-) Yes, those little saws are very inexpensive (as things go) and very handy! I find it is much harder to cut a curve in foamcore with a blade that it is to cut the same curve in wood (balsa or any other kind) with a jewelers/coping saw. Good Luck!
El carton pluma es una buena idea, se corta facil y es duro.
La madera de balsa, es mas dificil de corta, pero supongo que con una herramienta adecuada y paciencia te quedaria genial.
No desesperes que te esta quedando muy bien el trabajo.
besitos ascension
Kathi, I just gave you an award over on my blog. Come and collect it. It is for your avid dislike of balsa wood...LOL
Veo que no te ha ido muy bien con la madera, yo siempre me paso lijando y la deformo. Me he pasado al cartón pluma para muchas cosas que me resulta más fácil de manejar.
En fín, no estés más tiempo seria que tienes un premio :)
Besos Clara.
will keep this in mind! I hate it when the wood starts splinting...no answer to it
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