Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Go Back   Ye Olde Rocket Forum > Swap Shoppe > Wanted: Dead or Alive!
User Name
Password
Auctions Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-25-2020, 12:20 PM
Flash's Avatar
Flash Flash is offline
Semi-Pro Rocketeer TRA 10484 L2
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 428
Default Recommendations where to buy fin stock?

Where can I find balsa and bass wood at a good price?

Thank you!
__________________
=======================
If the Sky is the Limit, then,
why is there Footsteps on the Moon?
=======================
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-25-2020, 12:31 PM
Tau Zero's Avatar
Tau Zero Tau Zero is offline
Incurable SEMROC Fan
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Twin Falls, Idaho, USA
Posts: 2,318
Talking

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash
Where can I find balsa and bass wood at a good price?
Flash,

I've bought mine at our local Michael's craft store as well as Hobby Lobby.

The balsa at our local R/C airplane shop (where I bought rockets at 40 year ago) turned out to be too lightweight for my rocketry purposes.

You can also pick up hardwood (spruce) dowels for detailing, if that trips your trigger.
.
__________________
Jay Goemmer
"Centuri Guy"/"Tau Zero"
YORF Member 28
Semroc SAM #0029
NAR 86131


"I think about organizing things all the time. Never seems to happen. I find something that piques my interest and I'm off on a quest. Or a Centuri. "

--Bill Eichelberger, 02/22/2022


“Centuri fret buzz in an updated form.”
Bill “Wallyum” Eichelberger re: Estes Flutter-By
03 Sept 2014
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-25-2020, 02:04 PM
BARGeezer BARGeezer is offline
Avid Builder
 
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 610
Default

If all you need are a few sheets then Rocketarium has a good assortment:
https://www.rocketarium.com/Build/Balsa-Hardwood
I buy mine in bulk from Hobbylinc because I do a lot of building:
http://www.hobbylinc.com/hobby-and-craft-wood
__________________
I like the unusual, the off beat, the avant-garde. No 3/4 FNC for me!
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-25-2020, 03:17 PM
ghrocketman's Avatar
ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
President, MAYHEM AGITATORS, Inc.
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nunya Bizznuss, Michigan
Posts: 13,443
Default

Back when I used to purchase a lot of wood, Balsa USA used to have prices a lot better than Midwest or Sig. I don't know if they still do, but would be worth checking.
__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !

Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-25-2020, 04:39 PM
MarkB.'s Avatar
MarkB. MarkB. is offline
Surfrajettes Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: El Paso
Posts: 1,113
Default

I just bought some specialty balsa, triangle stock and trailing edge stock, from Sig and the price + shipping was comparable to National Balsa and Balsa USA. Balsa has gotten expensive thanks to the wind turbine people.

Triangle stock for Nike-Ajax conduits and trailing edge stock for two-piece faceted fins for Nikes.
__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-25-2020, 08:28 PM
tbzep's Avatar
tbzep tbzep is offline
Dazed and Confused
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TN
Posts: 11,610
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
Back when I used to purchase a lot of wood, Balsa USA used to have prices a lot better than Midwest or Sig. I don't know if they still do, but would be worth checking.

They were once my go-to place for balsa also. They had re-badged Bob Smith epoxy pretty cheap too. I haven't ordered from them in several years.
__________________
I love sanding.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-25-2020, 08:35 PM
tbzep's Avatar
tbzep tbzep is offline
Dazed and Confused
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TN
Posts: 11,610
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkB.
Balsa has gotten expensive thanks to the wind turbine people.

One of the big balsa companies had a disastrous fire about the same time the turbine industry started hitting. I can't remember which. I want to say it was Lonestar Balsa, but it might have been Superior or National. At any rate, it caused a shortage in addition to the turbine industry issues and prices shot up (like beef today). The prices never came back down.

As for beef, even though ground beef is about $8 a pound here, I can't sell my cattle for more than 30 cents a pound right now. I'm running out of pasture and I've been out of hay for a while.
__________________
I love sanding.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-25-2020, 08:41 PM
BEC's Avatar
BEC BEC is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Auburn, Washington
Posts: 3,643
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
One of the big balsa companies had a disastrous fire about the same time the turbine industry started hitting. I can't remember which. I want to say it was Lonestar Balsa, but it might have been Superior or National.


It was Lone Star.

I still have a fair supply from prior orders from them, but it's much more suitable for electric airplane structures than fins (as much of it is contest grade wood—light and therfore also soft).
__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-26-2020, 06:33 PM
Flash's Avatar
Flash Flash is offline
Semi-Pro Rocketeer TRA 10484 L2
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 428
Default

I’m very, very sorry about your cows my friend and the problems you are having.
__________________
=======================
If the Sky is the Limit, then,
why is there Footsteps on the Moon?
=======================
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-26-2020, 07:52 PM
ghrocketman's Avatar
ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
President, MAYHEM AGITATORS, Inc.
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nunya Bizznuss, Michigan
Posts: 13,443
Default

Somebody sure is making $$ on beef, and as usual it isn't going where it belongs, to those that raise it.
__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !

Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:07 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe © 1998-2024