Tips on How to Strengthen Balsa
Balsa is well known for soft and lightweight actually. It can be widely used for making models and surfboard and so forth. The balsa is different in grains for different standards. Well, sometimes the balsa is required to be more strong. Hence it is necessary and important for you to know how to strengthen balsa wood if you want to make it stronger actually.
You should prepare the following things if you are going to strengthen balsa wood, like craft knife, balsa wood, wood-hardening solution, large disposable tray or resealable plastic container, tongs, waxed paper, quick-set epoxy and disposable paintbrush and so forth. There are different kinds of methods actually, and you can choose your proper one.
For example, you can cut the balsa wood into the shapes you want for your project. As you know, the balsa wood is easy to cut and you can get your expected pieces easily.
Then, you can pour the wood harder into the disposable container. The wood harder is mainly used to strengthen your wood actually. You should put the balsa wood into the container to submerge it. Ensure that the container is deep enough to submerge the thickest piece of balsa wood that you have cut.
Third, you should submerge each piece of wood in hardening solution using the tongs and coat them completely. Then you should hold each piece of wood under the liquid. Well, you will see the bubbles rise from the spongy wood when you put your wood under the wood harder liquid. Soak the balsa for some minutes until there is no bubble rising up and the wood can't be more harder.
Last, dry the balsa wood. You can lay the wood pieces on waxed paper and let them dry in accordance with the instructions on the wood hardener. You should dry the wood side by side actually. You are advised to dry it in a well ventilated area to make it dry naturally.
Or you can cut two pieces of balsa wood for each piece of your craft project. Cut the second one with the same shape of the first one. Then press the two pieces together back-to-back. Using the paintbrush to coat one of each pair of pieces with epoxy resin. You should try your best to cover the entire piece with the use of thin coat. Then glue the two pieces of balsa wood together. Press the two pieces to make them firmly together.
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