How to Use Balsa Wood
Balsa wood is a lightweight wood that is excellent for carving. It's soft and comes in an array of precut sizes. Balsa is ideal for beginning wood carvers because of its versatility and ease of use. Craftsmen have been using balsa for decades to carve everything from boats that actually float and model planes that fly to pieces for miniature landscapes. Learn how you can use balsa wood to create your own carvings.
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Things You'll Need
- pencil sketch pad balsa wood carving knife sandpaper acrylic paint paint brush
Instructions
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Buy balsa wood in sheets or blocks. You can find it at hobby outlets or online suppliers (see resources). Blocks of balsa are best for carving. Buy several sizes so you'll have what you need for your project.
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Decide what you want to carve. If you're new at it, choose something easy. A simple boat is a popular choice. Sketch your idea on paper. You don't have to be an artist. The idea is to get something down that you can use as a guide when you carve the balsa.
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Find a comfortable place to work with your block of balsa and a carving knife. Work from your sketch and carve the balsa a little at a time, following your design. Be cautious as you carve. Balsa is relatively expensive, and as a soft wood, it's easy to cut too much. You want to waste as little as possible.
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Carve the hull of your boat, holding your balsa in one hand and turning it against the blade of the knife as you cut away thin pieces. Continue to shape the hull, using your thumb as a guide to ensure you maintain the curve of the hull as you carve.
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Cut away a flat section on top of the hull and use the tip of your knife to hollow out the inside of the hull. Hollow the hull out, but leave two strips of wood inside for seats. The carving will, hopefully, resemble a small boat.
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Use very light sandpaper to smooth the boat. Again, because balsa is so soft, you don't want to over sand or you risk taking too much of your carving away.
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Paint your carving with acrylic paint. In the case of a small boat, you might use brown for the main color, then a few strokes of black to give it a worn and weathered look. This simple boat is your first balsa carving. Now you can move on to something more complex.
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Tips & Warnings
Balsa is also ideal for fishing lures.
