Pardon me if this has already been posted but I was amazed with the prices these guys offer and thought I should share with the rest of the crew.
http://www.nationalbalsa.com/product1.htm
I ordered 50 sheets of 1/16" x 3" x 36" and it only cost $25.00 My local hobby store wanted $2.15 per sheet.
Check it out, so far they have the best prices that I’ve been able to find.
They’re based in Maine. Shipping to California was $8.00
Hope this helps.
Marc
yup
I buy from them all the time and I like dealing with them cause they are prompt and the boards are good…
But if you buy in bulk say 200-500 planks at a time CMP says you can get bulk orders cheaper from these folks…
http://www.lonestar-models.com/
He always order 2-3 large boxes of 4" sheets from them…
I don’t know I’m a just small potato so I prefer National Balsa
duuude, shop around a bit. Solarbo has a sale right now, 100 sheets of 1/16x3x36 for $44, including shipping. I already got mine 
I have bought from National twice and have been pretty happy but the sheets are always warped along the length so it’s a pain to plank them side by side for a panel. Does anyone else have that problem?
let us know how the solarbo special is.
been looking at that deal for awhile now but I always was afraid it was just scrap pieces they threw togethor.
It’s the best deal on the net that I’ve seen now if it’s any good.
Also how’s shipping since they are in Florida I believe.
We haven’t have too many problems with National’s stuff and we’ve ordered from them a dozen or so times…
If you want the best you have to order the AAA competition grade quality which is alot more expensive but the best cuts and lightest balsa the comp plane builders use but they don’t need as much…
keep us posted.
boy I sure wish you could buy pawlownia strips like this
I definitely would try a go with that stuff.
My brother thinks he found some trees out here
but then again we ent on a wild goose chase chasing what he thought were century plants(agave) growing on the side of the road…
If anyone’s aware of Pawlownia strips for sale at a reasonable price like this balsa please let us know too…
bernie, I have looked for palownia for years. haven’t found anything worth buying. I’m focusing on bamboo veneer. You sent me a link to certainly wood a while back and I am dabbling with that stuff. hope to post soon. (where did you get that woven bamboo thin stuff?)
the 1mm Silompan bamboo can be purchased at any home depot, or city mill here.
People use it everywhere as wall covering
Silompan can be purchased for around $35-$39 a 4’x8’ sheet
These folks also sell it online
http://www.bamboohawaii.com/index-.html
these folks sell a 1/8" flatcut veneer
http://www.teragren.com/tera_panels/veneer.asp
the flat cut stuff that Coda and Gary Young uses is 2-3 times as expensive and heavier but much prettier in my opinion.
I’ve learned that it’s a good strengthening material but it very hard I only use it when and where I need it now. Encapsulate and epoxy it with 2oz over both sides of some cheap lowes 1" EPS or some waterproof blue dow XPS and you’ve got some ultra light building block panels to make a hollow board internal frame out of.
Working with balsa after using this stuff is like working with butter… Nothing like forming balsa rails with a hand sander or hand plane.
Tha master “Gary Young” is doing a presentation on the evolution of bamboo surfboards at this conference here in October.
http://hawaiibamboo.tripod.com/id14.html
He’s the guy to go to when it comes to all this styro/wood/epoxy/vacuum forming stuff.
Years ahead of everyone here with patents on alot of the technology being used today to boot…
read about it all here on Groundswell:
The solarbo special balsa looks good, it’s not AAA grade but just like any balsa I’ve gotten from National. Yes they ship out of Miami, I don’t know how much shipping is since it’s included in the price of the special.
I ran into master electrician and Balsa aficionado, Gary Fuller (Rhino Balsa) at a job yesterday. He said the latest shipment of blanks and solid stock balsa cleared customs yesterday. That means, if you want to beat Yater to the wood, or if you are interested in some of the best balsa blanks out there, get in touch.
Epac,
Thanks for the info on the balsa. I’m just starting compsands right now but there must be someone around here that would be interested in the blanks.
BTW, that’s a nice looking board with Wayno. I assume it’s his?
Bernie,
Thanks soooooooo much for this info. I’ve been looking all over for bamboo veneer. You have consistantly provided us (Swaylockians) with top quality info. The care packages and document organization are extremely useful. Not to mention those Izzy cd’s for my son. He still listens to him every night before bed.
Mahalo!
Marc
As usual, many thanks. I’m really liking the certainly wood stuff. Its like warp glass with all the fibers running length-wise. thx