Laminating Balsa Wood for Model Planes 

I usually rub some candle wax on the template to prevent the laminates sticking. Also, you can add a huge amount of strength to very light structures by laminating 1/64 ply to, say, 1/32 balsa. Put the balsa on the edge and the ply inside. The ply will also go a long way to preventing warps during covering. I’ll laminate anything if it stands still long enough. It’s a great technique.

great workmanship

Your a awesome dude glad you called us all chaps makes me feel important

Have built on and off for 30 years and never really tried this procedure. What a game changer. Thank you.

That is a brilliant technique Cliff. What a great way to make light, very strong part parts. Masterfully done my friend!

New to the page. Glad I found you. Building an old Flyline biplane with laminated wing tips and rear stab structure. Big help thanks.

Thanks Cliff, I’ve had trouble finding a good vid showing this process to help me with my Dumas model. Feeling more confident now - thanks

Indeed it must be a satisfying thing as you go along building… and when complete. I’m getting to know you, by watching these… and you’ll be happy to hear, you’re a pleasant gentleman to observe creating these remarkable things. These have been something I’ve admired since I was a kid. To take a box of wood and plans… and make an airplane from them, is something to be very pleased/proud with/of. Ha/ha/! 🤣😂🤣😂 I have built a very basic foam airplane and flown it. But… to be brutally honest. I suck at flying winged craft. I can fly a freestyle quadcopter quite well, though… so I do get in the air! Nothing like it. Especially with a camera and goggles… and all the buzzing around trees n such. Oh! I Can also fly line of sight, very well. Some day I hope to become good at flying airplanes, as many of my friends are. Thank you very much for the video! It takes a lot of time and trouble to put these videos together. Well done!! ✨

The best way to make the curves. Forget the kit contents or plans. Easy to make a replacement. Thanks

Tips like this will make my model building better thanks to you . Great Vid !

Well done! Wonderfull job! Thank you sir because i had an opportunity to learn something valuable today The great masters of balsa wood construction are unfortunately taking this wonderful knowledge along with them to the coffin for lack of interest from the new generations, or out of pure selfishness. So I thank you for this wonderful lesson sir 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

I used to add ammonia to the water when soaking the strips. Makes the balsa more flexible.

Brilliant. Thank you. I think I am more into the craft of construction as opposed to flying!

It's a real problem for me as these videos are so fascinating to watch and learn from that you can't put them out as quickly as I'd like, unreasonable I know but I find myself looking everyday to see what else you have put up, keep it up Cliff, looking forward to the next one. 👍

I have done this excellent méthode for à big lazy bee Easy and hyper strong !

Currently working on a tiger moth biplane only my second plane ive built this was informative thank you

What a pleasure to watch and thank you. As a lifetime aircraft fanatic and (full scale) pilot, I love to build models. I also make a lot of furniture, trying to do things by hand (dovetails etc.) where possible. Now I'm introducing my kids to the marvellous craft of designing and building miniature furniture, buildings etc. from balsa and your tips will go a long way. Cheers from Sydney - Dave

Very informative Cliff Harvey. Thank You.

Great video Cliff thank you for sharing.

I'd like to suggest Sigment for glue since it sands like balsa, not as hard as white glue. You do have to wait for the wood to dry overnight before gluing, though.

It really does look like fun. Thanks.

Don't forget to subscribe for regular 'Cliff Harvey RC Planes' videos using this link: ru-vid.com/show-UCjnAks7p9kAw7idDD9XtqZw

Excellent video Cliff. Please keep them coming, they help people more than you’ll ever know.

Nice video and I appreciate the subtle background music so I can hear you narrate. Good job!

Wow! I was looking for tips on building model furniture and your site came up. I started watching and I must say they are beautiful results you got from laminating the balsa wood in this way. I have seen a similar technique in miniature making where layers of card are put together and then coated on all sides with extra thin superglue, which by capillary action, enters the inside of the piece, leaving it as strong and sandable as a hardwood but obviously much lighter and easier to cut in the first instance. I wouldn't mind having a go at the balsa wood sometime but I have to up my woodworking skills a bit first. This video is well worth a like and a subscription because you never know if skills used for one kind of model making can translate to another and to keep an open mind for such instances.

Nice building...now I an going to use that on my Spitfire I'm working on. Thank you

Lovely

Hi Cliff and Harvey Fans. Nice job Cliff, gratfull for the video allways good info over here. Getting thing ready to start my one build. Keep up the good work :)

Beautiful work!

Nice one cliff. I have just done a similar thing on a Dumas Waco. I see the subscriptions are creeping up. You will soon be in the tiger moth ☝️

Great building technique, thanks for sharing that! 👍

Hello my friend ! I ask can i color paint a balsa wood and then i fiberglassing it or first fiberglassing and then l paint????

Hi Cliff. I have just found your video and you now have a new subscriber. Lovely work looking forward to seeing your next show. I am about to catch up on your previous videos. I think it may take me a long time. Cheers

Really nice video Cliff, really enjoyable to watch. I have a possible build coming up for which I will need to be doing this, so thank you 😊

Nice building Cliff. Have I missed something? What are you building?

Very easy watching and interesting

Hey cliff what was the youtube channel called. He made balsa planes and flew them in a park in new york. I just cannot find his channel. He built some keil craft planes, a wisp eaglet etc

It's a very nice vidéo, I love to laminate balsa! even if the scale I use to practice is really smaller, It's one of my prefered step of building, with covering. congrats!

Very nice indeed 👍

Cool video! I appreciate editing out the sanding bit and the reveal of the smooth lines was very satisfying. Where do you get your balsa and for how long do you soak the strips?

That's a very good technique!! Does it make the Balsa that much stronger?

Nice demo Cliff. Apologies if this has been covered in another video, this is the first one that I have watched. What material are you using for your building board?

What did you soak the balsa in for 2 minutes?

nice video thanks (I've never built anything like this but I want to one day) do you have a video showing how to apply tissue paper to the wings?

Good video! Did you strip 1/16 from a plank or buy srtips?

Any reason not to add the shear webbing in the wings before taking off the board. If added when doing the D box would it be more rigid?

what kind of glue is that i haven't seen it before ?

This video is really great. Can you record a video about how to make the angle of the propeller thrust axis? Thank you.

Me again Cliff, by the way have you got any Facebook page?

I want to know how you make your ribs

Good to see some 'proper' building and not foam board rubbish 😉. Prize for first view?

Everyone knows you wipe the glue on your pants after spreading glue with your finger.

Its strange how hobbies perpetuate right wing political agenda be that rc or amateur radio etc.

Hi sir I'm an aerospace student workings on a project can you please assist me with it how can i contact you please i need your. Help