I got a couple of 3" x 3" x 12" blocks of balsa that I want to turn for handles. Stuff is amazingly light (and soft) and I am wondering if a scraper will tear the wood, or, if I should just sand the whole thing? Thought I'd ask before finding out the hard way which is best.

Thanks,
NT

Sand it. It tears out too easily!

Thanks for the advice Ken. That was my inclination... the stuff sure is soft!

Neil,

Bet it will make a really light handle with flocking (or leather) over it! I've been thinking about doing an Ultra lite like that.

Mike

Yes Mike, it'll be light for sure. Feels like styrofoam. Hoping that a leather covering will keep it from denting (or showing the dents) to much.

I wonder what happens if you stress your rod with a balsa handle so that it flexes to the butt. Eventhough the ID of the handle will be reinforced by epoxy or what ever you use to glue it to the blank but I'd imagine that balsa due to it's stucture "will remember" this stress.? By this I mean that it might become dented, distorted etc from inside although the outer reinforced layer might stay in good shape. Sure balsa is an interesting material since it's so light but just a thought. Does anyone have experience similar to this?

Back in the 80s I made an 8" butt grip for a spin rod out of Balsa, sanded the whole thing, stained it walnut and then coated it with Flexcoat [3 or 4 coats. I gave the rod away so really don't have any follow up data. Even with the coating I am sure it would dent if hit hard enough. The only redeaming quality is that it is light in weight, sure not a good looking wood. Jesse

What I plan to do with this is to cover it with braided leather. Something different to toy with anyway.

As for the rod bending that far down - that shouldn't be an issue in this case. It'll be a 6'6" fast action spinning or casting rod. If the rod bends that far into the handle, well, something will have gone terribly wrong.

I make my own floats out of balsa and the the wood can be either really soft or really hard and any where in between. Using normal wood turning tools like the ones you use on a lathe and it should't tear the wood to shreds. I use a scraper and I haven't run into any real problems. Use it to rough out then finish with sand paper. Remember to use real light pressure on the wood.

Based on my experience with making floats and using almost every kind of finish out there the two part epoxies will work and they will work out quite nicely. The finish comes out hard and looks good too. I think what ever you use the wood will eithr dent with any amount of pressure. Good Luck

I've made a couple handles out of balsa wood. However I don't think forming the handle from a solid piece is the best way to do it. Instead, use 1/4 inch thick balsa sheet and cut rings out and use them as you would use cork rings. This will create a handle in which the grain runs 90 degrees in relation to the blank. When gluing the handle I make sure that none of the rings have their grain oreinted in the same direction.These grips seem to be much more durable than a solid piece with grain running parallel with the blank.

After shaping and sanding it can be stained and finished creating a very unique and apealling look.

Here's a pic of the first grip I made in this manner. Was in a hurry making it so this one didn't come out quite right in regard to shape and diameter.

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Kev

Has anyone ever tried to treat the surface of a balsa grip with Minwax wood hardener?

James