Slec Balsa Stripper Test & Review - Building Model Aeroplanes

[@brendansheehy]

Bought one of these this morning then went on line to see if there was an instructional. Who else but Mark Robinson! Brilliant Mark, as I say got this and two 6mm boards this mornimg. I was looking in the bag for the double sided tape! Hadn't a clue. I'm ready now to produce a blast of 1/4" (or 6.35mm x 6mm anyway). Plenty needed for my scratch built Junior 60 project. Looking forward to milling in to thst 1/4 strip. It's lovely stuff to work with. Thanks for the video.

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks very much, really pleased you found the video useful 😀

[@jonsage300574]

The balsa stripper was designed and developed by John Roper of SLEC in Gravesend. He was such an innovator for all things rc. He would have been mega pleased to see your review of this review.

[@terryblackman6217]

Hi Mark. You have done a very good review on this stripper. I didn't know this came with an aluminium guide for a dead straight cut. I have been using my home made one for years now, but it's starting to showing its age. This one i think seems very good value. After watching your review it am going to invest in one. Nice one .✈👍

[@MarkRobinson555]

Hi Terry, pleased you liked the video, my only issue is with the spacers, I think that could have bee done a little better, but ok when you get used to them. To be honest, I mainly leave it set at 1/4" as that is mostly what I need. Thanks for the comment

[@KevinFairgrieve]

Been using one for years. Best in my opinion, but does take some practice to get a true straight edge.

[@Tom-wl9sx]

Think I'll need one to, looks very nice 👍

[@MarkCroucherRC4fun]

Huge advantage in cutting your own strip, obviously cost is one but perhaps more importantly all strips have the same strength making for more accurate building. I use a Proxxon table saw

[@shelbyseelbach9568]

How do all strips have the same strength when each one has it's own distinct grain that not a single other one duplicates? Wood is a random material, even when cut from the same board. Surely you've seen a sheet of balsa with obvious variance to it's density and grain depending on where you look at it. EVERY piece of wood is like that whether it is to a degree that is visible to the naked eye or not.

[@johnw5154]

The reason it did not measure to the spacers is the side wall off set thickness. Need to include that. So if you want 1/4" you need 1/4 spacers us thickness of channel side wall.

[@MrMadtractor]

i’ll be getting one

[@stevemerrill7430]

Are replacement blades readily available?

[@MarkRobinson555]

Yes, they are a Swan Morton scalpel blade, albeit a large specialised blade

[@stujd1539]

A small square block with a rebate for the clearance of the channel, fixed square to the cutter and sliding on the base board would give you a square cut every time.

[@836dmar]

I believe the angle is due to the necessary blade taper due to sharpening. The thicker the blade the more noticeable unless it’s preangled to account for this. I have never sliced thicker than 1/8” but at some point the overall squareness of the tool and blade takes over and you get square cuts. I’ve used thin blades from a disposable razor in my DIY cutters but those are flexible and have their own issues.

[@hansslagter5366]

At 5:18 you Slected 2 spacers! Haha Just kidding!

[@Burnersforvanlife]

Had one for donkeys. Best thing since slice bread once you're use to it.

[@garymurphy5133]

i had onr of these for years,never really got on with it,never got a good edge. The best ever stripper is a "generic" self made from vids on YT. 3 pieces of wood and a blade. the balsa is pushed through rather than the blade.

[@NormanLedoyen]

Nice time consuming but check out the video I just sent you. 555555555

[@MarkRobinson555]

Thanks Norm, Yes, you can get that type of table saw here easy enough, but don't really want all the dust and mess in my workshop and setting up outside is just a big hassle, hence why I don't have one 😀

[@ronwebb3242]

I’m with Norm. Got a myself a small table top saw and it’s brills. Never had much luck with balsa strippers.

[@MarkRobinson555]

HI Ron, I totally agree, small table top saws are great, but most of my work is in a workshop conected to the house, so too much dust would be a real issue, and keep setting up outside s not a great option for me.

[@ronwebb3242]

@@MarkRobinson555 my saw has an attachment that connects to a vacuum cleaner and theoretically sucks up the dust as you saw, but I have never tried that.