A guide to using balsa wood when building wargames terrain

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In this Back to Basics guide, we look the various tools and techniques you can use when using balsa wood for your wargames terrain and scenery.
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[@McCurryChickenWing]

been working the whole week on a half-timbered building. feel pretty confident now in working with balsa but didnt even think of soaking it with water in order to bend it. definitely will try it on one of my next builds. great tutorial!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

McCurryChickenWing Cheers buddy, looking forward to seeing your build :-)

[@BradleyRogstad]

Another great video Mel. Sorry, I am just now catching up on all of these since I discovered your site and awesome videos. Funny thing, back in the days, and before the internet, when I was first exposed to balsa wood when I was into making airplane frames, I discovered the water thing by accident. Long story that one is, but I suppose my point is how great it is to be able to share ideas and information across the world now. Keep up the good work!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers buddy, it's what I'm here for!

[@marklueckenhoff6125]

Thanks for another great video! PVA works well with balsa when you want a slow bond that you can reposition if you make a mistake. But when you're in a hurry, I find that a drop or two of super glue will wick into the wood and dry instantly -- giving you a joint that is much stronger than the wood around it! It can also solve your "structural integrity" warping issue as a thin coat instantly turns balsa into stone.

[@kyndallhill36]

This was a great video! So informative. Thank you for sharing this. It was a great help for me.

[@Jeffahtabletop]

Nice guide, I work with balsa a fair bit and really enjoy it, so easy use. Some really nice techniques I didn't know soaking it would make it bendable that's super cool.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

***** Cheers buddy, that one slips under a few peoples radars :-)

[@ManmadeM0nster]

Cool tutorial, thank you for this! I'll keep it in mind for future builds. Thanks again!

[@johnkelley9877]

I really liked this tutorial. I have worked with Balsa wood in the past but not with a lot of success. I will certainly use your advice om working with it in the future. Thanks for the video.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

John Kelley Hope it works for you mate :-)

[@jimgibson6142]

Great video and thank you for covering the basics!

[@jamesevans886]

Well covered subject Mel. For engraving small brick work I have found some very cheap and nasty permanent felt tips, pen sized not the large marker, will partly dissolve the compressed balsa if you lay down the ink on it. So you literally draw the bricks. If you hold your diamond saw at roughly 45° with the blade running across your balsa wood and drag it along the grain you will get a deeper more distressed look. The technique is just like scraping back mold seams on plastic models. If you use a rounded curved modelling blade and use a rocking motion you get a nicer cut with less effort. I have found using dry spaghetti for detailing around columns and doorways works well, but that is a little off topic. For structural work balsa and cardboard are among my favourite materials. Years ago I scratched built an Ork Rhino for 40k and everyone who saw it assumed it was a converted plastic one. One night one of the guys picked it up while helping to pack away and was shocked by its lack of weight. I confessed it was balsa and then all the guys had to have a good look at it. You can put a lot of detail into a balsa model especially if you give it several coats of watered down PVA glue with a light sanding using very fine sand paper with every coat. After painting you can't see the grain.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

James Evans Some nice tips there matey, thanks for sharing :-)

[@peterespinoza2857]

Thank you so much for sharing techniques with regarding balsa wood.

[@jjab99]

Thanks Mel, It's like you can see the stuff in my cupboard waiting to to be used and you make these great videos showing me how to use it. Many thanks as always, you are a star!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

jjab99 It's because I'm spying on your mate ;-)

[@Warriorking1963]

Another super instructive video Mel. The balsa stripper was a new one to me, it was worth watching just to see that little beauty alone. Keep up the good work mate! :O)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Warriorking1963 It's a cracking bit of kit mate :-)

[@darkridearts]

I love balsa wood. Very versatile and lightweight. I use it to make all types of things

[@jenny666barnish]

I can't wait to try this tomorrow, thank you!

[@servandodelarosa621]

Just what I was searching for. Thanks!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Servando Rodríguez de la Rosa Awesome sauce, glad it helped mate

[@douglasmontgomery2063]

Excellent vid. I've always been a little reluctant to work with Balsa, but this really convinced me to give it a try. Incidentally, every time you said "diamond saw," my American ears kept hearing "dinosaur." Which was a little distracting, but in a fun way. :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

cutting balsa with a dinosaur, that would be an epic vid!

[@gregoryroth5527]

Hilarious! I could listen to Mel all day, but not in a creepy way!

[@amberfillmore3517]

Douglas Montgomery. Lol. I actually thought that he was saying dinosaur!

[@aexalven]

I was hearing "Dino saw" and was thinking "what a weird name"

[@jagc1969]

I also kept hearing "Dinosaur"... :)

[@DerMartexus]

A very good summary of what's possible to be done with balsa wood. ;)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

***** Cheers buddy :-)

[@ApocGuy]

I didnt knew about soaking it and the roll.This will saves me a lot of time(and ruined nerves too). Thank you for great tutorials :D .

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+ApocGuy The simple tips are always the best mate

[@User-xp4kl]

This stuff will be perfect for my wooden ship planking. thanks!

[@Chugosh]

Good techniques. Just a wonderful material.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

***** Thanks matey :-)

[@jenniferw8963]

I've just started wargaming terrain construction (for Song of Blades and Heroes to start). Building a modular tile base right now and your videos have been extremely useful! (I'm using criss crossed corrugated cardboard for the base tiles--10x10 inch, which seems not to warp, is strong, and I can even recess rivers/creeks/ponds one layer of cardboard!) I just subscribed earlier today, and it's so cool to see you active and doing a new video just today!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Jennifer Gwinn I'm always posting new stuff but if you like working with cardboard, checkout TheDMGinfo :-)

[@TheDMGinfo]

Thanks Mel

[@jenniferw8963]

TheDMGinfo Hi. I want to say I've really been enjoying your videos along with DM Scotty's. This is where I got the idea of using cardboad for my modular wargaming base. I use cardboard because it's cheap, relatively strong when criss-crossed and I like the 2.5D (both raising it for dungeons and lowering it for rivers. I'll share a picture of my 3 x 3 terrain base when I'm got enough tiles :) Right now I am waiting on a woodland scenics order for a light green / spring turf blend. I am using the woodland scencis readygrass sheet right now (got it on a roll from Hobby Lobby for 40% off -- like $8) but it's too dark of a green for my liking.

[@TheDMGinfo]

Excellent

[@gaiuscaligula3497]

Absolute legend, thank you for this.

[@coy4640]

THANK YOU! YOU REALLY HELP ME A LOT

[@tench745]

If you need balsa to take a really severe bend, along the grain or across, you can soak it in ammonia, it makes the binders in the wood fibers more elastic.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+tench745 thanks for the heads up mate

[@peezebeuponyou3774]

"It's been a stable for donkeys years". Love the Bose dialect lol.

[@lunedi20]

Thank you for information!

[@familyofgamers777]

Great info Mel!!!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

familyofgamers777 Thanks matey

[@zoso7558]

Thanks dude good video

[@IDICBeer]

Great guide Mel, nice vid

[@TheTerrainTutor]

***** Cheers buddy :-)

[@MarkCMG]

Thanks for the vid, Tutes!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Mark CMG Clover Anytime matey :-)

[@gaiuscaligula3497]

Question: can you bend thicker pieces of balsa wood than the one you did? I need to do a curved beam.

[@Fourwheeljive]

Thanx for the video! I learned how to bend wood.

[@naveendinakaran5656]

well Explained Sir it is really useful and thank you for Sharing :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Naveen Dinakaran Glad it helped mate

[@lykri3350]

OK this is the 2nd video I am watching and now I think I have sealer right here. Mod Podge. I am new at using this, so I had to get my brain in gear. But my bottle says both do layers as desired. And it says to seal with an acrylic sealer. But the front of the labels says waterbase sealer, glue and finish. So can you help me understand where an acrylic sealer plays into this? Maybe the thing I do not know is what waterbase is.

[@Steve-dr7rr]

Hi can I ask you what pins do you use cheers

[@KonnAlex]

If you varnish balsa, will it strengthen it a bit?

[@Mukundanghri]

Thank you mate.

[@mewtcraftsterrainminiature6437]

I have been searching for that "Balsa Splitter" but I can't find it. Do you have a link please?

[@DebbieBuckland]

I'm just starting to get into balsa wood as it seems more environmentally friendly than extruded foam and it looks great

[@jenny666barnish]

It worked and has made my model of a Victorian coffin really sturdy and strong!!

[@mackhaddock5376]

Nice job!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks

[@SharneAndrews]

This is great, thanks so much

[@pauline6521]

Fabulous. Just found you.

[@jovannaanime2424]

Cold water or hot or it doesn’t matter?

[@yusufp333]

How do I bend a 1m basla 1.5mm sheet

[@Tetedasilva1]

perfect...thanks

[@bryanrobin2952]

Can you stain baslsa wood to give a different wood color. Then still cut and glue it. Or will the stain cause problems? Thanks

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Nope, staining is a good technique mate

[@diddydoodah]

where did you buy the splitter from I cant seem to find 1

[@TheTerrainTutor]

ebay ... balsa stripper

[@cheyennedegraaff]

You only used water to soak it? Brilliant!

[@private91205]

Thx for the informative video. Where do you buy the balsa wood? Can I make geometric templates? I don't like plastic ones.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+private91205 Any hobby / railroad shop mate, it wouldn't mate good templates though

[@JamesECarlisle]

What about rotary tools such as Dremel? Or are those too harsh to use with balsa?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Bit harsh mate

[@Kwago1]

Hi, thank you for the video. I have some questions involving balsa and molding. First, I need something harder than balsa for an outdoor purpose, so I chose to mold it. Second, the mold already formed (bought from a store) is made of balsa. Third, it's super absorbent, I have no clue if it'll work if soaked in wood hardener, release agent, or polyurethane. Fourth, please help.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Not my field mate, sorry can't help you

[@Kwago1]

Thanks for the reply, would you know any reference to this issue?

[@speedbrake1317]

Good video. One fix, Balsa is NOT wood. We in RC Air just call it Balsa. It’s more a weed from SA. Other than that error, the video is awesome.

[@ibrahimmirza1698]

When I see the ruin model I was like why this man is making video

[@combatdigiq]

The chinese takeaway people just handed me one of those roll-up scroll type calendars for 2017, is that balsa too ? Or bamboo ? Papyrus ? It is wafer-thin but highly flexible and has nice wood grain kinda texture too it. I can see some uses for terrainbuilding. Perhaps just cut out a piece of text i like and use it as a road sign or something. Or sandwich it together in layers with some PVA in a pre shaped form or shape. Thinner planks for roofing ? Boarded up windows ? Or woodwork for some scary looking old sagging through bridge ? It's a nice adittion to the standard cofee stirrer, coctail or icestick sized material if you ask me and may suit many scales. Best thing i like about it, it was 4 free. yey ! :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Errr ... I don't really like chinese, so I've never seen them mate, got a link to a pic?

[@combatdigiq]

Shure can try but it seems you get them in a wide variety of sorts and materials. lmgtfy.com/?q=chinese+scroll+calendar+image

[@marcopeng6344]

nice

[@Hamenopi]

Nice Balsa Jig! #stealingthatshiz Gonna build one

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Hamenopi Steal away buddy :-)

[@gwan8487]

hai. Could you tell me how to cut the balsa wood for the perfect curvy shape like yours? thanks thank you for the very useful tips!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Glen Irawan soak itnin water first mate

[@gwan8487]

thanks!

[@jameshabermehl3902]

Another great tutorial, as always. What is the word you always say at the end of every vid. I assume it is something similar to saying, "Cheers." Please spell it.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

James Habermehl Which word? :-)

[@jameshabermehl3902]

Grrrr! :-) I don't even know how to say it, much less spell it!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

James Habermehl LOL, the challenges of language hey

[@jameshabermehl3902]

"Terrah"?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

James Habermehl Ta Ra, a British saying meaning goodbye mate

[@kokothekoala5495]

Hot glue works great for balsa, life hack☺️

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Yep, good stuff

[@RoyAndrews82]

Awesome video, couldn't of done it better. (+1 : 199)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Mark II Cheers mate

[@bulentakyildiz5439]

'Master'

[@TheTerrainTutor]

I wish lol

[@redgreen09]

welll thank got do some ::::))

[@TheTerrainTutor]

redgreen09 Hope it helps matey

[@kittyleung4643]

Balas wood, Look at me!

[@giantorres3352]

god bless south america

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Giancarlo Torres Indeed :-)

[@MG-fr3tn]

Balsa wood dust is bad for your lungs...

[@smokeypotter5876]

Urine works too if you dont have water.just saying 😀

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Actually, it works better.just saying ;-)

[@royshaw9299]

it's an arched door

[@TheTerrainTutor]

roy shaw Well, it's supposed to be an arched door mate lol

[@zaahirahmed7924]

watch at x1.5 and save 7 important minutes of your life. I'm watching at x1.75 and saving 10

[@nikgourg6909]

Yea....Yea....Yea🔫