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Simon Cox
09-21-2011, 7:55 AM
Hi, laser newbie just starting up in the UK.
I'm looking for 1/32 and 1/16 basswood sheet for model manufacture. I have found 4" widths from 2 UK sources - but I'm really wanting 8" or wider.
Anyone have any suggestions where I can get it here in the UK? I'm wanting basswood for it's close grain, and plain light colour.

Failing that, can anyone point me to a US supplier.
Google searching continues...difficult to get past the pages of chinese suppliers!

thanks in advance,
Simon

Simon Cox
09-21-2011, 8:11 AM
follow-up question after more google searching: does 1/32 or 1/16 sheet wider than 4" even exist? Can't find anything wider than 100mm (4") :(

Shawn Cavaretta
09-21-2011, 10:07 AM
National Balsa in Ware Ma has 8" 9" and 12" at a great price. i use them all the time http://www.nationalbalsa.com/Default.asp

Dan Hintz
09-21-2011, 11:49 AM
Shawn, he's in the UK... I don't think shipping costs would be too beneficial to him. Maybe Frank will kick in with some useful suppliers in the area...

Michael Hunter
09-21-2011, 12:11 PM
You could try Moran's Wood Components (in Lancashire I think) - moranswoodcomponents DOT co DOT uk.

I don't think they do lime (bass) wood, but have a range of others including maple which is also fine grained.
They call them "slats" and are 5mm thick and pre-finished with a laquer.
Maple is normally between 3.5 and 4.5" wide, but I have had oak from them 7.75" wide.
If you talk to them nicely, they will select the wider slats for you.

Wood this thin WARPS!!!!!!
For warp control, ply is much better.
Totton Timber have interior grade birch ply in all thicknesses from 3mm up and will cut the sheets so you can get them into a car.

Sending a PM

Simon Cox
09-21-2011, 6:44 PM
Thanks fellers - yep it warps badly but this is not structural - its for the outer skin of model railroad buildings. The internal frames the sheets are attached to are ply.
I have been experimenting with Obeche but the grain is coarser, and the colour a bit darker. I have 4" maple - too dark - and the grain colouration is not appropriate for the guys who like to stain their models.
So now I know I can get basswod sheets from the USA up to 12", many thanks Shawn, I was beginning to think it stopped at 4"! I suspect NationalBalsa's free shipping over $150 offer stops at the USA border.
Somewhere in Europe must have it - even if not here in UK. Otherwise its a bulk buy from the "land of free" :)

Paul Grothouse
09-25-2011, 11:06 PM
Basswood, it's pretty light stuff, and very cheap in the US. It would need to be resawn for your needs. I don't know how much you need, but I can recommend some people who could make it up for you and ship it over.