Nope!
I live among balsam which, is, correctly evergreen but I can assure you is
nothing like balsa.
Balsa is also an evergreen but a tropical species. it has very different
properties. Balsam isn't much good for anything besides Christmas trees. they
do smell probably the best of all traditional Christmas trees.
Below was lifted from our old friend Wikipedia.
Ochroma pyramidale
>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Balsa wood)
Jump to: navigation, search
This article includes a list of references or external links, but its
sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this
article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009)
For other meanings, see Balsa.
Balsa
Painting by Frances W. Horne from the Flora Borinqueña
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Malvales
Family: Malvaceae
Genus: Ochroma
Sw.
Species: O. pyramidale
Binomial name
Ochroma pyramidale
(Cav. ex Lam.) Urb.
Balsa (Ochroma pyramidale, synonym O. lagopus) is a large, fast-growing tree
that can grow up to 30m (98ft) tall, native to tropical South America north to
southern Mexico. It is evergreen, or dry-season deciduous if the dry season is
long, with large (30-50 cm, 12-20 in) weakly palmately lobed leaves. The name
balsa derives from Spanish for a raft. Despite being very soft, balsa is
classified as a hardwood, and is the softest commercial hardwood.
The timber is very soft and light with a coarse open grain. The density of dry
balsa wood ranges from 100-200 kg/m³ (6.24-12.49 lb/ft³), with a typical
density of about 140 kg/m³ (8.74 lb/ft³) (about one third the density of other
hard woods). It is also a very popular material to use when making wooden
crankbaits for fishing, as it is low density but high in strength. Balsa wood
is used to make very light, stiff structures in model bridge tests and for the
construction of light wooden aeroplanes, most famously the World War II de
Havilland Mosquito. It is also used in the floorpan of the Chevrolet Corvette
Z06 sandwiched between two sheets of carbon fibre. In table tennis paddles, a
balsa layer is typically sandwiched between two pieces of thin plywood. Balsa
wood is also used in laminates with glass-reinforced plastic (fiberglass) for
making high-quality balsa surfboards and the decks and topsides of many types
of boats, especially pleasure craft under 30m (100 ft) in length.
Balsa wood is often used as a core material in composites, and as a result many
wind turbines are made partially of balsa. It also remains a popular material
for model aircraft, offering an excellent balance of strength and lightness.
[edit] See also
a.. Paulownia
[edit] References
a.. Species description
b.. Germplasm Resources Information Network: Ochroma pyramidale
c.. Photo of foliage and flower
----- Original Message -----
From: Max Robinson
To: [email protected]
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 9:39 PM
Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] toy boat
It comes from balsam trees. I think they grow mostly in northern Canada and
Alaska. I'm probably wrong about that because I got that from books like
call of the wild.
Regards.
Max. K 4 O D S.
Email: [email protected]
Transistor site http://www.funwithtransistors.net
Vacuum tube site: http://www.funwithtubes.net
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To subscribe to the fun with tubes group send an email to,
[email protected]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee A. Stone" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] toy boat
>
> thanks Betsey, now do you or another member of this list know the
> origin if balsa wood as we know it? thanks.Lee
>
> On Mon, May 11, 2009 at
> 10:20:32AM -1000,
> Betsy Whitney wrote:
>> Lee,
>> We bought some at Ben Franklin about 3 months ago. An artist friend
>> of mine bought some online because she needed very specific dimensions.
>>
>> Betsy
>> At 07:27 AM 5/11/2009, you wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> >is there such a thing as balsa wod for toy projects anymore/ ? Lee
>> >
>> >On
>> >Mon, May 11, 2009 at 12:12:31PM -0500,
>> ><mailto:wstephan%40everestkc.net>[email protected] wrote:
>> > >
>> > > Lenny:
>> > >
>> > > I can recall as a kid building something similar, though not as
>> > elaborate. The ones me and my old man built didn't have shafts for
>> > the prop, and the boat was just a piece of pine with a point on one
>> > end. They worked though. I also used to build scooters made out of
>> > a piece of 1 x 6 with roller skates I stole from my sister on each
>> > end. These had a wooden crate on the front with handles, and they
>> > roared like a jet when you rode them on the sidewalk. Probably
>> > they're too dangerous for today's little darlings,.
>> > >
>> > > Bill Stephan
>> > > Kansas Citty MO
>> > > Email: <mailto:wstephan%40everestkc.net>[email protected]
>> > > Phone: (816)803-2469
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > ----- Original Message -----
>> > > From: "Lee A. Stone"
>> > > <<mailto:sedac%40mailsent.net>[email protected]>
>> > > Date: Monday, May 11, 2009 11:39 am
>> > > Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] toy boat
>> > > >
>> > > > i think that is a great program to get kids involved into
>> > > > making
>> > > > things. Lee
>> > > >
>> > > > On Mon, May 11, 2009 at 11:21:15AM -0400,
>> > > > Lenny McHugh wrote:
>> > > > > Well I had an interesting weekend with my grandson, Christian
>> > > > age 12. For a
>> > > > > school project he wanted to build a boat out of scrap wood. This
>> > > > is for a
>> > > > > craft trade program where kids make something then trade for
>> > > > something that
>> > > > > another kid has made. He had permission to have an adult use
>> > > > power saws.
>> > > > > Christian can use a coping saw better than most adults. We
>> > > > talked a little
>> > > > > about the design and he had a few books. I suggested that he
>> > > > make a rubber
>> > > > > band powered boat and that is what he finally decided.
>> > > > > I first took a piece of 1x6 pine and cut a point on the one end.
>> > > > In the back
>> > > > > he cut out a part 1 1/4 inch wide and 2 1/2 inches long.
>> > > > > He then used a mallet and chisels to cut two notches a 1/2 inch
>> > > > long and 3/8
>> > > > > inch wide and deep for the motor.
>> > > > > I cut a thin piece of wood a little over 1/8 thick 3/4 inch wide
>> > > > and about 4
>> > > > > inches long.
>> > > > > I then had Christian take a wood rasp or file to make a spot to
>> > > > hold the
>> > > > > paddle halfway in the 3/8 dowel rod. When the paddle was glued
>> > > > in place he
>> > > > > cut the rod to fit in the grooves that he chiseled in the back
>> > > > of the boat.
>> > > > > I then left him use my bench sander to round all of the points
>> > > > around the
>> > > > > boat. When he was ready to put the paddle in place I gave him
>> > > > two electric
>> > > > > cable straps and some small screws to put over the top of the
>> > > > dowel rods to
>> > > > > keep them in place. He then inserted two screw hooks right in
>> > > > from of the
>> > > > > paddle. Now a rubber band would be placed over the hooks and
>> > > > around part of
>> > > > > the paddle. By winding it a few turns when released it gave a
>> > > > pretty good
>> > > > > spin to the paddle.
>> > > > > I then cut a strip that he would glue to the bottom to make a
>> > > > rudder. Again
>> > > > > he used the sander to shape the front of the strip and glued it
>> > > > in place.
>> > > > > I took a small piece of 2x4 and using the chop saw made the top
>> > > > of the boat.
>> > > > > He then used the drill press to drill a 1 1/4 hole to hold a
>> > > > medicine
>> > > > > container. This will both represent a smoke stack and hold a lot
>> > > > of extra
>> > > > > rubber bands.
>> > > > > He got to use quite a few tools. A bench sander, drill press,
>> > > > hand drill,
>> > > > > coping saw, wood rasp, wood chisels and a mallet and a sanding
>> > > > block. He is
>> > > > > quite proud of the boat. He now has to paint it and have it
>> > > > ready for next
>> > > > > week.
>> > > > > Christian, like me, also has RP. I want him to learn to use as
>> > > > many tools as
>> > > > > he can while he has some vision. We have become very close and
>> > > > projects like
>> > > > > this are wonderful.
>> > > > > ---
>> > > > > Please visit my home page; it is motivational, inspirational and
>> > > > humorous
>> > > > > with many resources for the blind.
>> > > > >
>> >
<http://www.geocities.com/lenny_mchugh/>http://www.geocities.com/lenny_mchugh/
>> > > > > Lenny
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > ------------------------------------
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Send any questions regarding list management to:
>> > > > >
>> >
<mailto:blindhandyman-owner%40yahoogroups.com>[email protected]
>> >
>> > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> >
<http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29>http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29>
>> > Or
>> > > > >
>> >
<ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/>ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/
>> >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is.
>> > > > >
>> >
<http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday>http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday
>> >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions
>> > > > From Various List Members At The Following address:
>> > > > >
>> >
<http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/>http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/
>> >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > Visit the archives page at the following address
>> > > > >
>> >
<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
>> >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the
>> > > > following address for more information:
>> > > > > <http://www.jaws-users.com/>http://www.jaws-users.com/
>> > > > > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind
>> > > > Handy Man list just send a blank message to:
>> > > > >
>> >
<mailto:blindhandyman-help%40yahoogroups.comYahoo>[email protected]!
>> > Groups Links
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > --
>> > > > "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last,
>> > > > "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
>> > > > "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
>> > > > "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said
>> > > > Piglet.
>> > > > Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.
>> > > > Are you curious? Ask me about Temptations toy parties.
>> > > >
>> >
>> >--
>> >"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last,
>> >"what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
>> >"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
>> >"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
>> >Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.
>> >Are you curious? Ask me about Temptations toy parties.
>> >
>>
>>
>> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>>
>
> --
> "When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last,
> "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
> "What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
> "I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
> Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.
> Are you curious? Ask me about Temptations toy parties.
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Send any questions regarding list management to:
> [email protected]
> To listen to the show archives go to link
>
http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29
> Or
> ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/
>
> The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is.
> http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday
>
> Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various
> List Members At The Following address:
> http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/
>
> Visit the archives page at the following address
> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
>
> If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following
> address for more information:
> http://www.jaws-users.com/
> For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man
> list just send a blank message to:
> [email protected]! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
