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Basswood vs Balsa wood

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Basswood vs Balsa wood
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 11, 2004 11:59 PM
I'm in Architecture school and all the scratch built models have to be in Basswood, so that carries over to my model railroading.
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Posted by cjcrescent on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 12:14 AM
I use all three. As in the brass vs plastic thread, one poster stated there is no versus. Same here. Each one is used depending on the situation.

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 1:41 AM
Use all three, balsa the least. Basswood and styrene about equally though some large basswood structures are on the drawing board. Also use toothpicks, both round and flat for rustic N scale buildings. Also use gathered twigs of various species for timber trestles, etc. (Prefer birch for the light color wood and the dark color bark on young branches.

Guess I'd have voted "all of the above and then some."

Wayne
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Posted by Big_Boy_4005 on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 2:33 AM
Basswood and styrene, and even plexiglass for me. No balsa.
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Posted by tutaenui on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 4:20 AM
I use Styrene pretty much exclusively these days, as stripwood is increasingly difficult to obtain. However there is something "organic" about using card and stripwood even if it is slower.
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Posted by BentnoseWillie on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 6:25 AM
Basswood and styrene. I don't use a lot of balsa - I find that basswood is a better wood for modelling projects.
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Posted by Fergmiester on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 6:31 AM
Bass Wood is by far a superior material and I perfer it over styrene as it looks and feels like real wood (DUH) when painted. To me it gives that added touch of realism to buildings that you can't get with styrene.

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If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007  

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Posted by dehusman on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 6:32 AM
All 3.

Dave H.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by rogerhensley on Tuesday, October 12, 2004 7:30 AM
Primarily styrene now, but basswood in the past and for a few details. I have never used balsa as it is too soft and frizzy. As for a 'wood look', nothing is as good as wood to look like wood. :-)

Roger Hensley
= ECI Railroad - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/eci/eci_new.html =
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