Hi Everybody,

In these difficult times, we all need to find something to smile about. God, sometimes, just sits back and grants us some happiness. Today he granted me, what I consider to be, a Jackpot!

Setting up a data processing and upload centre here at Guwahati,  I had to bring in some PC's from Kolkata. The shipper had everything packed in wooden crates. When they arrived, one look at the crates made my heart race! The wood was pale yellow, almost white. As they unpacked, I picked up one of the pieces and found it to be surprisingly light, akin to Balsa, and very soft. 

I had the PC's installed but I treasured the crates and dismantled them myself. Today I had been to a wood workshop and was told that it is Simul wood. They mechanically sawed a few of the 19mm (3/4 inch) planks into 3mm and 5mm sheets. I am now sitting on a treasure trove - ALL FREE OF CHARGE!!!

These are perfect for crafting complete boats, fuselages, bulkheads, formers, rudders, elevators, ailerons - you name it!

I am LUCKY! (I don't recall the last time I used this phrase and REALLY meant it!)

Cheers!

VC - Ataraxia - A psycholgical condition that is manifested by freedom from all worries, anxiety and absence of tension. Alfred E. Neuman of MAD Magazine and VC suffers from this ailment - What, me worry?

Hi VC..you remind me of my early days of aeromodelling. you know what?... i have a scale kit of fokker dr 1 triplane ready to be built with YOUR name on it... i am really happy to see someone with the same enthusiasm that i had... (infact i had a similar situation about 20 years ago and i was happy as a bee)... PM me you address and i will courier this kit to you or i will see if someone is travelling from Bahrain to India i will handover the kit to them and they will reach it to you place... i will post some pics of this kit... all the best and keep this excitment going all the way and spread this hobby around your place...

Sujju,

You overwhelm me. I have no words to express my gratitude. There are times when the phrase "Thank You" seems so inadequate. This is one of those times.

God bless you.

VC

There is nothing that I have done in my life to deserve such a kind gesture. Honest.

couldnt be more great than to share certain things in life.. and especially to those who "absolutely" deserve it... all the best and happy flying... and keep me posted on the build and send me some pics and let me know if i can be of any help..

Sujju my fiend,

Just stay by my side. We need big hearted people like you to reassure us. We, in India, have to face a lot of frustrations as far this hobby is concerned. We have to make do with what we can scrounge, scrape and recycle. It is a far cry from the people out there, who can walk into any store and walk out with EXACTLY what they need/want/desire!

There are many modellers much more worthier than I, who need your support. I am a middle aged fossil, who has "been THERE, tried and cried his heart out, but didn't have the ways and means to achieve THAT".

Anyway, I am happy to be contributing my 2 penny bits and loads of passion. I plan to do offer something to my fellow forum members tomorrow. All thanks to you. You inspired me.

Cheers!

VC

Oooops typo! Please read as 'I plan to offer' instead of 'I plan to do offer'. The whisky seems to be muddling my typing skills. Unfortunate and disgraceful!

Over dramatic dialogs give away the con game.

VC,

I think you are in at the peak of your joyous mood. Or is it the whiskey doing its part..

Anyway, Good luck and enjoy. Its nice to see fellow RCer giving away freebies to others.. Good way to enhance our comradeship... 

-Ismail

Dear Mr. Rao,

Would you care to explain this statement? Who is conning whom? And what game are you referring to?

VC

Nearly all of us experience such a feeling at one time or the other. Great to see such enthusiasm and interest. I have had this feeling many times in this hobby, like last weekend when i was first able to do KE circles, i felt on top of the world ! literally !
Way to go !
-Gaurav

Hi All!

Posting some pictures that will show you what the wood looks like. Please note that they are in an assortment of sizes and will have to be sanded / planed thoroughly before use. Boat builders can use it extensively, however, aeromodellers have to use their own discretion. Note the picture of the weighing scale, it shows a reading of 50 grams. A similar plank of Balsa weighed in at 16 grams. Here also there is a lot of variance, some planks are lighter, while others are denser.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

Perhaps one day there will be a technology to send Simul sheets as an attachment with emails. It would save courier charges and it wouldn't be a 'con game' anymore!

VC

What i thing although this wood is heavy and not as good as balsa but can be easily used for static scale modelling and chuck glider making
If we want we can use this but only when we want to use it
Remember nothing is perfect
Everything has its own pros and cons just we need to use the pros and dilute the activity of the cons using another thing having the pros opp. to the cons
[if u don't understand this never mind..]
So enjoy modelling with these "CHEAP" wooden sheets

-ANkur

Ankur if you read the other forum, you will see that somewhere I have already mentioned that these are good only for chuck / catapult gliders and boats. Apart from that, it is good for making bulkheads and stuff, where you don't need to waste expensive balsa. Simul wood is used for making matchboxes and country boats in real life.

I believe sometimes simul has been passed off as 'Indian Balsa'. 

you are quite right there VC, But To my surprise, i ve seen people who have Completed whole scale model from scratch with simul and they flew just like there balsa counter parts, I was surprized to know when my tutor told me the plane on which i learnt flying was a simul one....
weird but true

Thanks Harsh. Check out the Cabin Cruiser Antares / Naughty Cal thread. She is made completely out of Simul wood.

BTW, How did you unearth this thread after so many days???

Cheers!

VC

Bow down Master VC! I earnestly apologies for my for surprise and ignorance when you said something significant could be made out of Semul! Hail to Naughty Cal

 
was just hovering around the forum....

I Think, Khirish, Kul, Bel, Simul, and dhonche are very light wood. But straight fibrous part with long piece are really rare in small wooden part. The primary selection criteria is weight as in Aero-modeling  like pyrotechnics, where light woods are selected for making lighter (Air float) Charcoal. The roundy fibrous place in wood will mislead blades of cutting knife.

The seasoning (Bending with time) and moisture absorption capacity is also another criteria I think from the point of view of storing of plane.  I have my first rubbermade glider body from balsa replacement. The piles of wood my mother purchased by Rs2.50/- (5 KG of wood) for cooking firing old coal oven (Unun called in bengali) from fruit transporting empty petty from fruit shop.

You can try and definitely will get pre-cut 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm thick strips but not longer than two feet. The difference will be surface for saw cutting. If larger piece required, contact the supplier of largest washing machine, refrigerator, heavy machinery transporter who transports from busy shop to houses (More sell, more wood outcome). Being in IT Sector, dear VC, you have to take help from family member or others to contact with the persons as stated if time is available.

Thanks