Hi Everybody,

This mail is inspired by Sujju,  Saikat @ Ronny the Tea Planter, Prem Vijay from Gangtok also Anwar Sahab, our administrator,  who goaded me to spread the flame of infectious modelling enthusiasm!

This is the least that I can do :

2 planks of modelling soft wood for FREE!

Here is what you have to do -


1.   Go to the nearest DTDC Courier counter (they seem to be the cheapest). Find out how much it would cost to ship a package 910 mm Length X 110 mm Width X 10 mm Depth / Height from Guwahati, Assam to your location.

2.   Remit that amount to my ICICI Bank A/C No. 634301011480 Guwahati and send me a confirmatory email at veecee27@yahoo.co.uk. Or sms me at 098640 33027, 098540 90999 with the details.

3.   I will dispatch you 2 pieces of soft Simul wood ( approx 900 mm X 100 mm X 3 mm ) FREE OF CHARGE .

4.   This wood is very similar to Balsa. Please read my post on Chatter zone for more details.

5.   I cannot guarantee the quality of the wood as they are rough pieces. Though I will pack them as well as I can, I do not take any responsibility of breakage or damage in transit.

6.   You will have to sand and finish the wood to suit your use.

7.   I have only 40 pieces to give away, so I can offer only 20 consignments. One consignment per email id only. PLEASE!

8.   Some pieces may be smaller or bigger, but what you get in totality will be equal to or more than 900 mm X 100 mm X 3 mm X 2 pieces.

9.   I would prefer to give these away to beginners and struggling modelers who are into basic modelling as such (This wood would be useful for making basic chuck and catapult gliders).  The fancy RC guys don’t need such freebies. Youngsters, age 15 and below, you are welcome! Join the club……….

10.   I don’t expect to be thanked. However, I would request you to shoot off a mail to Sujju on the forum and thank him for his kind thoughts and encouraging actions. He is the HERO who inspired me to do this.

Cheers all and Happy modelling!


Vikramaditya Chaudhury @ VC

Sorry to spoil the party but is 'Semul' wood really a substitute for  Balsa!!! As far as I remember, my NCC instructor used to hate even Japanica, which is the closest substitute (as frequently used by cheap ARF/RTF).He would have never touched Semul except for occasonal static models(even that is much demanding).
AFAIK Balsa wood is so well suited for Aeromodeling due to:

1. Lightness
2. Flexibility (you can form fuse/cowl by bending balsa sheet over standoff/spars)
3. You can sand balsa to mirror finish
4. They are strong (at least for the gsm ratio)

Semul would at most fulfill only the first one, while Japanica fulfills only 1 and 3(some what). And to my best knowledge (class 10 Geography), Semul wood is used in Match Sticks !! so one can quickly grab a sample from kitchen/pocket(smokers)

Balsa Scratch builder Senior!! Whats your opinion?

i think semul wood is much brittle than balsa, yes it can be a substitute in some ways but its not for ones who want nothing but performance.
but its good suited for some parts like blocks and strut parts where this brittles doesnt much matters.
but definitely not for parts like spars.

Nice :-

Problem is sizing it into sheets 3mm / 4mm / 2mm - I don't
think those kind of fine tooth rotary saws are readily accessible.

I v'e used the rotary saws in our factory for ripping "simul" and "kadam"
wood. The results are very rough and its difficult to get a precise cut at
such fine levels.

I think you would need to find a factory where they make plywood as they
have the super expensive veeneering blades. - all over South Assam - Margherita

Might be good for carving though

There is a lot to be learnt from the younger forum members. True the wood is not as supple as balsa but seems pliable. I sanded down a sheet and the result is quite satisfactory. Sure, it doesn't have the absolute balsa feel.

I am going to try and build two boats out of this wood. One will be a 40 Cm cabin Cruiser and the other a larger MTB. Will keep you all posted about the build details.

Let's see how it goes.

Ujjwaana, relax! You are not spoiling any party. It is good that you have pointed out the demerits of simul. That way people will know the pros and cons. In fact, I learnt from your post. I would like people to know exactly what they are getting, rather than someone later feeling that the courier charges were a waste of money. I am offering it free because I got it free!

Thanks!

VC

Maybe simul is easier to get than depron (which is equally brittle and surprisingly difficult to get - at least in Bangalore). Question is whether we can get sheets of this wood or will take a lot of sanding to get stuff in shape.

Frankly, local grown balsa (here) is pretty brittle too and won't compare at all with balsa from say MidWest or for that matter from anywhere in the western world.

Just posted some pics in the original thread. Have a look and see what the wood looks like.

If there are any modellers in and around Guwahati / Shillong who would like some - come and get it!

Cheers!

can you update us how many consignments have you dispatched?
what will be the approx cost of shipping to allahabad?

No consignments despatched as yet, as no one has asked me for them! I have given some away to some modellers in Guwahati. I have no idea how much it will cost to be sent Allahabad. You find out and let me know if you want some.

Cheers!

What's the English name for "Simul" ?

Is it cottonwood ?  If it is then aeromodeller
magazine published some plans during the wartime
years (wwII) when Balsa in England was scarce

If this is the case then simul can definitely
be used for flying models.

I think Simul and Cottonwood are not the same. Simul is probably the Silk Cotton Tree. I could be wrong though.

yes you are right semul is Silk Cotton tree (Salmalia malabarica)
check it in this webpage
http://www.haryana-online.com/Flora/semul.htm

don't know the indian name of cotton wood

Good to see RC enthusiasm from Allahabad. Keep it up Ankur !

Irshad Anwar from Kolkata used to make his airplanes out of Japonica. Fairly light but brittle. Maybe this could be used also.

http://www.rcindia.org/chatter-zone/balsa-substitute!/msg10010/#msg10010
we cannot use the matchsticks for any such purpose
can we?

vc uncle can u find and tell me the price of shipping to allahabad[
[i want as many planks as u can give since no one is taking them]
please do so and help me out

Hello,
I am currently working on an aeromodelling project for my collage (NIT-Jamshedpur) team.The competition will be held in U.S.A next year in April.I am looking to cut down the project cost.Could you please donate any used servos or any other part.

is there any way that i can pay cash on delivery?