Best strength/weight C grain balsa for glider wings?

Any rocket glider/free-flight/RC builders out there that can provide their expertise on the best pound-hardness of C grain balsa for boost and rocket glider wings and stabs (the best compromise between strength and lightness)?

Rktman said:

Any rocket glider/free-flight/RC builders out there that can provide their expertise on the best pound-hardness of C grain balsa for boost and rocket glider wings and stabs (the best compromise between strength and lightness)?

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I've flown gliders with balsa weights from 5 lbs/ft3 and up. The relative strength depends on a lot of things other than density. If you're building from plans, try to get the lightest stuff you can.

If you're looking to add strength, try tissue covering the flying surfaces. Tissue adds quite a lot of strength at a very low weight cost.

C grain balsa is quite often NOT flat.

Start your selection process by finding c-grain that has the least amount of warpage. Then select for weight.

I have stacks of C-grain contest grade balsa planks that I purchased mailorder hoping to find true wood for FF glider wings and stabs. Eventually I gave up and just purchased from the LHS and settled for less than mythical flat/light c-grain wood.

Fishscale grain balsa...bah!

Balsa actually has higher strength to weight ratios at the higher densities. Nevertheless, for small glider wings and stabs, you probably want to use thicker sections of low density balsa, usually covered with tissue for better bending strength and stiffness. You should try to use the densities and materials called for in plans. Balsa is an organic material and properties vary. Some people suggest that if you don't have the right wood, your just wasting your effort. However, I suggest you use what you can get, get a feel for the wood through experience, and perhaps use thinner sections of balsa to compensate for higher density, etc.