Is Balsa Dust Useful?

lcorinth · Jul 20, 2018

Potentially weird question. I have a large pile of fine balsa sanding dust from turning a nose cone on a drill press.

It came out great!

Anyway, I was about to sweep up the large pile of balsa sawdust, but I was wondering if I should save it. I hate throwing away anything that might be useful in rocket building. Can it be used as some kind of glue filler, or repair agent, or something like that? Is it worth saving a small baggie of it, or should I just toss it?

OverTheTop · Jul 20, 2018

I have been known to use it as a filler in LPR.

jbuscaglia · Jul 20, 2018

lcorinth said:
Potentially weird question. I have a large pile of fine balsa sanding dust from turning a nose cone on a drill press.

It came out great!

Anyway, I was about to sweep up the large pile of balsa sawdust, but I was wondering if I should save it. I hate throwing away anything that might be useful in rocket building. Can it be used as some kind of glue filler, or repair agent, or something like that? Is it worth saving a small baggie of it, or should I just toss it?

Nice job on the nose cone, Daniel.

Many years ago, I made a putty from balsa dust and white glue and used it as a wood filler. Worked OK, but I don't think I'd save it just for that. It's easy enough to make more balsa dust if you need it.

Gary Byrum · Jul 20, 2018

I've asked myself that for years and I still come up empty handed. I turn nose cones quite often on a lathe so I have seen my share of wasted dust. Sure, you could always mix it with some Durham's Rock Hard Putty powder and some water. Prolly make a fine brick. Or maybe some custom hand made stones you could paint. But for rocketry, that light never came on. Not sure if it's the right thing to blend into your garden soil either. If you had a "maybe" option in your choices, I could have cast a vote there.

rharshberger · Jul 20, 2018

Mix with clear lacquer for a filler/sealer.

jlabrasca · Jul 20, 2018

I've read about folks mixing corn-flour with polyester resin to make tooling board (as an alternative to the crazy-expensive Reshape). Might be worth trying with balsa dust. The most frequently mentioned recipe is 1:1 flour with wax-finish resin but -- as nearly as I can tell -- all of those mentions on various CNC forums and Wikis go back to the same source.

If it works, you'll have a machinable material for making molds and tooling fixtures. Which will just leave you with the problem of what to do with the chips you make milling it. <smile>

KC3KNM · Jul 21, 2018

jlabrasca said:
I've read about folks mixing corn-flour with polyester resin to make tooling board (as an alternative to the crazy-expensive Reshape). Might be worth trying with balsa dust. The most frequently mentioned recipe is 1:1 flour with wax-finish resin but -- as nearly as I can tell -- all of those mentions on various CNC forums and Wikis go back to the same source.

If it works, you'll have a machinable material for making molds and tooling fixtures. Which will just leave you with the problem of what to do with the chips you make milling it. <smile>

I've been using scrap Renshape and HDPE sheets I got from leftovers at work for tooling board and making fixtures, but this sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing, I'm definitely putting that to use!

amarillo_rocket · Jul 21, 2018

Pack it in a gap and add a few drops of thin CA for a great cap filler. The CA generates so much heat with the dust it will smoke briefly. I learned this years ago while building RC airplanes. You can also mix it with wood glue or elmers for a slower cure.

dr wogz · Jul 23, 2018

I have a large cup of the stuff too. I have added it to epoxy for fillets. Works OK..

The main think I save mine for is for washing my hands. I find that on an epoxy glued finger, the epoxy comes off easier when you rub balsa dust into it. Seems to pull the epoxy off the skin fairly well.. The dust & epoxy ball up..

PhlAsh · Jul 23, 2018

When finishing the turn on the lathe, grab a handful of the shavings/dust and use it to polish the object you're turning. Use the finer stuff as a filler with the appropriate glue for fillets et al...

Daddyisabar · Jul 23, 2018

Scrap blocks can be used to make charcoal for fireworks. I bet you could put some into your bread dough to make it go a bit further, like Leningrad 1942-43 style.

kuririn · Jul 23, 2018

The instructions for the Semroc VF-361 have you mix some balsa dust with white glue to form a putty which is used to make a small nose cone shaped transition between the fin pod (launch lug) and the fin tip. I suppose you could use that to shape other stuff.

Alan15578 · Jul 24, 2018

I have used genuine Estes Astroseal, a balsa filler with actual balsa dust. It worked, but I always thought it was a clever way to dispose of balsa machining waste.

lcorinth · Jul 25, 2018

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I went ahead and threw some in a zipper bag. I figure maybe it'll come in handy, and doesn't take up too much space.

Screaminhelo · Aug 21, 2018

I have found that mixing balsa dust and epoxy to be a nice, light weight fillet material. You can mix it. To a putty like consistency and it doesn't run in my experience and it is relatively easy to sand.

Is Balsa Dust Useful?

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

Is balsa sanding dust useful for something?

Yes, very much. Keep it.

Yes, kind of, but it's not worth saving it. Toss it.

No.

lcorinth

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