My Conversation with Bud Nosen Company

[Mike Griffin]

Jim Catevenis   just posted some information in behalf of Tom Dixon and I wanted to reiterate what was said in the previous post.  I also just had a conversation with the people at Bud Nosen today, and was told exactly what Jim posted earlier today in behalf of Tom.  I bought all of my kit balsa through Bud Nosen and their cost on balsa has gone up 30% and that will be passed on through the kit manufacturers in the near future.  I know that I will have to raise my kit prices very soon.  But this is not the worst of the news; contest balsa is now almost impossible to get and according to what they told me on the phone today, this could go on for another 5 years. 

If you have a good stock of contest grade balsa, consider yourself lucky because the future does not look to bright. 

Eric Rule also posted today about his retirement and he and I have had many conversations prior to his retirement about this balsa problem and we had talked about alternative materials to construct models with.  I think this is something we are going to have to take seriously and start exploring. 

The current model designs I have released in the past years will still be available for now but prices will have to be raised.  As far as any future releases of other designs, looks doubtful at this point.

Mike

[Gary Dowler]

Good post. Thank you.

Gary

[Mike Griffin]

Good post. Thank you.

Gary

Gary you are welcome.  I am simply passing on what I was told today by Nosen and Tom Dixon wa told the same thing.  I hate to see this but it is something we are going to have to cope with.

Mike

[Tim Wescott]

Gary you are welcome.  I am simply passing on what I was told today by Nosen and Tom Dixon wa told the same thing.  I hate to see this but it is something we are going to have to cope with.

Mike

Balsa has had its ups and downs since forever.  At this point farmers will have cleared land and are planting like mad; expect prices to be down dramatically in 5 to 7 years.

[GERALD WIMMER]

Hello
Alternatives to balsa are out there but most are heavier and need different construction techniques. A new topic needed?
I remember using alternative material as a teenager cause of cost, like light card covered foam wings and iron on laminating ply strips with foam, pine and bamboo but did not take to the composites because of the availability and price and just bought balsa when I had decent salary latter.

regards Gerald

[Dwayne]

This plane is made entirely of molded fiberglass, it's take a part  and the name comes from the fact that it only weighs just over 38 ounces without battery.
A lot of work and the owner is still working on trimming it but it's showing a lot of promise.

[George Grossardt]

This plane is made entirely of molded fiberglass, it's take a part  and the name comes from the fact that it only weighs just over 38 ounces without battery.
A lot of work and the owner is still working on trimming it but it's showing a lot of promise.

OK, this is an interesting option.