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Balsa, worth it's weight in Gold??


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I had an email from Sarik Hobbies with an offer of 15% off some plans etc...When I opened the link I was shocked to see that the Peter Miller Ballerina short kit was now £199!!, that's £70 more than I paid 3 months ago. Whilst I appreciate the cost and supply of materials is challenging us all right now, that's a big hike.

Edited by Steve Goodwin
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Trouble is, what can they do? A typical sheet of 1/8 x3x36 balsa that I was paying IIRC around £1.75 for before all this kicked off is now a few coppers short of three quid. Across the cost of a kit it all adds up and we are then faced with a choice. Nobody likes price rises but I guess that we just need to make a value judgement on whether we want to pursue a build or not. £70 is quite a rise, but spread out over the length of time that one will enjoy the build it probably only equates to a few tens of pence per day - depending on how fast a builder one is.

I have to say that I do try to be extra careful when cutting out parts these days to avoid waste and my scrap box is thoroughly searched for odds and ends that can be glued up to suit rather that cutting new wood if appropriate. Make do and mend, waste not want not etc. I wonder how much the materials would be if you got them from SLEC or Balsa Cabin - I'd guess that it'd be more as you wouldn't get the price advantage of buying in bulk that I suppose Sarik has.

Flash the credit card and enjoy the build Steve.

Edited by Cuban8
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The price rise is also coupled with difficulty in supply. SLEC were restocked in May this year with good quality but almost double in price balsa.

 

Looking on their website yesterday it seems that the 4" wide balsa sheets are down to only hard grade wood left.

 

So I would say that a decent kit that has risen in price is better than no raw materials at all.

Edited by Alan Gorham_
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38 minutes ago, Cuban8 said:

I'd guess that it'd be more as you wouldn't get the price advantage of buying in bulk that I suppose Sarik has.

They charge SLEC prices plus 10% I have been led to believe, which is normal business practice, as they are providing an extra service with their laser cutting and AWPs.

10% is nothing compared to my 100% mark up on materials but that was low turnover specialist work. 

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