Over the Christmas break, I took stock of my hobby supplies and realized that I was going to need movement trays and a paint rack. Being the overly picky person that I am, I don’t like any of the pre-fab options, so I decided to order some balsa wood and try my hand at making my own.

Yesterday, that wood arrived. Guess this is the weekend to get started! In the meantime, I thought I’d share where I got the wood and how much it cost.

I found two online sites that I liked: MisterArt and AMainHobbies. They had similar prices, and I opted to shop through MisterArt.

The Order

Instead of plain balsa or basswood, I got craft plywood. This thin plywood, made by Midwest, is made of three thin plys of basswood. In theory, these thin plys with alternating grain directions will help prevent warping and give the wood more stability.

Flatness is definitely something I’m interested in, since warped movement trays and paint racks are no fun.

I ordered a pretty large lot so that I’d be sure to have extra materials. Here’s what I ordered and how much it cost:

• 7 x 1/8 in. x 24 in. x 6 in. boards @ $3.62 per board
• 24 x 1/8 in. x 1/8 in. balsa stick @ $0.35 per stick
• Total: $33.74

The package was shipped UPS. I could have opted for FedEx and it was around the same price. I’ve had trouble with FedEx before (like when the deliveryman left a package out on the front steps in the pouring rain, instead of undernearth the covered walkway), so this was a definite plus.  Shipping was an additional $9.48.

The grand total: $43.22.

That’s probably about what it would have cost me to purchase one paint rack, and hopefully this will be enough supplies for a nice customized paint rack and a few dozen movement trays. A good investment, in my opinion.

I inspected the wood when it arrived, and I’m pleased with the product. It was well packaged, and the wood is very flat. The planks show a slight warp in them, but I didn’t expect them to be perfectly flat across the 2 ft. x 1 ft. surface. I think once I trim them down to size (4 in. x 5 in.) they’ll the warp will more or less be unnoticeable.

I couldn’t find any place cheaper than MisterArt, and the service there was terrific. If you’re looking for balsa wood or craft plywood, be sure to check them out.

Building the Paint Rack

That is a job for tomorrow.

First I need to draw up some plans. I drew up a few sketches last week, but I haven’t decided the best way to put this together yet.

Once I do, I’ll publish an illustrated guide to how I built the paint rack. Hopefully it turns out well!

I’d expect to see that guide published this weekend or next, so subscribe to the Nerds at Play feed or check back in a week or so.