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balsa_air_glider

How To Make a Balsa Air Glider

Author: Myong Geon Kim Email: [email protected]
Date: Last modified on <06/20/19>
Keywords: Tutorial, how to, step-by-step, Balsa glider


This tutorial shows you how to make a balsa air glider and takes approximately 1 hours to complete.

Motivation and Audience

Readers of this tutorial assumes the reader has the following background and interests:

* Full understanding of laser cutter tutorial : INTRO TUTORIAL
The rest of this tutorial is presented as follows:

  • Parts List and Sources
  • How to make balsa air gliders
  • How to pack the glider
  • Final Words

Parts List and Sources

how to make balsa air gliders

This section gives step-by-step instructions along with photos to make balsa glider.

Step 1


Put 1/8 balsa sheet on laser cutter.
This is body part.
As you can see in photo, Put magnets on balsa sheet.
balsa sheet is very light so we need to make sure that it is not moving during laser cutting.
Check the work place and put magnet on the secure position where is not covering the cutting space.

Step 2

Using this svg file to cut body parts. body svg file

As you can see in this picture, set speed 100% power 10% current 100%
Then Cut. Make sure that cutting red line first.

balsa sheet is very light so keep your eyes on laser cuter if blow parts are not covering the path.
Final part looks like this.

Clean the area after cutting.

Step 3

Put 1/16 Balsa sheet on the laser cutter.
This is wing parts.
Put magnets on the sheet.
This time we will put magnets on another place because path is different from body part.

Put two magnets on 4 inches from the left side. 1 inch from top and bottom.

And two magnets on 7.5 inches from the right side. 1 inch from top and bottom.

Looks like this.

Step 4

Using this svg file to cut wing parts. wing svg file
For 1/16 sheet, Setting is little bit difficult because sheet is very thin.
For DASL logo, Set speed 100 Power 0.2 current 50%
For cutting, Set speed 100 power 10 current 50%
Final part looks like this.


Step 5

Make a weight for glider.
Cut the soldering wire by 2 inches.

Wind it in front of glider.


How to pack the glider



Prepare vinyl bag.
Make dasl logo label using printer.
Here is word file for label.label
Attach the lable and put glider parts in the bag.

Final Words

For questions, clarifications, etc, Email: [email protected]

balsa_air_glider.txt · Last modified: 2019/06/21 14:46 by myeonggeonkim