Balsa, cork, foam - what are you using???

[EdTomologist]

During my short few years of collecting I’ve come across and tried a variety of pinning boards and pinning methods. Out of all of them I’ve found that for me, foam boards work best for larger specimens while balsa boards work best for smaller specimens. I currently use balsa, cork and foam pinning boards but was wanting to hear what kind of boards do you use and why?

Here’s my current board setup.

[Chuck]

Mine are foam bottom, to allow variable pin placement height. The "sides" are pine, with balsa pinning surfaces. To my mind it's the best of all worlds. Mine are not adjustable, I have several slot (thorax) widths.

[mothman55]

I have both balsa and the old Bioquip adjustable boards which are a fairly hard surface. With them I have to use insect pins for mounting the glassine strips as they have sharper points. I do prefer the balsa, don't use foam, seems to be too much "play" or movement for my liking, but to each his own. I have added thin balsa surfaces to some of the hard surface Bioquip boards.

[EdTomologist]

I have both balsa and the old Bioquip adjustable boards which are a fairly hard surface. With them I have to use insect pins for mounting the glassine strips as they have sharper points. I do prefer the balsa, don't use foam, seems to be too much "play" or movement for my liking, but to each his own. I have added thin balsa surfaces to some of the hard surface Bioquip boards.

Are these incredibly sturdy boards crafted from the notorious basswood? I've come across countless references to this legendary material, but every basswood I've encountered has proven to be surprisingly tough, making it nearly impossible to pierce with a pin. On the other hand, when I experiment with high-density insulation styrofoam (not the flimsy white kind), I notice a remarkable difference. There's a satisfying level of flexibility, yet the pins find a snug and secure grip, providing me with an optimal surface to pin on. Dare I say, my trusty foam boards seem to outshine even the venerable balsa boards in terms of pin-holding power.

[Kirkwilliams]

I only use balsa. Cork is tough and horrible. Bass wood as you say, is far too hard to safely pin in, and ultimately requires relaminating with balsa. I have never tried foam.

[lamprima2]

I prefer adjustable angled boards made of soft wood (balsa?) from BQ. Here is a DIY angled board,
constructed a long time ago, using styrofoam insulation sheets, scotch tape, and pins,
specifically for XL leps. The outer smooth layer of thin plastic was intentionally left intact.

DSC_9179.JPG (740 KiB) Viewed 822 times

DSC_9182.JPG (668.13 KiB) Viewed 822 times