Master Airscrew MA4000 Balsa Stripper

Great product

Item is as described by the vendor & works well. I would have preferred it being made of metal over plastic. Item arrived on the promised date.

Great for scratch building scale balsa structures. Ripping scale lumber to consistent dimensions . It being made of plastic is a huge problem because you can only tighten the blade so many times before the plastic comes apart.

Works great on balsa wood up to 1/8" thick. I build scratch build ships, I'm working on the orca from jaws at the moment and this tool comes in handy

This tool has been around for a long time and does exactly what it claims to do. For modelers who have a need (or desire) to cut their own strips from larger sheets of balsa rather than purchase precut strips, this tool is ideal. I suppose it could be used on other materials, but I think there are better tools available, each adapted to specific target materials, and I would recommend not using this tool for anything but balsa wood.

I am really closer to 2 1/2 stars ... meaning I don't really like it, but I can make do. I am sure the one I received is not typical, else the seller would not be able to sell them at all. There are 2 small screws on the face of the device with a small plastic bridge between the 2 screws. The cutting blade slips between this bridge and the front edge. You then tighten the screws, pinning the blade tightly against the body. Problem is, on mine, the screws were too long (or the holes too shallow). They simply would not tighten down to hold the blade. I dared not force the screws in hopes of cutting the threads deeper, as this is made of plastic and just might split first. I could not find any washers small enough to fit so finally wedged a small piece of wood between the blade and bridge. This did allow me to clamp the blade tightly, but adjustments are difficult to manage. I considered sending it back, but I think I can find some smaller washers to put on the screws. This will alleviate the problem of keeping the shim in place when making adjustments.I am not going so far as to warn people away from this item, but if you find something similar, look very closely at both before choosing.

Worked great to make our couches comfy again. Before these, two people on the same couch caused them to roll in to each other. These made the couch usable for multiple people again. Also, much easier to get up from the couches now.

It looks OK. The blade retention screws start off very tight. Difficult to secure blade. The adjustment screw has some free play. Haven't used yet.UPDATE: June 6, 2025. I like the way this tool works. Very simple concept. But the plastic retaining "clip" for the blade is not. It shattered under pressure. If you don't apply enough pressure the blade slips making the process very frustrating. this is not a cheap product but the quality of the plastic material is not in my opinion. I can't return it due to the time frame.