Lightweight and Durable Basswood Plywood for Crafts Compared to balsa due to being lightweight, basswood offers more durability and density than balsa. It is more suitable for models and toys that require clean cuts and smoother surfaces. Basswood?s even wood grain and consistent texture accept stains and paints better for a smoother and more professional-looking finish. To ensure that your final piece is weatherproofed, you can use either outdoor or indoor wood sealants on these basswood sheets. And don?t worry, these basswood sheets don?t have sizable gaps and debris in-between layers, ensuring that you?ll have clean cuts without tear outs. Basswood also has smaller pores than balsa so it won?t absorb too much moisture and prevent plywood expansion and/or buckling. Cutting 1/16? Basswood Sheet on the Cricut Maker Cricut Maker has a specific setting for 1/16? (1.5mm) basswood. This setting will cut the basswood sheet in 14 passes so don?t be discouraged if your machine still can not cut through the material after several passes. But since this is made of denser material compared to average basswood sheets in the market, you?ll need at least 3 more passes to cut through the sheet fully. After the 14 passes you?ll receive a prompt from the Design Space for more passes. Select YES until you are satisfied with the cut. Other Cricut Maker Basswood Cutting Tips: ?Note that as this is the maximum width that the Cricut Maker can accommodate, intricate pieces may come out chipped so it?s better to stick to simple shapes and with a handful of details. ?As much as possible, use an entire sheet instead of cutting one sheet into smaller pieces. Small pieces are more likely to shift during the cutting process and since your designs need to be 1/4 inch away from the edge of the sheet (to avoid damage to the blade), you will be wasting material by cutting the sheet. ?You may still need to use a utility or box knife to cut corners and areas that remain attached to the s