When I was a kid my modelling was done on a shoestring,every dodge in the book I knew to save hard earned pocket money to buy balsa,one thing that I got good at doing was making up plastic wood,I used to save all the fine balsa dust and place it into a bottle,add some clear dope and a bit of mums best talcum powder and stir like mad,the result some really good quality home brew plastic wood,to anyone who has not used this stuff it sets like rock when dry,you can screw into it and drill and tap it as well or better still mould small items for your models,I once saw a model of the Titanic made from this stuff brilliant.