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Old 01-07-2011 | 05:59 PM
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proptop
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Default RE: prop 7 spinner

ORIGINAL: opjose


ORIGINAL: proptop

I see the last 2 posts...posts 3 and 4, are made by guys with about 5 years experience...apparently you guys have never actually witnessed a cheap plastic spinner ''explode''? I don't mean to put you guys down, but if you've been modeling for a long time...in my case about 40 years...you'll see a LOT of things happen. (picking shards of plastic out of your buddys forehead is not a fun thing...)
One of the things I find all too often in this hobby that those who proport long times modeling, all too often assume that their own views are inherently correct.

Case in point is the ''fuel in the back of the tank on downlines'' myth even proported IN MAGAZINE WRITINGs by RC greats such as Clarence Lee.


A simple video put up after my observation that this was physically impossible shattered years of insistence from long term modelers who really SHOULD have known better but never questioned the status quo.


Proptop:

YES I've seen spinners ''explode''.

I've had it happen to me, and during many training lessons that I take part in teaching.

But instead of merely assuming that ''plastic spinners are to be avoided'' I looked at the cause of the problem.

In ALL cases it's turned out to be user error of one type or another.

Those same errors ( over tightening, deformation of the backplate, etc. ) apply just as redily to metal and aluminum backplates you are espousing.

I've seen them ''explode'' too more often than plastic ones.

If anything the flying metal fragments have more energy and are far more dangerous than those ''cheap plastic spinners'' you are nixing.


There is absolutely NO REASON to avoid plastic spinners, they are no more dangerous ( and are probably SAFER ) than metal spinners.

What is to be avoided is improper setup by inexperienced flyers, who have been erroneously told that metal backplates are ''safe'' or ''ok''.

That false sense of security that simply because the backplate is made of metal, it will not shatter, will someday blind someone.



Overtightening or improper seating are the most common causes for spinners exploding.... particularly if the novice cranks things down and does not realize that they are stressing the backplate FORWARD or BACK due to improper configuration setup.

And that applies EQUALLY to metal backplates, all metal spinners, carbon spinners or plastic ones.








Not gonna argue with you Mr. Peabody...I mean after all, you know more than Clarence Lee! (yeah, right...that's a good one... )

The only time I've seen problems with an all Alum. spinner is when a 4 stroke has backfired or kicked the prop off...and yes, that was generally caused by "user error".

FWIW I've been a flight instructor since 1975...and an Intro pilot for I don't even remember how long...own and successfully operated hundreds of model engines over those years...never "blown one up" or crashed one beyond repair. (have also rebuilt / repaired dozens of them for other modelers )

Tru Turn or Dave Brown spinners are the best choices (they have a nice / thick backplate ) or the Aluminum backplate spinners with the groove all the way around the backplate for the nylon cone to seat into. It is a good idea to get into the habit of using high quality equipment. (Some of those cheap ARF aluminum spinners can be almost as bad as plastic...too thin and flimsy )

Spinners with plastic backplates will most likely distort, especially after the prop nut has to be re-tightened after a while. Just having the prop nut "tight enough" can cause a plastic backplate to distort...it doesn't even have to be "over torqued" to cause problems.


This whole hobby is about doing things the right (correct ) way, isn't it!? IMO using a cheap spinner with a plastic backplate is asking for problems. They usually wobble which puts more stress on the bearings, and can cause fuel foaming, and puts more vibration through the radio system, airframe, etc. etc.

But to at least try to answer the O.P. question...sometimes just repositioning the spinner assembly can change thinge enough so that it doesn't wobble...or wobbles less.

Also, you can get yourself a Top Flite or DuBro balancer and check the instructions...and try a search on spinner balancing...there have been discussions about this in the Glow Engines forum.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXD712&P=ML

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXHY61&P=ML