Some props are still made on "manual" equipment that is operated by a person. There is a master pattern, and a shaper-type machine that rough carves the blank, and then finish sanding also by hand.

SOme newer ones (like MSC for instance) are made on a CNC milling center (100% computer controlled). Then finished up by hand.

I dont believe any companies are making them with a copier like I have (basically a stylus following a pattern which guides a router to cut a new prop), its too slow. Maybe if you were cutting multiples at once.

When you look at a prop like the Zinger, the machine marks are clearly visable (on thelarger sizes anyhow) as they are not sanded all that well.

There are some brands (like the Y&O originals that Brodak now has the rights to produce) that are still made on the same equipment with the same masters that were used in the 1950's.

There are some funky machines out there that are designed to cut and shape stuff like golf club heads and queen anne style table legs, that could be easily adapted to cut/sand props if you wanted to. But these also rely on an aluminum master pattern, and I doubt they are fast enough either, for a prop to be sold at today's prices.

AJC