RE: How hot is safe for brushless motor question
Wayne,
The definition of "hot" is subjective. Unless you are calibrated to what a brushless motor can really handle when hot to the touch, I would think that you are still ok. When I think a motor is hot, my motor designer friend, Tom Cimato says otherwise.
Remember to add an air cooling system to your plane to help keep it cooler in flight.
I'm using a 9x6 prop on my 25/35 with a 3-cell Kokam 1500 pack. If you decide to use a 10x6 prop, I would stick to the 2-cell pack.
Since brushless motors like voltage (over current), I feel that your better setup is what I'm using above.
Good luck!