I also balance, or check the balance of all my props.

But I would not go any further than an inexpensive finger-tip balancer.


A very large majority among us run single cylinder engines, which almost by definition, cannot be perfectly balanced, even for primary order vibration, unless an elaborate, counter-rotating, concentric mechanism is used.

And that would triple the weight and the price of the engine...


So, balancing is achieving the lesser combination of up-down (reciprocating mass) and side-to-side (rotating counter-balance) vibration... If the reciprocation mass is fully counter-balanced by the crankshaft counter-weight, strong side-to-side vibration will result. If, on the other hand, no counter-weight is used, the up-down vibration will be very strong.

One type increases on account of the other type decreasing.

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If your engines is a horizontally opposed engine, a 90° V engine, or a turbine; then by all means, balance the prop as best you can.