whats better and why? is there even a difference?

Wood props vs. Plastic props

I am getting a nextstar for Christmas, and I really like the wood prop look. My dad flew all wood props (dont know if they had plastic ones in 70's)

Could I put a wood prop on the nexstar?

Thanks,
RichD

You can use a wood prop on the Nexstar, but go with the "plastic" ones instead. Wood is much less forgiving and will break much more easily than plastic. You don't need the frustration or additional expense of breaking props every other landing.

The black Master Airscrew is a real good choice to start. (I'd offer sizes, but you didn't mention which engine you'll be using.
Dennis-

GO WITH PLASTIC .THE OS 46 FXI COME'S WITH A MAS 11/5. THE APC 11/6 11/5 10/8 ALL WORK WELL ON THE FX .JUST STICK WILTH 11'S ON THE TRAINER .WOOD SUCK'S IMO. I RUN CARBON'S ON ANY THING AEROBATIC .APC ON EVERY THING ELSE .


GOT TO FIND WHAT'S DIFFERENT ON THE FXI TAKE APART TIME.

Go with plastic and if you get a hold of a metal one use it to cut the grass on your backyard. [sm=stupid.gif]

You might as well use plastic while your learning (especially learning to land and take off) But once you're confident, go ahead and use whatever blows your skirt up. Just keep a few spares around. Nothing worst than losing a day of flying because you nosed over and broke a prop.

As stated, the master airscrews are awsome for learning. You can drag it down the runway and not hurt it. Touch a wood prop to the ground and its gone. I fly wood on a lot of planes, but since we went to a gravel runway, I can't do it. I hadn't broken a prop in over 5 years, now with the gravel beating the prop to heck, I replace one almost every flight. Whoever came up with the idea of a gravel runway needs help. Sure hope we get that fixed soon. It really bites.
Flew off grass before that. It was awsome.

They're all correct. Plastic or the composite props as some call them are more forgiving for the beginner during the early stages of the learning process. Does anyone here remember the nylon props? Just remember to use a starter or chicken stick when starting the engine. If the engine decides to backfire it hurts !!!
Flyboy, you are really flying off gravel ???? That's rough Man !!![sm=pirate.gif]
Good luck and have fun !!![&:]

Doug - I was just about to say something about nylon props. I think they are still being made but I wouldn't swear to it. Anyway...

DO NOT USE NYLON PROPS

Fiberglass filled nylon (Master Airscrew) are fine though.

Thank you.

Don't worry Cafeenman !!! I wouldn't recommend nylon props ether . They flex all over the place. Even after being boiled. Just wondered if anybody remembered them. They used to be the standard for a long time. [&:]

nylon props eeeesh I learned about there issues and never used them but back in my fathers U-Control days he had a little hobby shop in his basement and he gave me all the stuff he had left over when I got into R/C, Lets just say I got a between 75-100 nylon props and can't use a one of them well I did use one with an electric plane and it worked well but it was a lot less RPM than the glow.

Dauntae

When the airplane is in the air, I've never heard that there is a significant difference. But, wood props break more easily, thus inflict less damage. The choice is up to you. Balance the cost of frequently replacing wood props vs the teensy chance that using a wood prop might at some time in the future lessen the severity of a prop injury. Look around your field, and I think you'll see most of us choose plastic props.

By the way, this mostly applies to small planes which seem to be more susceptible to breaking props. On the bigger planes, a wood prop might last for years.

Uh... seriously... am I using a nylon propeller?

I use a master airscrew (cheapo). It doesnt say scimitar or any hint of fibreglass. they just have a big MASTER AIRSCREW lettering on the front and a sticker behind... so am I using the wrong thing?

No, the Master Airscrew is the primary prop that they have been discussing. So don't worry they use a nylon type of plastic. [&:]

dont the wood props flex all over also?? i know even the good one flex a little bit.. you can see the diffrence looking at the prop disk. i think the wood flexes alot more tho and you lose some efficency.

Obviously Graupnerfan you've never experienced The old TF white plastic nylon props. If any wood props flexed as much as they did they'd disintegrate.
And don't confuse tip tracking with flexing.
All Props will flex to a certian degree depending on the material they are made of and the diameter of the prop. Other factors will come into play also, blade shape, thickness, rpm,etc,etc.... Even props of the same manufacture can be different. Depending on the batch.
In the long run use what ever prop your happiest with !!! And it doesn't hurt to experiment with different diameters and pitches to find out what pulls your model thru the sky the way you like.
Good luck and have fun !!! [&:]

Well, I have first hand observation of differences in props "in the air". When I was still flying my trainer, I had soloed fine, but did not yet have my "second" plane. I was trying to do inverted outside loops. Fly inverted straight-and-level... push forward on the stick, and go "up" and around the loop. My plane was a PT-40 with an OS 46LA.

Well, I had been trying, trying, and trying, but the plane just did not have the oomph to get around the loop. It would go up, to about 10degrees from vertical, and then "fall off" like in a hammerhead, but in the upright direction, so it was really just doing pointy waves in the air, instead of loops.

The flying instructor that took me through to my solo was at the field, he said "change that master airscrew for an APC", so next time at the field, I did.

I swapped out my 11x6 Master Airscrew for an 11x6 APC, and now the inverted loops are well within the capability of the plane. Not exactly round, but they are possible.

FWIW, I now fly 11x5 APC on that plane, and it is just fine with most simple aerobatics.

gus

The propeller that comes with the Hobbico NexSTAR is NOT a Master Airscrew propeller. It is a purposely designed glass-filled nylon 11x5 propeller that, tested under the same conditions with the same fuel (15%wildcat) and engine(OS 46 FXi), delivers more static thrust than the APC 11x5. The main tool used for design was the momentum-blade theory. The NexSTAR prop delivers 6lb-11oz of thrust and the APC 5lb-14 oz. Anyone should be able to verify this by doing a simple propeller test.