what is the difference between wooden props, and plastic ones. cheers

Plastic/Composite props are more durable and will take a strike against the ground without breaking but are heavier and can take a little longer to spin up to RPM than a wood prop. Now if you look at your wood prop cross eyed it will break. Not really of course but the slightest nick from a sloppy landing will damage a wood prop. If you are just learning use the plastic props for now as that fraction of a second faster spinup will not make a difference now. I have a 12x4 Zinger (wood) prop on a Sig Somthin Extra and it forces me to do 3 point landings or buy another prop. I am sure there are some other differences and someone will fill in those blanks later today.

You will get as many opinions on this topic as you get people to reply to it. What it really comes down to is that there is a "best" prop for each particular airframe, engine, and flying style combination. This "best" prop won't always be wood, carbon fiber, plastic, or composite. The only way to know for sure is to try a bunch of different props and see what works best for your combination. As a general rule for a trainer type plane the black composite Master Airscrew props are a good combination of working decent, breaking when they need to, and surviving the occasional soft prop strike. I really prefer wooden props on trainers that will get landed on the prop a lot for the simple reason that they break and don't transfer as much impact stress to the engine, mounts, and airframe. The downside is that every time you have a prop strike you are going to need a new prop. At $4-5 each that could get expensive. I personally would stay away from the grey APC props until you are looking for more of a performance prop for a performance plane. They work good, are efficient, and are durable but they are also heavy, and so strong that they transfer a LOT of stress to the engine and airframe during rough landings.

That would depend on the context of the question. Since you are asking the question here in the beginner's forum I'll assume you are talking about props used on trainers or second planes. In that context the biggest drawback to a wood prop is that the are extremely fragile, and will shatter with the least bit of abuse. New pilots will have prop strikes on the run way all the time as they are learning, and these strikes utterly destroy a wood prop. Things such as a not quite so perfect landing, the plane tipping over from turning too sharp, nosing the plane over while taxing, and lifting the tail too far are all common things new pilots do that cause prop strikes. For this reason alone I recommend that new pilots use more durable props, I recommend that they use Master Airscrew props. These props can take quite a bit of abuse and still be functional. After a pilot gets some experience they can start experimenting with other props.

As far as the benefits of wood props, one huge plus on their side is that they don't flex at higher speeds. Fiber filled props such as the Master Airscrew props will flex at higher speeds which actually changes the pitch of the prop.

Hope this helps

Ken

My spin on propellers is that I use APC for regular sport planes that I start with an electric starter. I use Zinger wood props where looks matter, and I use wood on anything I hand start. APC's are SHARP and I don't like the thought of my piddies anywhere near a potential kick-back. I recommend APC's as they are quieter and very efficient.

Some consider a broken prop a sign that the engine was saved some stress, but until you get so the landings are smooth and free of bounce you'll be replacing a lot that a synthetic whould just shrug off. The APC will break in as necessary too, so rest easy.

what about balancing props?? Is this needed?

From what I've been told, not on smaller 11 or 12 inch props, but very important on the larger ones.

Balancing really isn't necessary till you fly with the 14 thru 22" sizes. Especially the black Master Airscrews.

If you are a beginner, be very aware of APC props . Use master or wood untill your safety habits are well established.

Good luck

I believe it is, very much so. A 10" prop spinning 16,000 RPM needs it just as much as an 18" prop spinning 9,000. Vibration weakens airframes and quite possibly electrical components. I balance every prop before I put in in my flight box. Takes maybe three minutes, some twice that. I scrape the face of the heavy side with a #11 blade and then buff it with 400 grit - and also take the sandpaper lightly to the knife-like trailing edge of my APC's to round them off. Very rarely do I find a badly balanced prop, but I find many with measurable imbalance.

I love that kind of tinkering during "down" times. Part of why I do this.

balance all props, no matter the size. It makes a big difference on the vibration, and I love a smooth plane. Many manufactures rush to make these props and they don't always check the balance. It's good to get in the habit of checking all props as soon as you get them.


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II # 865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

I fly off a grass field and don't bother. When the grass gets tall, it will start collecting on the one side of the prop. After 3 take offs and landings you can tell that the balance is being affected and you have to take the time to clean the green off. When the grass is going to change the balance of the prop anyway why worry about pre-balancing?!?

Plus, the first time you nick the prop it will be out of "perfect" balance anyway. I do a quick check the prop when I get a new prop to check that it's not grossly out of balance and then I don't worry about it anymore, if it is grossly out of balance I won't use it. But IMHO spending time to get a prop "perfect" is wasted time. I've got engines that have over 400 flights (60+ hours of airtime) that have the same prop on them as the day I maidened it. The prop wasn't balanced to start with and has nicks in from touching the runway and it's still running strong as an ox.

Ken

Mow the darn grass! Or get that R/C John Deer. lol



Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II # 865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

I balance every prop, no matter the size, type or brand! Engines run smoother and produce more power with a balanced prop. It's also easier on the engine, radio and airframe.

The downside of wood props, most require a higher degree of balancing. Wood grain varies a lot more then synthetic materials.

Rod.

I'm sure your plane vibrates like crazy too. If you don't Lock-tite everything down, I'm sure eventually you could be missing some screws or bolts? Our Club is a firm believer of balancing all props. Matter in fact, one of the guys took my brand new props and balanced them for me to make sure it was done. Excessive vibration is not a good thing.


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II # 865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

Thank You Rod, you said it better than me.


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II # 865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

LuftwaffeOberst,
No, there isn't excessive vibration in my planes. The plane that has over 400 flights on it has very little or no vibration issues in it. Excessive vibration comes from a problem that is extremely out of balance, and if you read my post I pointed out that I don't use props that are that far out of balance. A small bit won't cause vibrations like you describe, especially at the speeds that these props spin at.

Ken

Oh I'm sorry, I mis-read your post. Please except my apology's.


Peter Dowling aka Luftwaffe Oberst
AMA District II # 865404
Aero Modelers Club
Pulaski, NY

Hey Luftwaffeoberst "John Deere" always did, and always will have an "E" on the end.

As far as balancing goes I usually check them when new and correct the WAY unbalanced ones. Mostly I use it to check the ones that have gotten friendly with the runway..or field....or road...or...

How do you manage to get the grass on only one blade? If they're both coated with crud equally it is still balanced.

Hey Hi there,

I think that everybody has right in his on perspective and habbit!!!
You all guys are mentioning of ballancing props. It's very true and correct what you are doing....But you all ballance them STATIC...!
The props in order to work absolutely corect they have to have also "DYNAMIC BALLANCE"......and in order to get that you have it only with very expensive ones....that they do not "flex" at all. Anyway if somebody is habitual in braking props either cause he is careless or he is flying in a difficult environment, the most probable is to "break" the engine or even the plane way sooner than the effect of the "unbalanced prop" will take place at the engine's bearings or so.
Anyway the reason that we most of us flying our babies is cause we are getting "recharged" in order to live a little happier life...
Who cares about a 40$ engine? Most of us we pay much more in the drinks or cigarretes in monthly basis.....
Cheers
Johnnie

thats very true!

go with whatever you can find and feel confident with, experiment with different types/brands

To balance or not?...1st off how do you balance a prop for us beginners.Also saw a trainer ,can't remember what kind it was , with a three (3) blade prop,what is the pupose of this?