will my 46ax run better if i use a carbon prop compared to a nylon one size 10.5x6?

G'day Presso,
It will run better if you use an APC 11x6, 10% nitro fuel & an OS #8 plug.

hi alano899 i've seen a few fliers useing the carbon prop's and was just wondering why,the plug in my os is an a3 i think,i dont know if i would be game enough to change it from standard when it fails.

G'day Presso,
If you use more than 5% nitro, the A3 is too hot, & it is a plated plug anyway, so it won't last quite as long, don't be afraid of the #8, it works fine in all my 2 strokes from an OS 25FSR, 2 x 46AX's, a 61FX, 75AX & a 160FX.
I use 10% nitro, & OS #8 plugs in all of them.
Carbon fibre props are rigid, in other words they don't flex like Master Airscrew, but are very expensive, APC are efficient, by being stiff, not as stiff as CF, but not as expensive either.

Maybe

Maybe not

You know, a lot of props marked as having 6" pitch aren't the same as other props marked as 6" pitch. You will have no clue what pitches the mfg chose to put into his blades to get them to pull what he considers appropriate for a 6" pitch prop. He might be designing for any rpm he thinks is right. And he has no idea what engine you're going to run or what airplane you're going to be flying. And he usually has no idea what the other prop mfg's are working with as well.

The only answer to whether one prop is going to be better than another on your airplane is to try both.

Are there differences between props? Yeah, some carbon fibres are stiffer. Some are so thin they flex at the tips. Almost all nylon are reinforced. Some are stiffer than others. There is a new line of props that appear to be reinforced nylon and seem to be as rigid as steel. There are others you can twist in your hands.

Does your 46AX need a stiffer prop or a more flexible one? Nobody really would have a way of knowing without trying the carbon fiber one you wind up buying against the nylon one you wind up buying.

Our hobby isn't sound byte simple unfortunatley. Your question isn't one that'll be answered with just a yes/no and the answer have any real hope.

Just looking for a general idea?
Whichever looks like there was more care in it's mfg is probably going to operate closer to its' specs, whatever the mfg used for specs. And may work better for an airplane that matches those specs. And an engine that matches the specs.

And only way to actually have a clue is to test 'em on your 46AX on your airplane with your fuel and at your field.

I have an OS .46FX and a .45 FSR.. both run best with either an APC 11x6 or a 10x7 if I want a little more speed and don't mind the slight loss of low end thrust.

I also use the #8 plug with 15% fuel.. I was running the A3 plug and it worked while it was still cold but when summer hit I started having some lean runs even when it was checking out ok on the ground.. Switching to the #8 fixed that.

Os #8 plug on my 46AX as well and an APC 11X6 although I intend to try a Graupner in the near future.
I run mine on 10% with great performance.
I have never tried a carbon fiber prop but can tell you from using carbon fiber blades on my helis that they are more brittle and I would imagine even a minor ground strike will shatter the prop where a plastic prop would have survived intact.

Thanks fellas,my learning curve is steep,i'll try a #8 plug latter as we are comming into summer here shortly.I will stick to the apc prop 10.5x6 that came with the kit for now,but i have an 11x6 to try out. I realize there are pro's and con's with everything bit if we dont ask these questions we cant make a somewhat informed decision,it is a big help to get so much info from such a diverse range of fliers around the globe,coudn't have done this 20 years ago without a stamp."If you dont ask you dont learn if you dont learn you fail"

A corbon prop is not going to make a difference in most applications on a .46AX. Carbon props are normally used for high performance engines such as very high RPM racing engines, or (in much larger sizes, think bigger than 25%) aerobatics. An expensive carbon prop is only beneficial if you are losing performance from a prop that can't handle the loads your engine puts on it, and a .46AX just isn't going to over stress most sport props. Most likely, you would do just as well using an APC, and if you really need more power, upgrade the engine.

CF props are (much) better than the normal over the counter types but aren't necessary for general sport type flying. If you want one though then the best CF props you can buy are made right there in NSW by a guy called Brian Eather.