hey guys i'm just wondering if all you guys bother balancing your props before you use em. i use all master airscrews, the plastic ones and i havne't balanced one yet mind you i havn't been flying that terribly long. i just replaced one on one of my planes and ever since then it seems to be vibrating and i'm assuming thats where its coming from. so yeah, just wondering if all you guys balance yours and if you do if you need a special tool or something. maybe i can make something hmemade.

Actually yes. I do. I check them all. So far, none has ever really required any changes to balance them, I just get peace of mind knowing that I've checked them.

Most manufacturers props are pretty much in balance when you get them. APC's in particular are because that's pretty much what I use and none has required balance.. I've shaved one or two just playing with them to see if I can get them perfect, but that's impossible. HOLD ON GUYS..[X(].. I said I use APC's. That does NOT mean that MAS or any other prop requires balance, just that my APC's don't. So, don't get yer panties in a wad over what I said.

I use a magnetic balancer (two large powerful magnets on each side of a steel shaft that has a point on both ends with the prop held in the center). I tap the prop and watch it. It usually will move a bit and stop. Sometimes, it may oscillate back and forth, which is when I tried to shave it trying to make it perfect, but, as I said, that's pretty much a wasted effort. They are fine the way they are.

CGr

Seems like all prop manufacturers recommend balancing, so I do it using a magnetic type like CGR described. Usually they aren't very far out of balance. I never try to shave or sand the prop however. I always spray clear acrylic on the light side instead. The Master Airscrew website says that if a piece of masking tape 1" x 1" or less in size applied to the tip of the light side makes it balance or makes it the heavy side then you are within tolerance.

Rufcut

I use the cheap fingertip ballancer (same as the magnetic one, but this time you only use the shaft and your fingers). Mostly I'm just checking, only about 1 in 5 or 6 require much ballancing. If they're very bad, I'll just toss'em for the next in the pile. Props have gotten alot better over the years, and the newer ones are mostly dead on.

J

i trim the plastic burrs off the blades, then i balance it in the magnetic balancer. i paint the tips of my props before i balance them. sometimes you have to shave some of the paint, but it is balanced when you are done

Right! If they are seriously out of balance, then yep, that's a great way to see (check) that. Then it should be put on a proper balancer and done correctly. Out of balance props can cause a lot of problems all the way back to receivers that are sensitive to serious vibration.

By the way, I use a fine grain sand paper and remove stock on the rear of the prop. It usually is very little and does not cause any problems with the performance of the prop. At least none that I can notice. My OS 1.20 AX's will still pull the plane vertical and just about out of sight.

CGr.

I find that unlike the previous poster, most of mine need balancing. The APC and the MAS props two and three blades (MAS). Although I don't have a way to quantify how off-balance they really are new. Hope that makes sense.

It seems to make quite a differece in vibration if they are off balance a lot. I use the magnetic balancer ($20) but a buddy of mine uses the $5 fingertip one. The magnetic balancer is well worth the extra $15 over the fingertip one IMHO.

Props are cheap so it'd take eight or ten junked props to justify the balancer purchase, but I figure it's nice to know.

It comes down to a matter of degree. How much is it out of balance? If it moves a bit or even moves all the way down (the heavy end), how fast does it move? If you put it on and it clunks to the bottom and smacks the table, then it's seriously out of balance. If it moves very slowly, then it may be air currents moving it (after all, it is an airfoil surface) and may not be balance.

Hey, it's up to the individual. If you feel it's alright, and does not vibrate anything, well, it's probably fine. But, if you feel you have to balance it, hey, knock yourself out! Go for it and balance it. You won't hurt anything.

CGr.

well i just crashed my plane for the first time and now that i have it back together and running i guess i'm a wee bit paranoid about everything. didn't bother me flying without balancing my props till up to now but like i say, i'm a bit leery about it.

Understood and totally agree. Anything that can remove the doubt is worth the effort. And, what does it take to balance a prop? Perhaps 10 minutes of your time? Cheap for the peace of mind you will get.

Just don't use the RX and servos before you get them checked. A crash can do strange things to them and it's best to have them looked at before you decide to re-use them.

CGr.

I keep about 50 props of different sises in my box. Before any props get there it has to be checked for balance. Most of those props are APC for my two and four stroke engines. To date I have only found one size of APC prop that is almost always close to perfect. Some of the sizes are way off clunckers and need A lot of help before they get into the prop box but most of them are close. Like CGR pointed put, just depends on how close you want them. I want them dead on but that's just me.
I had A friend that figured removing the price tag was close enough for him. I showed him how acetone would remove the tag glue and he was thrilled with that new methoud.

I dont balance propse unless its going on - A 4 stroke or a high performance/high rpm racing engine.

When i do balance them i get them pretty close to perfect takes time but its not hard.

If there is anyone thats a bit confused on how to balance props take a look at this http://www.dodvideos.com/don3.wmv

INsted of adding to the back of the light prop you can sand the tip of the heavy prop

Steven

hey flying freak, how do they balance the tips, your video shows how to do the hub. cause i've never ever done one.