Hi; I just bought a Master Airscrew 11/5 prop and I would like to know if there is any prep you have to do to this propeller before flight, referring to the flash on the leading and trailing edges of the airfoil. Thanks........Veco

Is it a plastic prop? If so i lightly sand down the edges or the prop. Because if you trie to prime it with you finger it will cut you it so sharp.

I dont think it is plastic I think it is fiberglass or nylon, whatever master airscrew makes their black props out of. So I just sand down the edges to get the flashing off to a rounded smooth shape ?

That's basically it. Just sand enough that that sharp flashing is gone. Thpically just a couple of passes. There is no need to sand to a perfectly smooth shape.

Thanks for the info . Veco

I go though a lot of MAS props flying combat. I take a utility knife and run it up and down the blade to shave off the flashing. Faster than sandpaper.

No matter how you do it though, you do want to get rid of that flashing. Not only is it sharp, it hurts the props performance (not by much, but it does).

While you are sanding the edges off, you might want to get a cheap prop balancer to just check if the prop is in balance.
Doesn't have to be exact, but just sand a bit more off the heavy blade to get them roughly equal...

run a needle through the center hole and let the prop balance. if the prop falls to one side, shave off a bit of the prop from the trailing edge. do this spairingly. when you balance the prop it greatly reduces vibration.

No prep needed. You can check the balance if you want but you can install it and go fly~!

all props should be balanced. it is like running your engine with no counterweight.

Hei guys,
Since we are at it....when we balane the prop< what should and shouldnt happen to the prop? Must it just remain still with no rotations to either direction to be perfect?

it really iosn't necessary.

Spaceclam you said this first then: u said it isn't necessary.

Im confused!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Must be schizophrenic
Seriously though, props do need to be balanced but it ain't worth spending a lot of time over balancing a black plastic paint stirrer.

Just stick it on some sort of balancer and sand the heavy blade until the prop balances more or less level.

A truly balanced prop will remain stationary at any point in rotation, but to completely balance a prop its not just a case of sanding the heavy blade but sanding the right part of the blade. Probably too much hassle for most people to bother with unless its a large prop on an expensive engine...

Most if not all propellers will have the balance changed after the first flight if the propeller strikes the grass on takeoff or landings. If it makes you feel good then by all means go ahead. Now on larger planes/engines/propellers, I agree 100% but on 10x6 unless you have an extremely out of balance condition, your time is better spent flying!

But you have to put it on a balancer of some sort to find this out. So why not spend three minutes and get it close?

Is it necessary? Probably not, but a slightly out of balance prop shakes the engine, which shakes the mount, which shakes the firewall, which.... You get the idea.

If you don't want to balance the prop, remove your glowplug and turn the engine over until the piston is at top dead center. Then mount the prop with the heavy blade down. You'll be helping to balance the engine and reducing overall vibration that way.
Dennis-

what i meant was that there is no beed to balqance it the other way. the heavy blade will fall either way. once it is balanced one way, it will be the other. meaning, just spend a minute or so balancing that thing.

thanks alot guys and
Spaceclam>>i now know that u aren't schizophrenic.!!! Just joking man.
Cheers>