Balance all of your props. It means a great deal to your airframe and particularly your radio. This is a routine that all racing and pattern dudes do as a matter of course.

The better balancers are the Gordberg Magnetic types. The Dubro with the two large steel wheels works well when new but is just okay after the wheels oxidize. Polish the wheels every few months especially in humid climates

Radical RC carries a small finger balancer with threaded anodized ally end cones (about 3 bucks) that really works great on the Magnetic balancer. Steel cones would actually work better on the Mag balancer but the rod is magnetic and is adequate.

The Goldberg Mag unit is less expensive (around 20$) than the Dubro (around 30$), even if you purchased the Radical RC goodie to suspend the props with.

The downside of the Mag balancer is prop weight...it can only tolerate 100 grams or less. Many woodies weigh less than 100 grams up to around 19" diameter. APC's are heavy so this balancer will not accomodate APC's larger than 15-16".

I balance as many as I can, avoiding doing so only if I feel lazy.

Yes it helps on piston engines.

An out of balance prop may be erroneously installed on an engine adding to the vibrational effects of all of that moving mass.

Someone once recommended to me that I install the prop after balancing at 90 degrees to the line formed by the cylinderhead/piston rod at TDC or BDC, when they saw my glow engine plane vibrating.

Sure enough that helped smooth things out greatly as the prop was no longer contributing to the harmonics of the vibration.

I balance ALL my props. Especially on my racing engines at 24,000 rpm. At these extreme RPM's not only is vibration a concern but high frequency harmonics can develop and play havoc with your radio and servos.

OPJOSE just confirmed what I was about to comment on. Placing the heavy blade at about 10:00 ( facing engine) with piston at TDC will reduce the vibration of an out-of-balance prop. Remember that the engine, whether ignition or glow, fires before the piston reaches TDC. Thus the reason for the 10:00 position.

Please note that this is an example with the engine in an upright position!!
TDC is always in relation to the engine...not the plane!

Example: With an inverted engine the heavy blade would be placed at the 4:00 position with piston at TDC

The great advantage to balancing your prop is that it is balanced. Less vibration on your airframe. Less wear on your whole plane............and you can place the prop at any desired position for hand starting.



Try it. It works!

After running one prop that is out of balance and almost tearing up my engine... I now balance all PROPS AND SPINNERS. It does not take that much time. You balance the tires on your car don't you.

Radio equipment, Servos, and bearings last longer when you eliminate all the vibration you possibly can.

hi
i like to add always check a prop to see if it needs to be balanced APC and MASTER AIRSCREW need a good deal of attention to get balanced right 90 % of the time - you will have problems that will develop from the vibration if that is not done -TONY

I balance everything, I even test the C of G which is balancing as well... I am an accountant though so everything has to balance for me!!!

APC props generally are very close but there have been a few "ringers". Most Master Airscrews that I've used needed balancing, primarily older stock, the new molds are getting better. SO CHECK EM ALL. Some props or spinners can shake the heck out of a plane.

I use a GPMQ5000 Fingertip Propeller Balancer, they are cheap small, portable don't need setup and plenty good for .25 through 1.20 size glow engines. I find the magnetic type more sensitive and time consuming than necessary.

Hey! Me too.

You don't have to get fancy for a balancer. A finishing nail in the end of your workbench or even a "T" pin held in your fingers will work.

.

I Always balance without question!

I fly a lot of little park 3d and a balanced prop is the ticket to a easy fly.

Balancing the props on GPengines is recommendedin most cases. However, with larger engines, especially gas, an out of balance prop can actualy be used to smooth out the performance. The counterbalance of many "adapted" chainsaw engines is never accurate otherwise the price would be more than most modellers would pay.
refer words from the old master:
Prop Balancing - Joe Wagner - March 9, 1998 .
Recommendedreferences for propellers:
Bolly Book (The) .pdf
Props, Balancing, Engine_Prop Ratio
more undersub section "Propellers" at
Alan's Hobby, Model &amp; RC FAQ Web Links</p>

Regards
Alan T.</p>