11x6 Prop RPM's
06-17-2022, 09:16 AM
#26
Thread Starter
with those magnetic bearings, I can imagine you need 20 minutes Those things respond to a mouse farting 15 feet over...
I simply use this thing https://i0.wp.com/www.justengines.co...24%2C324&ssl=1 and that is more than accurate enough.
I place the prop, place the balancer on the table and slightly rap the table with my knuckles to break friction.
Never had an unbalance issue.
Sometimes we like to do things TOO good, and "better" is an enemy of "good enough"... The natural unbalance of any single cylinder engine is WAY larger than even a Master Airscrew straight out of the package.
Yes , a couple of mates use that same prop balance in the link.
Well I guess I've covered all bases on this post and some bonus answers.
I've got one prop to test out on the OS 50SX this wknd which I'll post the rpm numbers but apart from that 'jobs a good'-en'.
Thanks to you and Jim for your acknowledgments.
Cheers for now
06-17-2022, 11:24 AM
#28
My Feedback: (1)
and let me say, I hate balancing props, hate it. some props take 10 minuets others take me a half hour. sometimes I just walk away and come back an hour later, and when I'm done with those props I never can figure-out, did I do something wrong? or was that prop that bad? I have 2 DuBro balancers and an old Robart. I used to use an old Boat prop balancer, it worked great, but now I can balance spinners with the other balancers. LOLI hate balancing spinners too.
Jim
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Eastflight (06-17-2022)
06-17-2022, 11:33 AM
#30
06-17-2022, 12:02 PM
#31
Thread Starter
06-17-2022, 12:16 PM
#32
Thread Starter
LOL very well put LOL
and let me say, I hate balancing props, hate it. some props take 10 minuets others take me a half hour. sometimes I just walk away and come back an hour later, and when I'm done with those props I never can figure-out, did I do something wrong? or was that prop that bad? I have 2 DuBro balancers and an old Robart. I used to use an old Boat prop balancer, it worked great, but now I can balance spinners with the other balancers. LOLI hate balancing spinners too.
Jim
and let me say, I hate balancing props, hate it. some props take 10 minuets others take me a half hour. sometimes I just walk away and come back an hour later, and when I'm done with those props I never can figure-out, did I do something wrong? or was that prop that bad? I have 2 DuBro balancers and an old Robart. I used to use an old Boat prop balancer, it worked great, but now I can balance spinners with the other balancers. LOLI hate balancing spinners too.
Jim
With my home made magnetic contraption - when I first started using it, I was there probably for 45-50 mins plus for the first half dozen. Only to realize afterwards there was a ever so slight draft coming from the garage door which would create the perfect 'gottcha' when i thought I has it in the bag.
I'm happy to say I no longer have that problem BUT it still takes me ages to balance airscrews compared to some like Mr 10 minutes
(i guess some people just have a knack for doing certain things!).
Last edited by Eastflight; 06-17-2022 at 01:46 PM. Reason: spelling
06-17-2022, 02:04 PM
#34
Thread Starter
Gentlemen, I'll be starting a new thread on the engines forum regarding filtered fuel.
I'm sure you'll have good feedback.
Cheers for now.
I'm sure you'll have good feedback.
Cheers for now.
Last edited by Eastflight; 06-17-2022 at 02:05 PM. Reason: typo
06-17-2022, 09:18 PM
#35
I've been reworking props for over 50 years. Balancing by sanding the front, and the back, and the side of the hub. I've made single blade props that had counter weights, and carbon fiber/glass props, where one blade was carbon, and the other was glass. The purpose was to deliberately have one blade longer (the blade that is doing the WORK) and one shorter. Top Flite made unfinished wood props at one time, which we customized, and then painted, or not; personal choice. Th concentric wheel prop balancer was first marketed by Dennis Bellick as the High Point balancer. They were gold anodized aluminum. He later sold the idea to DuBro who made most of the balancer out of plastic. The concentric wheel type balancers are commonly used in machine, and engine rebuild shops. Dennis just applied the idea to a propeller balancer. I picked up a High Point balancer at the Perry swap meet this year just to have a spare. If you see one that is available and reasonably priced pick it up. They are better then the clones. The story goes that Sid Axelrod (owner of Top Flite) had one on his desk with a fairly large prop resting in it. He complained that the prop often changed position. Turns out it was caused by humidity, as the sanded blade had not been refinished!
06-17-2022, 10:26 PM
#36
06-17-2022, 10:27 PM
#37
06-17-2022, 11:52 PM
#38
Thread Starter
I've been reworking props for over 50 years. Balancing by sanding the front, and the back, and the side of the hub. I've made single blade props that had counter weights, and carbon fiber/glass props, where one blade was carbon, and the other was glass. The purpose was to deliberately have one blade longer (the blade that is doing the WORK) and one shorter. Top Flite made unfinished wood props at one time, which we customized, and then painted, or not; personal choice. Th concentric wheel prop balancer was first marketed by Dennis Bellick as the High Point balancer. They were gold anodized aluminum. He later sold the idea to DuBro who made most of the balancer out of plastic. The concentric wheel type balancers are commonly used in machine, and engine rebuild shops. Dennis just applied the idea to a propeller balancer. I picked up a High Point balancer at the Perry swap meet this year just to have a spare. If you see one that is available and reasonably priced pick it up. They are better then the clones. The story goes that Sid Axelrod (owner of Top Flite) had one on his desk with a fairly large prop resting in it. He complained that the prop often changed position. Turns out it was caused by humidity, as the sanded blade had not been refinished!
What size prop range does your High Point Balancer accommodate ?
06-17-2022, 11:57 PM
#39
Thread Starter
06-18-2022, 12:47 AM
#40
(I am slightly autistic, so I don't always mean to be but it just happens)No idea if they (feltclunks) are strictly for gasoline or not. I have used them with glow fuel for ages and there they solved the same issues. Fact of the matter is that for every issue, there are a lot of options and solutions, but feltclunks solve all of them at once, regardless of the fuel type. No air ingress in the fuel line, emptying tanks to the (often literally) last drop, finer filtering than any gauze, strainer or mesh type filter out there and larger dirt "storage" capacity. One really has to make an effort to clog up a feltclunk.
I mean... we can ponder whether it is necessary or not, or whether there might be a better, easier or cheaper solution or even a more single purpose solution (who needs air rejection when there is no foaming problem, who needs a filter when there is no dirt, who needs the last drop when the tank is large enough anyway? Certainly not me
), and of course that is all OK. But why bother if a feltclunk prevents all and solves all? It simply is a no-brainer: use one and you can exclude a lot of issues.That is just the way I am wired, and of course, everybody has his or her own solutions for each and every separate problem, felt clunks are mine for all of them, for a lot of reasons and after a lot of experience with the alternatives.
But this should be in the other thread you opened, actually
06-18-2022, 03:02 AM
#41
Thread Starter
First of all, don't take me TOO serious... I can be a bit binary at times (I am slightly autistic, so I don't always mean to be but it just happens)
No idea if they (feltclunks) are strictly for gasoline or not. I have used them with glow fuel for ages and there they solved the same issues. Fact of the matter is that for every issue, there are a lot of options and solutions, but feltclunks solve all of them at once, regardless of the fuel type. No air ingress in the fuel line, emptying tanks to the (often literally) last drop, finer filtering than any gauze, strainer or mesh type filter out there and larger dirt "storage" capacity. One really has to make an effort to clog up a feltclunk.
I mean... we can ponder whether it is necessary or not, or whether there might be a better, easier or cheaper solution or even a more single purpose solution (who needs air rejection when there is no foaming problem, who needs a filter when there is no dirt, who needs the last drop when the tank is large enough anyway? Certainly not me ), and of course that is all OK. But why bother if a feltclunk prevents all and solves all? It simply is a no-brainer: use one and you can exclude a lot of issues.
That is just the way I am wired, and of course, everybody has his or her own solutions for each and every separate problem, felt clunks are mine for all of them, for a lot of reasons and after a lot of experience with the alternatives.
But this should be in the other thread you opened, actually
(I am slightly autistic, so I don't always mean to be but it just happens)No idea if they (feltclunks) are strictly for gasoline or not. I have used them with glow fuel for ages and there they solved the same issues. Fact of the matter is that for every issue, there are a lot of options and solutions, but feltclunks solve all of them at once, regardless of the fuel type. No air ingress in the fuel line, emptying tanks to the (often literally) last drop, finer filtering than any gauze, strainer or mesh type filter out there and larger dirt "storage" capacity. One really has to make an effort to clog up a feltclunk.
I mean... we can ponder whether it is necessary or not, or whether there might be a better, easier or cheaper solution or even a more single purpose solution (who needs air rejection when there is no foaming problem, who needs a filter when there is no dirt, who needs the last drop when the tank is large enough anyway? Certainly not me
), and of course that is all OK. But why bother if a feltclunk prevents all and solves all? It simply is a no-brainer: use one and you can exclude a lot of issues.That is just the way I am wired, and of course, everybody has his or her own solutions for each and every separate problem, felt clunks are mine for all of them, for a lot of reasons and after a lot of experience with the alternatives.
But this should be in the other thread you opened, actually
If we all agreed with everything everyone says then it would be a very boring world and we would not progress.
So, I've never used a felt filter thus cannot comment on it for nitro fuel. Nevertheless, I shall try for myself now that you have mentioned you've used them
I have a couple spare in the garage for my hedge cutter and chainsaw.
Yip, back too my other thread, Lol
I
Last edited by Eastflight; 06-18-2022 at 03:04 AM. Reason: addition
06-18-2022, 10:53 AM
#43
Thread Starter
06-18-2022, 02:17 PM
#44
Eastflight. The way the High Point is made there are extenders on the concentric wheel assemblies. I believe the DuBro is similar? Measuring the High Point looks like it would clear a 14in. prop. But, and this is important, there is really no need for the prop to be vertical. The horizontal position is where it's balanced. If it persists in dropping one blade or the other, the hub is heavy on one side, or the hole is off center. In that case turn the prop stylist over, (isolate the heavy side down until you can correct that problem). Dennis B. made a "shorty" balancer for the boaters. There are probably other manufacturers today making them for boat screws. As mentioned earlier, single cylinder engines are difficult to balance, so everything is a compromise. As a general rule a properly balanced prop is preferred, but a slight out-of-balance condition is generally not a big deal. APC props are so consistent that I never check them.
06-18-2022, 09:46 PM
#45
Thread Starter
Eastflight. The way the High Point is made there are extenders on the concentric wheel assemblies. I believe the DuBro is similar? Measuring the High Point looks like it would clear a 14in. prop. But, and this is important, there is really no need for the prop to be vertical. The horizontal position is where it's balanced. If it persists in dropping one blade or the other, the hub is heavy on one side, or the hole is off center. In that case turn the prop stylist over, (isolate the heavy side down until you can correct that problem). Dennis B. made a "shorty" balancer for the boaters. There are probably other manufacturers today making them for boat screws. As mentioned earlier, single cylinder engines are difficult to balance, so everything is a compromise. As a general rule a properly balanced prop is preferred, but a slight out-of-balance condition is generally not a big deal. APC props are so consistent that I never check them.
'APC props are so consistent that I never check them' - Ouch, the curiosity of not checking them would get the better of me!!
06-19-2022, 12:52 AM
#46
The reason for that: about 6~7 years ago, after a hiatus of almost 25 years from fixed wing RC (Helicopters and buggies for a long while), when I got back into FW, I checked every new prop fitted. The APC props, out of at least 15, I only had to correct one of them and that one even only a smidgen. Master always needs correction, Graupner, and woodies go without saying, but APC really is very consistent.
So yes, I do check them occasionally, but more as an afterthought than as a necessity.
06-19-2022, 03:16 AM
#47
Thread Starter
Actually, they are... I do check them, IF it is convenient to do so, but I have zero issues taking one right out of the package and mounting it to an engine and fly it.
The reason for that: about 6~7 years ago, after a hiatus of almost 25 years from fixed wing RC (Helicopters and buggies for a long while), when I got back into FW, I checked every new prop fitted. The APC props, out of at least 15, I only had to correct one of them and that one even only a smidgen. Master always needs correction, Graupner, and woodies go without saying, but APC really is very consistent.
So yes, I do check them occasionally, but more as an afterthought than as a necessity.
The reason for that: about 6~7 years ago, after a hiatus of almost 25 years from fixed wing RC (Helicopters and buggies for a long while), when I got back into FW, I checked every new prop fitted. The APC props, out of at least 15, I only had to correct one of them and that one even only a smidgen. Master always needs correction, Graupner, and woodies go without saying, but APC really is very consistent.
So yes, I do check them occasionally, but more as an afterthought than as a necessity.
I believe MA now have a factory balanced range now.
06-19-2022, 03:37 AM
#48
either that, or very accurately made... Whatever the case, I do not see signs of balancing (like small machines spots or something like that).The "actually they are" remark referred to them being consistent, not necessarily to them being pre-balanced.
Last edited by 1967brutus; 06-19-2022 at 03:40 AM.
06-19-2022, 03:51 AM
#49
Thread Starter