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"Montblack" <Y4-NOT...4monty4blacky@yvisiy.com> wrote>
> Having a tough time trying to visualize how one balances a wooden prop
> using
> a rod.
You open your vise, so it is wider than the thickness of your prop, at the
flange. Then, rest the rod on the vise, with the prop, in the opening.
Orient, or roll, the rod/prop assembly until the blades of the prop are
horizontal, then let go. The heavy end of the prop drops. Add paint, shave
prop, or do whatever your favorite method of changing the weight of the
prop, until it stays horizontal when you let go of it.
Do the same thing with the prop vertical. This corrects for the
leading/trailing edge balance. Re-check the horizontal. Re=check the
vertical. Recheck..........
The only thing that this will not fix is the fore-aft balance. Not a great
big deal, if the prop is reasonably well made, to most people.
Cautions. Make sure your rod is really, really straight. Make sure your
vise is really really level. Make sure the rod holder is really in the
middle of the thingie you put in your prop hole. Make sure your vise does
not have all kinds of nicks and dings in it (like mine).
You can also go one step better, and make a thingie to clamp in your vise
with sharp edges, like old (non nicked (yeah, right)) jointer knives. That
way, you can get rid of the factors of the out of level, bashed up vise, and
get a lower friction (because of the sharpness) rolling surface.
An alternate balancer can be made if you have a lathe, if you make a thing
like a lawnmower blade cone, by turning a blank to fit into your prop hole,
then center bore it all of the way through a little past the other side of
the prop. Place a sharpened rod into the hole, with a bit of slop around
the sides, so it will teeter back and forth when the prop is placed on it.
When your prop is level, your prop is balanced.
Of course, if you haven't balanced your spinner, you have just wasted a
bunch of time. <g>
--
Jim in NC
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Re: Propeller Balance Master
