Prop Camber?

From: torqueburner <beammeup_at_fast.net>
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 20:43:06 -0000

Per Chris Goins' recommendation, my students have sanded their fat Ikara (plastic) prop, and
trimmed it to to shape like the one on Bill Gowen's Finny plane. Currently, we are playing
around with the pitch and rubber, and getting a pretty good handle on what to do.

However, I notice that the sanded blade is quite a bit flatter than the original. (I wonder if the
heat from the sanding has something to do with this.) Should we be looking at restoring
some of the original camber? How important is this? If so, any suggestions how to do this?

I'm looking at instructions in Lew Gitlow's book for making penny plane props - soak balsa
sheet and wrap it around a gallon jug, or a cylindrical form. I'm wondering if we do this and
heat the prop slightly if it would change the camber. Just bending around at it doesn't seem
to have any permanent effect. But I guess the first question is, how important is the camber?

Dave Drummer
Kutztown Sr. High School
Received on Mon Apr 24 2006 - 13:43:10 CEST