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View Full Version : Does it matter what you prop is made of?



jamespl
11-16-2011, 08:30 AM
As the title really, I know a metal prop is better than a plastic but does is matter which metal it's made from for instance bronze or stainless steel? Just been looking at props from propshop and they offer different metals. They all come sharpened and balanced so that's no prob. Just wondering if one was better than another as most are copper/berilium

siberianhusky
11-16-2011, 08:41 AM
I've read that aluminum doesn't do as well as the other metals in larger diameter props, Blades were bending. This may not cover all aluminum props as I imagine the selection of alloy plays a big part.
Not any fact here just remember reading a thread, no experience with aluminum props, to pricey for my wallet based on the couple of venom props I looked at for a small twin project, going the be a larger single motor now so I can use regular props, the venoms were 40$ a piece!

jamespl
11-16-2011, 09:00 AM
The reason I ask is cos the ss ones on propshop are cheaper than the berilium ones. I sport run on a budget you know lol

Fluid
11-16-2011, 09:30 AM
Aluminum props are poor choices. They are easy to balance, but they cannot be sharpened enough for best performance. Stainless props can be tougher to modify and are harder to sharpen, but they will take a high polish and a razor edge. I use both stainless and beryllium. BeCu props are strong, relatively easy to modify, and can be hardened. Their chief disadvantage is the toxic dust they produce when using power equipment. ALWAYS WEAR A QUALITY RESPIRATOR WHEN USING POWER TOOLS ON BeCu PROPS!!

Breathing beryllium particles can lead to scarring of the lungs. This is known as chronic beryllium disease—CBD for short. It can be treated, but it cannot be cured. It is sometimes fatal. CBD is primarily a lung disease. But it may also affect the lymph nodes, skin, spleen, liver, kidneys, and heart....CBD can take years to develop after the first exposure to beryllium. The average time is 10 to 15 years. Sometimes it takes as long as 30 years to show up.

Chronic beryllium disease can cause persistent coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, night sweats, blood in the sputum, rapid heart beat, loss of appetite, and weight loss. If you have been exposed to beryllium and you have any of these symptoms, you should tell your doctor about your beryllium exposure or seek help from a doctor who specializes in occupational lung diseases....Workers in some beryllium-producing plants have had an increased rate of lung cancer. Beryllium is classified as a cause of cancer in humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists. *

* http://www.elcosh.org/en/document/560/d000542/beryllium-fact-sheet.html?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=adwords&utm_campaign=adwords&gclid=CIC_rKCuu6wCFcKGpAodtw6BoA



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Griff
11-16-2011, 01:16 PM
James, I have a prather 220 stainless prop, and it took quite some time to sharpen and balance, I also have a couple of Octura beryllium props which are easier to do, that said, the copper props all have a couple of nicks out of them which happened while running them, I have a good number of runs on the stainless props and no damage to date, also when you take into account the health issues I will stick to the stainless.

Tom

jd800
01-15-2012, 07:27 PM
I run my boat with an Ocutura x640 berilium, It has good speed and does not get hot with 4s. It is a Venom P1 which came with the glass filled dhp 436/3 prop. I pose this question to all you experienced boaters-Do you think I would see any significant difference in speed if I went to the Graupner x642? Is carbon better or about the same as glass filled. Really not for a change in speed, only for backup with occasional use. I run in the shallow water along a sandy beach. I am new to this prop stuff, hate to pay the cost of a pb metal prop and I don't think am not skilled enough to do it myself.

dana
01-15-2012, 10:28 PM
Fluid, hardened?!? Could you elaborate please? Thanks

Gimp
01-15-2012, 10:35 PM
Fluid, hardened?!? Could you elaborate please? Thanks

Heat treated to make the prop harder. If it's harder, it becomes harder to flex (but more brittle).

Boaterguy
01-15-2012, 10:36 PM
tempered (or reverse tempered i forget the term) is heating to incandescence and then rapid quenching in oil or water (or letting it cool on it's own, one hardens one softens) to rearrange the molecules and make the metal stronger.

dana
01-15-2012, 10:40 PM
And this is done with heat and water somehow? What is the correct way to do this?

madmorgan
01-22-2012, 12:24 PM
well simply put i harden the cheapy oring picks u get from harbor freight that bend easily simply by taking a torch getting them cherry red dunking them in common 30 weight motor oil then hitting them with a torch again but not to cherry red. im sure this isnt the propper way to do props but its the same effect . by saying this im not telling you to cherry your props then dunk em in oil but that is how you harden the cheap china metal picks so they dont bend easily. they will however break if they are put to the test.