Tools of the Trade

[Basstronics]

Can the seasoned professionals please post up some pictures of their prop sharpening tools.

Also a description on what type of files are being used (double or single cut, jewelers, swiss, name brands, etc).

Any types of gauges or fixtures would be helpful.

I guess if I ever want to be good in this hobby Im going to need to learn this trade.

I did up a TFL X432B last night. Going to test today. I was able to thin the blade some. Just enough I only need a very slight angle to but an edge on it. Wet sand 400 grit then 800.

I know I need a better balancer. So thats one thing on the list. I have no problems spending money on good tools.

[properchopper]

I used to spend lots of time thinning blades (reduces lift and load). Then I got one of these. Gets it done in minutes. Great for all kinds of material removal as well. Worth every penny. I clamp mine in a rubber- jaw'd vise to do props.

8248382484

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-bandfile-belt-sander-92158.html

[martin]

Most important you need to wear a suitable mask & gloves when doing props ecpecially if your sanding them with a machine. This is very dangerous stuff if you breath this dust in.

[properchopper]

Most important you need to wear a suitable mask & gloves when doing props ecpecially if your sanding them with a machine. This is very dangerous stuff if you breath this dust in.

I totally agree. Here I am getting ready to do some prop sharpening : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34CaXpMLkR0

[martin]

Tony your giving your secrets away what you wear in the bedroom.

[Basstronics]

Thanks for the info Tony.

How aggressive is that?

I was hoping more for input on files and whats good/cheap.

I bought a 6" Mill single cut. However its rather coarse and I feel it pushes to much burr. I also have some jewelers type files, but they are double cut.

I did by one of those goofy head magnifying glass things from Harbor Freight. Im going for attention to detail.

Figure if Im going to do this, Im going to do it right or not bother.

[srislash]

I've got a 6" bastard file,a 6" double cut fine,a single cut fine and assorted jewellers.I have been finding the abrasive dremal Wheels quite effective in smoothing any file marks out. And once again,a Respirator.

[Mike Caruso]

I used to spend lots of time thinning blades (reduces lift and load). Then I got one of these. Gets it done in minutes. Great for all kinds of material removal as well. Worth every penny. I clamp mine in a rubber- jaw'd vise to do props.

8248382484

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-bandfile-belt-sander-92158.html

Who sells the Ball tool for cupping other than Voodoo? I saw it once and it got away He He

[twissted]

I like the files myself. I use different size balls that will cup differently depending on size of the prop.
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/Jack59/Zonda/Zondaboat011.jpg
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/Jack59/aqua%20V24%20boat%20brushless/ebay010.jpg
here is a video I found that will help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtEIhWQtxVo&playnext=1&list=PLD00518936EE9F4BF&feature=results_video

[Mike Caruso]

I like the files myself. I use different size balls that will cup differently depending on size of the prop.
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/Jack59/Zonda/Zondaboat011.jpg
http://i628.photobucket.com/albums/uu2/Jack59/aqua%20V24%20boat%20brushless/ebay010.jpg
here is a video I found that will help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtEIhWQtxVo&playnext=1&list=PLD00518936EE9F4BF&feature=results_video

Great blade work!

[ray schrauwen]

That tool makes it a world easier.

I bought one on sale at Canadian Tire, Black & Decker with Cyclone. I use the finest grit it came with, 120 or something. Need to find a belt supplier for finer grits.


I used to spend lots of time thinning blades (reduces lift and load). Then I got one of these. Gets it done in minutes. Great for all kinds of material removal as well. Worth every penny. I clamp mine in a rubber- jaw'd vise to do props.

8248382484

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-bandfile-belt-sander-92158.html

[Raydee]

MY favorite prop tool is a right angle air grinder with various rotoloc pads. I can whip out a prop pretty fast with it but like others have said wear a real good mask with some eye protection. I don't do as great of a job making them look real pretty but my props seem to work good on the water so I must be doing something right after 20 something years of RC boating.
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UF6EVsSyXTtlXMtNXs6EVU6E Vs6EVs6EVs6E666666--

[bruceisla]

I totally agree. Here I am getting ready to do some prop sharpening : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34CaXpMLkR0

Do they come in colors other than green?

[twissted]

Here is a tip that will help alot of you. find a old sears craftsman philip screw driver and use the top end of the handle to do the cupping of the prop. cut the handle and drill and tap handle to bolt to table that has hole drilled through it.

[keithbradley]

MY favorite prop tool is a right angle air grinder with various rotoloc pads. I can whip out a prop pretty fast with it but like others have said wear a real good mask with some eye protection. I don't do as great of a job making them look real pretty but my props seem to work good on the water so I must be doing something right after 20 something years of RC boating.
http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UF6EVsSyXTtlXMtNXs6EVU6E Vs6EVs6EVs6E666666--

I agree with all of this 100%.
If I want to make a prop look pretty I can take my time, but more often I just want to get them cut/shaped/balanced and on the boat for testing.

[twissted]

I'm new to rc boating and taking my time is because of this. I'm shure that down the road I will do the same. I do likem shiney though.

[dana]

I usually leave the trailing edge of my props rough with 400 grit Westland. The reason is because it tends to grab the water better and throw it more

[capnswanny]

I'm no seasoned professional....here's last nights late night-6 pack idea. Quick built, prop sharpening stand.
Worked out well....beat holding it in my hand or using the vice.
Corey

[Mike Caruso]

I'm no seasoned professional....here's last nights late night-6 pack idea. Quick built, prop sharpening stand.
Worked out well....beat holding it in my hand or using the vice.
Corey

Don't use Play-Doh as it springs back. Craft store for modeling clay is what you need.

[capnswanny]

I had noticed that too, thanks for the tip Mike!

[kevinpratt823]

Just bought this
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch-x-30-inch-belt-sander-2485.html
and this
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-inch-mini-tool-grinder-polisher-94071.html
along with some polishing compound, so far I am very pleased.

[kevinpratt823]

my prop station88175
I keep the small blue sponge wet and use it to cool the props in between to keep things moving along, and the 2"x4" setup I had around, so I use it to place a piece of fine grip paper over the edge for fine tuning the edges, the litle buffing wheel on the grinder works nicely.

[twissted]

I like your station. I would like to try that belt sander. Is that a Harbor Freight item?

[kevinpratt823]

I like your station. I would like to try that belt sander. Is that a Harbor Freight item?
Yes, I just posted a link for a coupon they sent me, $35! Print it and go get it, great for rough work. The belt it comes with is 80 or 120 grit I think, your prop will be ruined quick, I got some finer 1"x30" belts on ebay. The little grinder/buffer was also from Harbor Frieght, as was the polishing compound, and a set of $3 needle files, but they're pretty rough.

[siberianhusky]

What do you do to control the dust? That stuff is seriously bad for you, looks like your just firing it all over the place!
It's not only the dust while working it's the residual dust you can't clean up that could seriously harm your family!
Do some reading about the dangers of berrylium, it's nasty stuff and the effects are cumulative, you do not want friends, family, pets inhaling that stuff.
Personally I will not use power tools to do prop work, impossible to clean up properly afterwards. For me it's all files and wet/dry paper over a tub of water to keep everything wet, LOL then the water gets dumped down the wash tub and everything well rinsed, not sure what else to do with it!
A wet sponge will not do much at all to control the dust. I still wear a full respirator and surgical gloves even though I use all hand tools in water.
Nasty, nasty sickness, not at all the way I want to go out! And I certainly don't want to poison family members for a toy boat prop!

[dana]

I agree with Siberian. Beryllium is extremely hazardous to health. Hope you at least wear a respirator

[kevinpratt823]

I wear a mask, and vacuum up with a wet vac with water in it, covering the outlet of the vac with a dust mask just in case. I'm looking to hook the vac directly up to the belt sander as well. You're right, I do need some better provisions.

[dana]

Kevin, especially with your fish tanks. Copper is a killer of fish. Don't want Any of that stuff near those nice tanks man

[siberianhusky]

WOW especially if you have salt water reef tanks! I miss my tanks, no saltwater, a few 100 gallon+ freshwater tanks.
Too many hobbies, something had to go, still have a big box of stuff in the attic, really just need a tank again............

[ray schrauwen]

I usually suit up in old clothes, respirator and cover my lap with a towel. I also wear gloves.

And people wonder why a SBP cost so much more than a raw prop...

[kevinpratt823]

My reef tanks have seen better days, but I do still have about 800gal of saltwater circulating my home, including a few barren frag/farm tanks in the basement, never even thought about the copper.........RC has taken full hold on me now, and some tanks will be broken down this winter anyhow, including the basement system.
I have only been doing props a couple months now, and I will definitely work the bugs out of my system, but I do not intend to go overboard and have a full on hazmat site going on. I understand it is hazardous, and will fine tune the precautions I take, but I will not become paranoid about it. If I had children in the house on the other hand, things may be different.

[Basstronics]

I spent some time with a prop and a file today. I got back to it after a long break. I took a X430 TFL knock off prop, detongued it, thinned it out, sharpened it, balanced then polished it with upto 600 grit wet dry. Total time- approx 4 hrs into it.

I went to Harbor Freight today. I looked at the deal Tony has, but I didnt want the hassle of a big vise. SO I bought the belt sander. It was on sale for $40 so it was painless. I removed the backing plate which will allow the belt to flex to the shape of the blade. Sure I will have to do the one face manually, but thats only a little work.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/basstronics/IMAG0028_zpse7541b8e.jpg

[ray schrauwen]

Are those your beef jerky pictures? If so do you have the recipe?

[Basstronics]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/120917/basic-jerky-faq

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/136022/mes40-full-muscle-jerky

Im actually going to make some for sale here shorty. I think I got the recipe and setup down to an art now.

[ray schrauwen]

It looks awesome!

[ray schrauwen]

I tried to do it in an oven once at 170F and it was like leather :ThumbsDown01:

Thats as low as my oven goes and I was using that liquid smoke stuff.

I don't understand how you make it out of ground beef. Most jerky I've seen (not much) is solid meat.

[Basstronics]

http://www.lemproducts.com/product/449/jerky-gun-accessories

I run mine at 165 and I use an electric smoker with a pellets. It put real smoke on it... I dont think you will get it to go in the oven, no real smoke flavor.

When you open a pouch of my jerky, that good smoke smell slaps ya upside the head. Not only can you smell it, you taste it too. When the nose smells something good and it tastes good, it just makes it taste wayyyy better.

[St3alth_Frenzy]

Lets get back on topic here :w00t:

I need to sharpen my prop again and was wondering if just wet sanding is good to keep the dust down? I mean with hand tools

[egneg]

I would just use a file to resharpen the blades - a couple of passes should do it.

[twissted]

Are you wrapping it around something flat as a working surface? A file is the way to go as far hand tools go.

[Mike Caruso]

I used to spend lots of time thinning blades (reduces lift and load). Then I got one of these. Gets it done in minutes. Great for all kinds of material removal as well. Worth every penny. I clamp mine in a rubber- jaw'd vise to do props.

8248382484

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-bandfile-belt-sander-92158.html

Thanks, Tony best hand tool I have ever bought and you can lightly clamp it to a table for prop work no vise needed. Not only great for thinning the fat prop blades but works great on wood. It has reduced my building time like crazy. I also bought a few weeks earlier the HF 1" belt sander also and I am a happy camper. Even WHEN I screw up a wood part and can just make another one in nothing flat. Makes this Hobby much more fun for me not being a wood worker LOL I make a lot of second designs.
Mike

[ray schrauwen]

Hey man I want some of that Jerky.

This comes on sale once or twice a year at Canadian Tire. I don't see it on their web site anymore though.

Works very nicely.

I need to find some finer grit belts if possible.

[longballlumber]

Hey man I want some of that Jerky.

This comes on sale once or twice a year at Canadian Tire. I don't see it on their web site anymore though.

Works very nicely.

I need to find some finer grit belts if possible.

That thing will destroy a prop quicker than it will sharpen a prop... Don't ask me how I know; it only took one time...

Later,
Mike

[Doug Smock]

I spent some time with a prop and a file today. I got back to it after a long break. I took a X430 TFL knock off prop, detongued it, thinned it out, sharpened it, balanced then polished it with upto 600 grit wet dry. Total time- approx 4 hrs into it.

I went to Harbor Freight today. I looked at the deal Tony has, but I didnt want the hassle of a big vise. SO I bought the belt sander. It was on sale for $40 so it was painless. I removed the backing plate which will allow the belt to flex to the shape of the blade. Sure I will have to do the one face manually, but thats only a little work.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/basstronics/IMAG0028_zpse7541b8e.jpg
Super tool at three times the price. Mine is about five years old and has done a ton of props.
D.

[ray schrauwen]

It will eat up an Octura 6 series fast but, it's nice to do Grimm props or abc with that Ti in it. The fine belt it comes ith is fine, the course is garbage.
I like the table top one above but, never seen it on sale in Canada. I don't have a Princess auto close by.


That thing will destroy a prop quicker than it will sharpen a prop... Don't ask me how I know; it only took one time...


Later,
Mike

[Basstronics]

I picked up this prop balancer today at the Toledo R/C show. One size fits all with the cones. This thing is ridiculously sensitive. Plus the cost was so cheap... I wish he had more I would of bought them so you guys could get one too.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/basstronics/RC%20Boats/IMAG0184_zpsb2ea0bfd.jpg