Really Nice Prop Balancer -

[AndyKunz]

Shaft doesn't have to stay in the center - it only has to stay supported with minimal resistance to rotation. That doesn't change, and as long as the shaft is close to level the difference in the blade weights front/rear won't be an issue.

It's a really nice-looking balancer, don't get me wrong, and it's a lot smaller than the Top Flite unit, but I wouldn't trade in my TF.

Andy

[Darin Jordan]

Shaft doesn't have to stay in the center -

It does for me to be satisfied with it!!

[Flying Scotsman]

It does for me to be satisfied with it!!


Darin, your wife must love you

Douggie

[icelert]

For me nothing does balancing like the good ol' Schenck! That beauty can pick out the weight of a wart on a tick's patooty! A truck driving by outside will upset the reading! Works great on turbine assy's, a little heavy to take to the pond though
Seriously though, a great find Darin. You can't make something that nice these days for $35

[RiverRat]

Darin, Tony, Thanks for the praise.
Here is the scoop on the balancers. I didn't make these to make money, Im loosing my a__ at this price. I made these because all the others are inferior. Since I was making one for myself, I made a batch for anyone that wanted one.
2 problems with the TopFlight. We all know about the bent or out of balance shafts and cones, but its biggest problem is the magnets are to strong for our props.
I made about 8 proto types till I found the weakest magnet that would still hold our props.
The problem with this is there is no do it all balancer. If you have 1/4 props you will need a second balancer that has stronger magnets. It would have been real easy for me to just use strong magnets, but I was shooting for perfection here.
The next problem is the grinding of the shafts. On our grinders the point was a tad off. We were getting about .00035 runout. There again use a stronger mag and know one would know. So I subcontracted the shafts to a shop that only does grinding. $$$$$.
Now these have a runout of .00005-.00015 Thats damn close. I cant even inspect that close.
Be warned these are super sensitive and add more time to the balancing process.
Also do not spin your props on this thing, it will fly off and might damage your shaft.
The shafts are made from hardened tool steel and should last forever if taken care of.
Thanks Guys

[detox]

You can't beat that with a stick....Thanks!

[Fluid]

Guys, I gotta laugh at all the hand wringing I see over minute differences in blade balance. If you do the math it becomes clear that the amount of vibration caused by minor blade mass differences is nothing compared to that caused by the blades slapping the water two or three times per revolution, or by the cable whipping around as it spins in a tube with a relatively large annular space. This is a dynamic system and that is what matters, not static balance. Minor blade imbalance is invisible when the actual dynamics of the system are considered. Worry more about blade sharpening and surface finish than about a level of weight precision that you probably can't attain anyway.



.

[Gerwin Brommer]

My opinion :
shaft of balancer, not level, or spinning around the "magnetic center" :
so what ??

as long as the shaft CAN spin with as little friction as possible it's okay !!

The heaviest blade of a prop MUST come down, that's the only "job" of a balancer.

The tips of the shaft are important, THEY must be centered.
And like Riverrat says : the weakest possible magnet is the best.

[Gerwin Brommer]

Andy, why do you prefer your TopFlight balancer ?

And I hope your "drillbit with a point" is just a joke ?

[properchopper]

Call me crazy, but.....

There are things I've owned, whether I needed them or not, just for the sheer beauty of them. I've had a set of high compression forged pistons for my motorcycle sit on my nightable for a week just so I could grok their gorgeousness.
This prop balancer gives me the same thrill ; maybe I'm nuts. OTOH Jay's absolutely right about the cumulative forces exerted on the total driveline over-weighing a "dead nuts" prop balance. I just get off on finely honed stuff, and the Kintec balancer is one of those things that definetly sets my toes a-tappin'.

[Ub Hauled]

I think we need flex cable balancer now!
:D

[Gerwin Brommer]

Fluid.

I don't get it.
Why is a balanced/unbalanced prop at , for example, 30.000 revs NOT dynamic ?


The "unbalance" in the flex/wire of the driveline SHOULD be "made even" by the
strut/trimm.

A prop which is not in balance will wear out the bushings/ballbearings in the strut/trim. And THEN the unbalance in the flex/wire will have influence on the prop.

On the other hand : unbalance in flex/wire will also wear out the bushings/ballbearings, and then a balanced prop has no use

[Flying Scotsman]

There are things I've owned, whether I needed them or not, just for the sheer beauty of them. I've had a set of high compression forged pistons for my motorcycle sit on my nightable for a week just so I could grok their gorgeousness.
This prop balancer gives me the same thrill ; maybe I'm nuts. OTOH Jay's absolutely right about the cumulative forces exerted on the total driveline over-weighing a "dead nuts" prop balance. I just get off on finely honed stuff, and the Kintec balancer is one of those things that definetly sets my toes a-tappin'.

Tony, you and I are of the same mind when it comes to well engineered and built equipment. This balancer may only be slightly more accurate than my Top Flite, though I doubt that, but for the reasons you stated, I purchased one.

Douggie

[AndyKunz]

Andy, why do you prefer your TopFlight balancer ?

Because I have one, it has served me well for years, and I've made the shafts to make it work properly.

And I hope your "drillbit with a point" is just a joke ?

Half way. Drill blanks are straight - music wire is not. A drill blank top side (the "dull" end) typically comes with a shape like a chisel

---\
|
---/

If you have that ground to a point you have a much better starting point than a bowed piece of 3.17mm wire that somebody hand-ground to a point.

Andy

[Gerwin Brommer]

Yep, IF you assume that the bling-bling-balancer uses a
"simply cut-off wire" instead a balanced shaft.
Looking at the photo, I believe it's machined out of a solid piece, hardened, and
machined again ??
Sorry for my english, I'm from Holland.