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Thread: Best prop balancer

  1. #1
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    Default Best prop balancer

    I have been using an old (15 yrs) airplane prop balancer, but know there has to be better.
    What do the pros use?
    "Look good doin' it"
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  2. #2
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jesse J View Post
    I have been using an old (15 yrs) airplane prop balancer, but know there has to be better.
    What do the pros use?
    I’ve seen some reviews on this one Du-Bro Tru-Spin Prop Balancer DB499, I just ordered one myself
    Do you know what the biggest problem with the world is?
    That the Smartest people are full of doubts while the stupid ones are full of confidence.::tt2

  3. #3
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    I'm not a pro, but I use one of the generic cheap chinese boat prop balancers that can be found with a dozen different band names, modded with a piece of microscope slide glass over the magnets which freed it up a lot ( i think the neodymium magnets in these are too soft to be ideal for use, maybe copper then nickle plated rather than copper then chrome). I have used a few balancers and this is the best of them.

    Neither of the 2 pros I know use static balancers at all, both ballance dynamically, 1 spinning the prop on a shaft in his well trained fingers, and 1 spinning the prop mechanically at 10,000 rpm with sensors. Both get a better result than I believe is possible with any static ballancer.




    As an aside, while it is nice to have a well ballance vibration free driveline when you give it a blip of throttle to check things are working in the pits, I am not sure how much it matters or if it even matters at all on the water when we are driving hundreds if not thousands of Watts through the bottom blade when the top blade is basically doing nothing. That is something I don't hear being discussed and I would like to hear others opinions on it.
    Paul Upton-Taylor, Greased Weasel Racing.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jesse J View Post
    I have been using an old (15 yrs) airplane prop balancer, but know there has to be better.
    What do the pros use?
    text sent don't go checking my props now LOL

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by NativePaul View Post
    I'm not a pro, but I use one of the generic cheap chinese boat prop balancers that can be found with a dozen different band names, modded with a piece of microscope slide glass over the magnets which freed it up a lot ( i think the neodymium magnets in these are too soft to be ideal for use, maybe copper then nickle plated rather than copper then chrome). I have used a few balancers and this is the best of them.
    This is great advice from Paul. The glass keeps from tearing up the magnets. It's also important to have the points on the shaft be center ground on each end. It keeps a consistent centerline down the shaft being used to balance.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jesse J View Post
    I have been using an old (15 yrs) airplane prop balancer, but know there has to be better.
    What do the pros use?
    These are very nice!

    https://stumpfabrication.com/collect...eller-balancer

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by NativePaul View Post
    As an aside, while it is nice to have a well ballance vibration free driveline when you give it a blip of throttle to check things are working in the pits, I am not sure how much it matters or if it even matters at all on the water when we are driving hundreds if not thousands of Watts through the bottom blade when the top blade is basically doing nothing. That is something I don't hear being discussed and I would like to hear others opinions on it.
    I can't argue the hydro dynamics involved in this system. It's well above my cranium level. I can tell you with a great deal of confidence a properly sharpened and balanced propeller will provide better performance and handling than a prop out of the bag all other things being equal.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by NativePaul View Post
    I'm not a pro, but I use one of the generic cheap chinese boat prop balancers that can be found with a dozen different band names, modded with a piece of microscope slide glass over the magnets which freed it up a lot ( i think the neodymium magnets in these are too soft to be ideal for use, maybe copper then nickle plated rather than copper then chrome). I have used a few balancers and this is the best of them.

    Neither of the 2 pros I know use static balancers at all, both ballance dynamically, 1 spinning the prop on a shaft in his well trained fingers, and 1 spinning the prop mechanically at 10,000 rpm with sensors. Both get a better result than I believe is possible with any static ballancer.




    As an aside, while it is nice to have a well ballance vibration free driveline when you give it a blip of throttle to check things are working in the pits, I am not sure how much it matters or if it even matters at all on the water when we are driving hundreds if not thousands of Watts through the bottom blade when the top blade is basically doing nothing. That is something I don't hear being discussed and I would like to hear others opinions on it.
    curious to see the microscope glass you use , almost impossible to get every prop balanced perfectly

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by longballlumber View Post
    I'll never use anything else. Had to rebalance my whole collection.

  10. #10
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    Andy Kunz used to use a strobe light to help balance a prop. How it's done is a mystery to me???
    Nortavlag Bulc

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by dasboata View Post
    text sent don't go checking my props now LOL
    Thanks Chris
    "Look good doin' it"
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    Quote Originally Posted by ray schrauwen View Post
    Andy Kunz used to use a strobe light to help balance a prop. How it's done is a mystery to me???
    Strobe and molding putty to get each blade identical.. that is overkill to me, since the prop is in and out of the water so much.
    "Look good doin' it"
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike W View Post
    I'll never use anything else. Had to rebalance my whole collection.
    Get the this one. Badasss

  14. #14
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    Jew balancers are the most accurate we can use for our model props.
    Gold Spilo

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Moonie View Post
    Jew balancers are the most accurate we can use for our model props.
    ??? What are Jew balancers?
    "Look good doin' it"
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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jesse J View Post
    ??? What are Jew balancers?
    They are called ‘jewel’ balancers because of the integration of jewel piviots.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewel_bearing

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by longballlumber View Post
    They are called ‘jewel’ balancers because of the integration of jewel piviots.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewel_bearing
    No it really called a Jeweled balancer. I used Jew for short.

    https://stumpfabrication.com/collect...eller-balancer
    Gold Spilo

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