Originally Posted by
CraigP
Balancing is a difficult thing at first, because you have to learn where to remove material, based on on the prop settles on the mag pin. Sometimes it’s the backside rib, others it’s the blade area out towards the tip. Sometimes it’s at the tongue. It just takes time learning. You’ll waddle for a while in one area and feel it never changes much. That’s when you have to work other areas. Here’s a couple of tips:
1) If the prop blade fails vertical down, then it’s outside heavy, meaning the outside blade area by the tip or the spine.
2) If the prop wants be be almost horizontal, it’s usually at the tongue or up by the hub.
Just two tips to start you off. I’m not sure a blade can be “too sharp”. But it can be too polished. I like to polish out the front side (wet 1000 grit), the side you don’t remove material from. I leave the backside polished with about a wet (oiled) 400 grit. I always use wet sanding practices to hold the toxic grit down and not float around. Good luck!
You don’t remove material from the front side of the prop? As in the side that faces the front of the boat?
I don’t waste a bunch of time trying to get the balance perfect on props. I’m in the camp that believes with all the water hitting the prop that it dampens vibrations. Out in air with nothing touching it balance is extremely important. I could see you having some issues if your driving the boat in a lot of chip, the prop coming out the water a lot and spinning high rpms...but that’s usually not the case because going fast in chop usually ends up flipping the boat.
Let me put it to you this way. I’ve ran many many props. I’ve sold many props. And they were not meticulously balanced, but they were close. And I never had an issue nor has anyone I sold a prop to had an issue. I will point out that when I sell a prop its much closer to perfect than my personal props are, ONLY because my customer may check it and think that it’s not ok to run. If I sell one of my personal props I always resharpen and rebalance it. If your having driveline issues, unless your not balancing the prop at all, you’ve got other problems.
Now to answer your question. Yes, your prop can be too sharp. Let me elaborate. If you make the cutting de too thin and sharp it will fold over on you and/or you will dull it very quickly. I do like my props sharp but don’t over do it.
32" carbon rivercat single 4s 102mph, 27” mini Rivercat 92mph, kbb34 91mph, jessej micro cat(too fast) was
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