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Prop type and wear resistance

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jb92563

Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 314
Location: Southern California

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:06 pm Post subject: Prop type and wear resistance

I am using a wood prop with some plastic leading edge protection on my UltraStar but notice that it is wearing excessively.



The dominant surface type for Ultralight strips in Socal seems to be a sandy dirt with some gravel thrown in for good measure and it is wearing my wood prop tips at an alarming rate.



How do other composite props compare.



Do they hold up better than the wood? 



What prop are you using and how is it holding up on less than ideal runways.

I know...I know...time to upgrade to the FireStar!

But this is my first Kolb so I have to get a taste first.

_________________
Ray

Kolb UltraStar (Cuyuna UL-202)
Moni MotorGlider
Schreder HP-11 Glider
Grob 109 Motorglider

Do Not Archive

ElleryWeld(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject: Prop type and wear resistance

You get your feet wet in that and you sure will be  looking to upgrade soon to a firestar or better 

  

  Ellery in Maine

 do not archive

  

  In a message dated 4/9/2008 4:10:07 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  jb92563(at)yahoo.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		  -->    Kolb-List message posted by: "jb92563" <jb92563(at)yahoo.com>



I am    using a wood prop with some plastic leading edge protection on my UltraStar    but notice that it is wearing excessively.



The dominant surface type    for Ultralight strips in Socal seems to be a sandy dirt with some gravel    thrown in for good measure and it is wearing my wood prop tips at an alarming    rate.



How do other composite props compare.



Do they hold up    better than the wood? 



What prop are you using and how is it holding up    on less than ideal runways.

I know...I know...time to upgrade to    the FireStar!

But this is my first Kolb so I have to get a taste    first.



--------

Ray



Kolb UltraStar (Cuyuna UL-202)

Moni    MotorGlider

Schreder HP-11 Glider

Riverside County, CA



Do Not    Archive





Read this topic online    here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=175761#175761

	




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  [quote][b]

Dana

Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 1047
Location: Connecticut, USA

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 2:55 pm Post subject: Prop type and wear resistance

At 04:06 PM 4/9/2008, jb92563 wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I know...I know...time to upgrade to the FireStar!

But this is my first Kolb so I have to get a taste first.


	


Ummm... my sailing friends call this "bigger boat disease".  



A lot of people seem to say "The UltraStar is the one plane I wish I'd 

never sold."  But yeah, a bit more rough field / tall grass capability 

might be nice...



-Dana

--

  Dyslexics Untie!

planecrazzzy
Guest

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Prop type and wear resistance

I have the IVO....  



I've changed the SS on the leading edge on an earlier prop...

it held up great....



  The Prop I have now , I've tried to put them on "twice".... Both times

the stuff wanted to "lift"....( yes, I sealed the edges )



 Now I just run it bare naked.....Seems fine , But I'm not in the conditions

that you describe...



                              Gotta Fly...

                                              Mike & "Jaz" in MN

.

.

.

.

RN-KMA





 	  jb92563 wrote: 	
		  I am using a wood prop with some plastic leading edge protection on my UltraStar but notice that it is wearing excessively.



The dominant surface type for Ultralight strips in Socal seems to be a sandy dirt with some gravel thrown in for good measure and it is wearing my wood prop tips at an alarming rate.



How do other composite props compare.



Do they hold up better than the wood? 



What prop are you using and how is it holding up on less than ideal runways.

I know...I know...time to upgrade to the FireStar!

But this is my first Kolb so I have to get a taste first.

George Alexander

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 245
Location: SW Florida

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:20 pm Post subject: Re: Prop type and wear resistance

 	  jb92563 wrote: 	
		  I am using a wood prop with some plastic leading edge protection on my UltraStar but notice that it is wearing excessively.



The dominant surface type for Ultralight strips in Socal seems to be a sandy dirt with some gravel thrown in for good measure and it is wearing my wood prop tips at an alarming rate.



<<<<SNIP>>>>



What prop are you using and how is it holding up on less than ideal runways.



<<<<SNIP>>>>

	




Ray et al:

I had a Tennessee Prop on a Quicksilver operating off of a steadily deteriorating runway. The prop got chewed up pretty good.  They (TPI) put a new leading edge of some very hard substance (urethane rubber as I recall).  I ran that prop for a couple of hundred hours with no additional damage and as far as I know, it has accumulated additional hours and is still doing fine.

This was one of TPIs props that they put the edge on.... Don't know if they would do it on another make prop.  They also put these edges on their new props as an extra.

_________________
George Alexander
FS II R503
E-LSA N709FS
http://www.oh2fly.net

Last edited by George Alexander on Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:30 am; edited 1 time in total

George Myers

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 76
Location: San Marcos, Texas

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject: Prop type and wear resistance

I have flown off of gravel for the last 5 years and the prop that holds up

best is the warp drive. I have settled on the nickel tape on the leading

edge and whenever the dings get too bad I strip off the tape, get out the

baking soda and super glue, repair all the dings & put on new tape. In a

pinch I use the foil tape used by A/C guys to make ducts. The plastic tapes

don't last very long. 

You can repair the wood props with super glue and baking soda also. A good

file works best for shaping the repair. Then a few coats of spar varnish &

it looks sooooo purty. 

I usually just strip down & repaint the warp drive with flat black, but if

you do a really good job of stripping & sanding you can just varnish it and

have a really unique looking prop because the matrix is clear and the carbon

fibers create a neat looking pattern.



jb92563 wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		   I am using a wood prop with some plastic leading edge protection on my

UltraStar but notice that it is wearing excessively.
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   

 The dominant surface type for Ultralight strips in Socal seems to be a

sandy dirt with some gravel thrown in for good measure and it is wearing my
	


wood prop tips at an alarming rate.

 	  Quote: 	
		   

 How do other composite props compare.

 

 Do they hold up better than the wood? 

 

 What prop are you using and how is it holding up on less than ideal

runways.
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   

 

 I know...I know...time to upgrade to the FireStar!

 But this is my first Kolb so I have to get a taste first.


	




--------

R. Hankins

Joined: 18 Jan 2006
Posts: 185
Location: Grants Pass, Oregon

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:12 pm Post subject: Re: Prop type and wear resistance

I have an IVO 2 blade.  I replaced the leading edge tapes one year while performing my annual and had the same problems with adhesion.  The replacement metal tapes would not hold like the originals.  I took a tip from this list and installed the protective tape used on Powerfin props.  At the time the strips were less than $2 each so I bought enough to do the job three times.  320 hrs later the same two tapes are still on my prop and the four spares are still in my toolbox.  I fly off of crushed granite and sand runways often (probably one out of four landings) and the plastic tape has worked well for me.  The firestar does have gobs more clearance, but the tires can really throw sand into the prop if there is dew on the grass.

_________________
Roger in Oregon
1992 KXP 503 - N1782C

JetPilot

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1246

Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:25 pm Post subject: Re: Prop type and wear resistance

A composite prop is better than wood in every way.  Much stronger, more efficient, better performance, and will keep its balance better.   I would not have used a wood prop even if they were giving them away for free.



If you get a composite, the warp drive props are the strongest, with the nickel leading edge, now its not just tape, its nickel implanted into the edge.   I also fly a Powerfin, which is great, not as strong as the warp, but with the soft leading edge tape, it does not wear on the leading edge at all.



Mike

_________________
"NO FEAR" - If you have no fear you did not go as fast as you could have !!!

Kolb MK-III Xtra, 912-S

jb92563

Joined: 23 Mar 2007
Posts: 314
Location: Southern California

Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:35 am Post subject: Re: Prop type and wear resistance

I figured the composite might hold up better with tape.



Even the tape on my wood prop is helping a lot but its old and needs to be replaced and since it does not go all the way to the tips the tips are being worn down.



I'm seriously considering a replacement composite prop now.



I'll could probably even sell the old wood one to some yuppies for $100 who want to decorate the hubbies den or make a clock out of it.

_________________
Ray

Kolb UltraStar (Cuyuna UL-202)
Moni MotorGlider
Schreder HP-11 Glider
Grob 109 Motorglider

Do Not Archive

Dana

Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Posts: 1047
Location: Connecticut, USA

Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:27 am Post subject: Prop type and wear resistance

At 10:35 AM 4/14/2008, jb92563 wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		  I'll could probably even sell the old wood one to some yuppies for $100 

who want to decorate the hubbies den or make a clock out of it.  [Laughing]


	


Don't laugh, I've seen Cub sized Sensenich props stamped "unairworthy" with 

"antique propeller" tags on them at flea markets priced at $800 when a 

brand new airworthy prop was selling for under $500.



-Dana

--

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