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How to Balance My Wooden RC Plane Prop

Aviation pioneer Orville Wright once said that "a propeller is simply a wing traveling in a spiral course." If the propeller's course is straight and true it reduces vibration, keeps fuel from foaming in the tank, and saves wear and tear on the your engine, electronics, and even the aircraft you're flying. The secret to accomplishing this is to make sure the propeller is properly balanced.

Things You'll Need

Wooden propeller
Magnetic propeller balancer
Felt tip marker
Fine grit sand paper
Clear dope
Small paint brush

Instructions

- 1
  Get a prop balancer. There are many types, but you'll get the best results for a fairly modest cost from a magnetic balancer.
- 2
  Mount the propeller in the balancer and, with your fingertips, hold the propeller parallel to the ground, then release it. If one of the blades dips lower than the other, your prop is imbalanced. Just to make sure, repeat this process two more times.
- 3
  Mark a small "H" on the heavier blade with a felt tip marker. This can later be removed with a touch of alcohol.
- 4
  Remove the propeller from the balancer and gently sand just a little bit of wood off the trailing edge near the tip of the heavier blade.
- 5
  Repeat Step Two until the propeller is perfectly parallel to the ground.
- 6
  Mark the inside of the propeller hub with a tiny "B" so you know you've balanced this prop already.
- 7
  Touch up both blades with a very thin coat of modeling dope and let it dry. This will protect the surface from soaking up fuel.

Aviation