Prop refurbishing

[scott resick]

Im looking to have my prop refurbished over the winter. Does anyone know where I can send it? Im in the Pittsburgh area. There used to be a good shop here but it shut down. Also, my prop puller wont work on my 4 blade prop so any ideas on how I can get the prop off?

[charlesml3]

I've used a couple of prop shops but this one has been simply outstanding: http://www.bobbysolespropeller.com/. They'll turn it around in a week.

If your old puller isn't working on that 4-blade, you'll need a new puller. Or borrow one from someone around there. There aren't really any good shortcuts to getting a prop off easily without one.

Nautiqeparts has them, Overtons, etc.

-Charles

[Tom_H]

PropMD is local to me, but they have a pretty simple mail it in form, and their repairs for me have been flawless.


As far as getting the prop off, C-clamp puller is the best - but I assume that's what you have that doesn't fit. You could try a harmonic puller (but for me the idea of hammering on the end of the shaft never sits right with me). The other option that generally works is to loosen the nut down a ways, carefully torch the prop hub for a while (don't torch towards the strut so you don't mess up the bushings), then grab a beer and go for a walk. When you come back, the prop may have dropped off the taper on it's own. If it hasn't, give the back of the hub a few good smacks with a wood block and hammer, and it'll likely drop to the nut.

Why does your current puller not fit? Too much blade overlap?

[shanesj]

I 2nd PropMD. They did a great job repairing our prop that was bent at the root and were up front with the fact that they may not be able to fix it but would do there best.

[scott resick]

PropMD is local to me, but they have a pretty simple mail it in form, and their repairs for me have been flawless.


As far as getting the prop off, C-clamp puller is the best - but I assume that's what you have that doesn't fit. You could try a harmonic puller (but for me the idea of hammering on the end of the shaft never sits right with me). The other option that generally works is to loosen the nut down a ways, carefully torch the prop hub for a while (don't torch towards the strut so you don't mess up the bushings), then grab a beer and go for a walk. When you come back, the prop may have dropped off the taper on it's own. If it hasn't, give the back of the hub a few good smacks with a wood block and hammer, and it'll likely drop to the nut.

Why does your current puller not fit? Too much blade overlap?

Its shaped like a triangl with three connecting bolts, there is a bolt in the middle of the triangle that pushes on the shaft, pulling the prop forward. 4 fins prevents bolting the 2 triangles together

[scott resick]

[scott resick]

its funny, when I went to take the prop off after i hit the log, it just fell off of the tapper.

[Tallredrider]

The hammering actually is what gets the prop to come off, not because of the force of the hammer, but because the shaft and the prop resonate at different frequencies. That is why a harmonic prop puller works. Just tightening and tightening a C clamp won't work, you have to hammer on it to get the resonance to happen.

So it does not surprise me that the prop puller above would not work.

Acme taught me a valuable lesson...and that is to put a thin layer of bearing grease under the prop and it will come off much easier next time.

Wherever you take it, make sure they have experience and the right pitch block for your prop. I had a local guy repair a prop of mine and it still vibrated. It looked perfect, but was not. I have heard nothing but good things about PropMD, and I will consider sending my next prop to acme directly. These props are super sensitive to being out of balance.

[Tom_H]

Yea, I understand how the harmonic puller works, and also that you should smack a hammer against a loaded C-clamp puller as well. I just don't like the direction you hammer with a harmonic, even though I know it's fine (I'd rather be applying the force in the direction I want the prop to go). In all the props I've pulled on several different boats, about half come off the taper on tightening the C-clamp, and the others usually only require 1 or 2 hammer smacks to the back of the puller to get it to let go.

OP - Now that I see what you're working with, I'd recommend getting yourself a C-clamp puller, as they work on most 4-blades, and will take a fraction of the time that setting up your previous puller would have.

[Tallredrider]

When you hammer on the harmonic prop puller, you are hammering it in the same direction the prop creates force when spinning. It makes me feel better that the force of the entire hole shot is directed up the shaft and makes the boat move forward. So my little hammering is really pretty insignificant compared to that.

Having said that, I get anxious hammering on anything in my boat, too. But at least thinking about it that way softens the anxiety a little.

[Infinity]

Nettle Prop in Austin, TX as does a great job re-furbishing. They did one for me in the spring and it came out perfect. Been in business a very long time and also have good prices on ACME props

[blueroom]

I am looking to send in a prop that looks good visually, to get pitch and balance checked. It is interesting that PropMD has the Hale MRI system. I read about this a couple of years ago - uses a custom computer system to check a bazillion points across the prop. It was developed by a physicist with experience designing medical MRI machines.

[swatguy]

Nettle has treated me right , I believe we’re a forum sponsor at one point , and they do great work.


Super fast fast turn around and reasonable prices. Always top notch customer service from them