Prop clear lacquer

[Russ]

Ok, month or 2 back I prepped, and re painted my wooden prop with wattle Airosol polyurethane clear lacquer, came up great.

 

But......got caught in some drizzle rubbish the other day, and the paint got a workout, so......any good reports of other paints, or just redo with same wattle product.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Is that 'aerosol' - as in a spray can? (Not trying to be smart - just wouldn't expect much from a pre-mixed spray can if so, they are mostly solvent with low solids content).

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

I'Ve always used the satin finish floor paint by Wattle in the spray cans...always done well for me.......Maj......

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Russ, do you use leading edge tape on your prop? I used to get mine from Bolly's, but they stopped this line and I was told to cut new ones from the stuff they sell for sticking on cars to avoid stone-chips. This works ok, but making them is quite a job as they have to be the same weight each side.

 

... Bruce

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Bruce,

 

I did until recently when I threw a piece off of my three blades 12 nm out of my destination Chinchilla on the way to Natfly. I have used the clear 3M stuff to that point without problems until then, and have always kept the length of the tape as short as possible.

 

The resulting sudden vibration was not excessive but as you don't know really what it is until you land, it did put me into emerg mode until I was safely over the airport.

 

I may use it again in the future ....not sure yet. I have also been coating the LE of my blades with a high solids two-pack urethane paint which also seems to do a good job of resisting the abrasive effects of the odd light rain shower, and of course quite easy to touch up when required...............Cheers, Maj....

 

 

[Bruce Tuncks]

Hi Maj, there is 7,000 g's acting at the tip of a Jabiru prop, so yes I can understand a bit of tape coming off.

 

I've got an older prop where the rubber LE is just butt-jointed to the planed-off glass covered wooden bit. Without the tape, the air could get under the glass cloth at the joint and peel it off. I actually was there when this happened at Gawler. There was a thumpy bang, then I heard the engine shut down. The pilot handled it real well but he was later accused of taking off after a prop strike when the real reason was the lack of a LE tape.

 

...Bruce

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Yes Bruce, they do the job when attached but not fun when they decide to fly off on their own !........the tape I use is supposably for the LE on Robinson helicopter tail rotors, but you don't see it on them much....wonder why ?.........Maj....

 

 

[Downunder]

For what it's worth, Warp drive have tape for their props. Comes with a little roller to stick it properly and get the air bubbles out.

 

Be careful with the different types of clear laquer. Some won't stick to others when re-coating or touching up.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Downunder, you should always 'rough up' a previous gloss finish before apply another coat over the top. Even deglossing with a clean scourer will provide necessary grip or 'tooth' for the new coat..............Maj....