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Propeller pitch

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icrashrc

Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 247
Location: Mishawaka, In

Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: Propeller pitch

Getting the pitch set exactly the same on all prop blades is very important. Here's how Paul and I did it.



http://ill-eagleaviation.com/prop_laser.htm

_________________
Scott

www.ill-EagleAviation.com

do not archive

Jean Pillaudin

Joined: 30 Oct 2008
Posts: 26
Location: France

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 1:54 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

Hi Scott,



Very good idea you have!



Be carefull to not turn your laser in his support between two blade, because the optic axe of the laser is not the axe of this small tube. If you take care of that you'll have a very precise method.

 

I use this kind of laser stuff to collimate my newton telescope (To align properly the primary mirror with the secondary) and I have to firmly fix the tube in the support to avoid any kind of alignment error.



Thank's for sharing this with us !

 

Good construction.



Jean



2008/12/22 icrashrc <icrashrc(at)aol.com (icrashrc(at)aol.com)>

[quote] --> Kolb-List message posted by: "icrashrc" <icrashrc(at)aol.com (icrashrc(at)aol.com)>

 

 Getting the pitch set exactly the same on all prop blades is very important. Here's how Paul and I did it.

 

 http://ill-eagleaviation.com/prop_laser.htm

 

 --------

 Scott

 

 www.ill-EagleAviation.com

 

 do not archive

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 [url=http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 20484#220484]http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 20484#220484[/url]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 [b]

icrashrc

Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 247
Location: Mishawaka, In

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:01 am Post subject: Re: Propeller pitch

The laser is fixed. It can"t rotate in the mount. Other wise yes, there could [would] be issues with the optical center of the laser.

_________________
Scott

www.ill-EagleAviation.com

do not archive

John Hauck

Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 4639
Location: Titus, Alabama (hauck's holler)

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 6:12 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

 	  Quote: 	
		   Getting the pitch set exactly the same on all prop blades is very 

 important. Here's how Paul and I did it.

 > --------
	


 	  Quote: 	
		   Scott


	




Hi Scott:



Looks like a good idea.



I have always set pitch on my Warp Drives with their protractor.  However, 

there is always a little bit of chance to not get each of the three blades 

set exactly alike.  It does make a lot of difference if all three blades are 

set identically.



I'd like to have a set up like that, something you could hang on the blade, 

after leveling of course, and be able to set all three blades the same 

without fear of not having the laser pointer in the same position.



john h - 22F, up from 21F when I got up a few minutes ago.

mkIII

_________________
John Hauck
MKIII/912ULS
hauck's holler
Titus, Alabama

robcannon

Joined: 22 Jun 2008
Posts: 39
Location: British Columbia

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:05 am Post subject: Re: Propeller pitch

I used a digital level. Not quite as cheap (except I borrowed mine), but is very simple, and accurate as well.  You can buy digital angle finders fairly inexpensively, and they would also work well.  To find the pitch there is no need to level the plane for and aft  (relatively level sideways is nice). Take a reading off the prop flange, then just subtract (or add) this from the reading you take off the blades. (clamp the level to the blades with a quick clamp)  To do quick, accurate adjustments you also need some way of getting the snug blades to move micro amounts.   A one by four ( piece of wood ) about 30 inches long, with your prop airfoil hole cut  in it works great.

   When setting up my hks four blade powerfin, I did so many prop changes, I got it down to about 3 minutes !

  cheers, Rob Cannon

NeilsenRM(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:01 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

Rob



I used to use the laser method on my Powerfin prop but I found that the 

factory method using the dowel pin and feeler gages worked more accurately 

and is quicker. Another benefit is that I can tweak the pitch in very small 

increments (much less than one degree). I also use a 2x4 with the blade 

cutout for moving the blades.



When you use a laser or even a digital protractor there are so many 

variables that can introduce uneven pitches between blades. I also had a 

fixture I would rest on the wing to hold the leading edge of the prop in the 

same exact rotation to reduce the inaccuracy between blades when using a 

laser.



Rick Neilsen

Redrive VW powered MKIIIC



---

icrashrc

Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 247
Location: Mishawaka, In

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:23 pm Post subject: Re: Propeller pitch

Rick,



I'm not sure where you were getting your inaccuracies from but our method was very repeatable. To within 1/32" of pitch over a distance of more than 5 feet. That works out under .03 degrees of variance. Things to keep in mind. The plane needs to be on blocks so that it is in the exact same position from one blade to the next. The laser needs to be in the exact same place on each blade. The only way i know of doing that is with a fixture. Hence the fiberglass fixture. And obviously each blade needs to be in the same position, rotation wise or it all falls apart rather quickly. Measuring up from the floor to a small mark on the glass fixture worked well for us.



I've not seen the Powerfin method but it may very well be better. I have seen the Warp protractor and was not impressed.

_________________
Scott

www.ill-EagleAviation.com

do not archive

icrashrc

Joined: 16 Mar 2006
Posts: 247
Location: Mishawaka, In

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:26 pm Post subject: Re: Propeller pitch

John,



If you want to borrow ours you're more than welcome. If you would rather have one of you own i can probably find the time to make one up. Email me direct and we'll figure something out.



 	  John Hauck wrote: 	
		   	  Quote: 	
		   Getting the pitch set exactly the same on all prop blades is very 

 important. Here's how Paul and I did it.

 > --------

	


 	  Quote: 	
		   Scott



	




Hi Scott:



Looks like a good idea.



I have always set pitch on my Warp Drives with their protractor.  However, 

there is always a little bit of chance to not get each of the three blades 

set exactly alike.  It does make a lot of difference if all three blades are 

set identically.



I'd like to have a set up like that, something you could hang on the blade, 

after leveling of course, and be able to set all three blades the same 

without fear of not having the laser pointer in the same position.



john h - 22F, up from 21F when I got up a few minutes ago.

mkIII

_________________
Scott

www.ill-EagleAviation.com

do not archive

slyck(at)frontiernet.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:29 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

I like your method.  For a quickie fixture how about covering the  

blade end with saran wrap,

bondo over that and bury an attach point for the laser in the  

bondo  ????

BB



On 23, Dec 2008, at 1:23 AM, icrashrc wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   



 Rick,



 I'm not sure where you were getting your inaccuracies from but our  

 method was very repeatable. To within 1/32" of pitch over a  

 distance of more than 5 feet. That works out under .03 degrees of  

 variance. Things to keep in mind. The plane needs to be on blocks  

 so that it is in the exact same position from one blade to the  

 next. The laser needs to be in the exact same place on each blade.  

 The only way i know of doing that is with a fixture. Hence the  

 fiberglass fixture. And obviously each blade needs to be in the  

 same position, rotation wise or it all falls apart rather quickly.  

 Measuring up from the floor to a small mark on the glass fixture  

 worked well for us.



 I've not seen the Powerfin method but it may very well be better. I  

 have seen the Warp protractor and was not impressed.



 --------

 Scott



 www.ill-EagleAviation.com



 do not archive





 Read this topic online here:



 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 20687#220687

aslsa.rng(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:55 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

Why not put small mirrors on the propeller blades and mount the laser on the wall. When the blade is in position and the pitch is correct, the reflected beam hits the same spot. Works just as well, little mirrors are still cheaper to buy than lasers, and no fixturing is required. 



Rick



On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 8:27 AM, robert bean <slyck(at)frontiernet.net (slyck(at)frontiernet.net)> wrote:

[quote] --> Kolb-List message posted by: robert bean <slyck(at)frontiernet.net (slyck(at)frontiernet.net)>

 

 I like your method.  For a quickie fixture how about covering the blade end with saran wrap,

 bondo over that and bury an attach point for the laser in the bondo  ????

 BB

 

 On 23, Dec 2008, at 1:23 AM, icrashrc wrote:

 

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

 

 Rick,

 

 I'm not sure where you were getting your inaccuracies from but our method was very repeatable. To within 1/32" of pitch over a distance of more than 5 feet. That works out under .03 degrees of variance. Things to keep in mind. The plane needs to be on blocks so that it is in the exact same position from one blade to the next. The laser needs to be in the exact same place on each blade. The only way i know of doing that is with a fixture. Hence the fiberglass fixture. And obviously each blade needs to be in the same position, rotation wise or it all falls apart rather quickly. Measuring up from the floor to a small mark on the glass fixture worked well for us.

  

 I've not seen the Powerfin method but it may very well be better. I have seen the Warp protractor and was not impressed.

 

 --------

 Scott

 

 www.ill-EagleAviation.com

 

 do not archive

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 [url=http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 20687#220687]http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 20687#220687[/url]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 	
 

 

 

 

 

 [b]

NeilsenRM(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:15 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

Scott



The inaccuracies can come from any movement of the airplane. This can be 

caused by wind or any touching of the airplane during and between blade 

adjustments. Also any variation in blade position and placement of the laser 

on the blade. I used to aim the laser at my flaps to eliminate the plane 

movement issue. I thought that this was more accurate than the factory 

method but the prop runs smoother now using the factory method.



Powerfin has a indexing hole which is drilled in the blade root at the 

factory for a dowel pin that we use to measure clearance in a adjustment 

window. A .020 change with feeler gages equates to 1 degree pitch change.



Rick Neilsen

Redrive VW powered MKIIIC

---

herbgh(at)nctc.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:56 am Post subject: Propeller pitch

He Powerfin method uses feeler gauges and a rod passed through a slot 

in the hub into a hole drilled through the prop. The feeler gauge is 

placed between the rod and the hub as I recall?  Herb



At 12:23 AM 12/23/2008, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



Rick,



I'm not sure where you were getting your inaccuracies from but our 

method was very repeatable. To within 1/32" of pitch over a distance 

of more than 5 feet. That works out under .03 degrees of variance. 

Things to keep in mind. The plane needs to be on blocks so that it 

is in the exact same position from one blade to the next. The laser 

needs to be in the exact same place on each blade. The only way i 

know of doing that is with a fixture. Hence the fiberglass fixture. 

And obviously each blade needs to be in the same position, rotation 

wise or it all falls apart rather quickly. Measuring up from the 

floor to a small mark on the glass fixture worked well for us.



I've not seen the Powerfin method but it may very well be better. I 

have seen the Warp protractor and was not impressed.



--------

Scott



www.ill-EagleAviation.com



do not archive





Read this topic online here:



http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p 20687#220687

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