Van's Air Force
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RV-12 Prop Pitch Tool
- Thread starter JBPILOT
- Start date
MartySantic
Well Known Member
Fabricated John's design today. With the digital level this fixture is repeatable down to 0.05 to 0.1 degree. A very good design!!
Works MUCH, MUCH better than the plastic prop protractor that many are using.
I checked my prop, blade to blade and was SURPRISED! Will be making an adjustment.
Took me about 4 hours to fabricate the tool. One suggestion, before riveting the two end pieces, ensure you fit the tool to the blade and ensure both end pieces contact the blade at about the same point. You will find there is an offset due to the twist in the blade.
And when making a measurement, ensure the blade tip is the same distance from the hangar floor after you rotate it. And of course, the tool has to positioned at the same spot. Use the stripe on the blade as your reference.
A very GOOD idea!
Works MUCH, MUCH better than the plastic prop protractor that many are using.
I checked my prop, blade to blade and was SURPRISED! Will be making an adjustment.
Took me about 4 hours to fabricate the tool. One suggestion, before riveting the two end pieces, ensure you fit the tool to the blade and ensure both end pieces contact the blade at about the same point. You will find there is an offset due to the twist in the blade.
And when making a measurement, ensure the blade tip is the same distance from the hangar floor after you rotate it. And of course, the tool has to positioned at the same spot. Use the stripe on the blade as your reference.
A very GOOD idea!
Last edited:
Prop protractor
I think it was Wayne from Dayton who posted about marking the floor where a laser light hits. I made a bracket to hold a laser-level on the forward side of the prop. The bracket is made of acrylic so as not to scratch the prop. The bracket touches the prop at 3 points. It must be positioned exactly the same distance from the end of the prop each time. The level comes with a built in magnet. I put another magnet into a hole in the acrylic to attract the level. And I glued a couple of cleats onto the bracket to keep the laser-level in position with no play. The prop must be level while checking the pitch. A 1/16" difference on the floor equates to about 0.08 degree. If you can get it that close, you are doing well.
Joe
I think it was Wayne from Dayton who posted about marking the floor where a laser light hits. I made a bracket to hold a laser-level on the forward side of the prop. The bracket is made of acrylic so as not to scratch the prop. The bracket touches the prop at 3 points. It must be positioned exactly the same distance from the end of the prop each time. The level comes with a built in magnet. I put another magnet into a hole in the acrylic to attract the level. And I glued a couple of cleats onto the bracket to keep the laser-level in position with no play. The prop must be level while checking the pitch. A 1/16" difference on the floor equates to about 0.08 degree. If you can get it that close, you are doing well.
Joe
