Keith Berriman Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I often see members mention Balance Prop and Spinners when discussing engine proplems. I would be interested in how to Check & Balance spinners Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Depends on the spinner......if it has a hole through the "point" it can be balanced in two parts...the cone & the backplate using a balancer such as this.... (this is the balancer I have) I use small pieces of duct tape on the light side to add a balancing weight....stuck to the inside surface of course.... You'd be surprised how far out some ally spinners actually are..... For spinners without a central mounting hole (usually the moulded plastic type) then I don't see how you could balance the cone part....someone else may know... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuey Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I bought a Du-Bro balancer so I could balance spinners too. You can arrange it so the balance shaft hangs out to one side rather than being suspended in the middle. I found one of the Ali backed Irvine spinners needed some work to get right. Still runs out of true at the tip mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 Thanks for the responces If I was to drill a hole as best possible in the centre of a plastic spinner would this be a good starting point to get the balance shaft through ?? join the backplate and spinner together not sure about the screw fixings giving some off set Going into work shop now to try Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 Well "good enough" isn't really good enough if you get my meaning......unless you can get it absolutely dead centre then you simply won't be able to balance the spinner cone properly which kind of defeats the object really...... Why the desire to balance the spinner....do you have a specific vibration problem? Tell us a bit more.....I know the vast majority of modellers would never think of balancing a spinner.....its only pedants & people who don't get out enough like me who would balance their spinners.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I balance aluninium spinners by maching a little away on the heavy side using a grinding stone in a Dremel. I also lightly mark the backplate and spinner so I always put them together the same way then balance them as a pair. BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 I'm suprised that anyone finds it necassary to balance either a propeller or spinner, I've yet to find any that need such work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuey Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 You have been bloomin lucky then! My E-Flite Hurricane shed its exhausts (luckily found) due to a poor spinner/prop driver. I did do the prop but in the air it must have hit a sweet spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Berriman Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 I only asked as I always balance my props but still notice a bit of vibration at mid to high revs both on IC and Electric on various planes and I have a variation in the Hanger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hargreaves - Moderator Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 IC will always vibrate.....its the nature of the beast. You can't balance a single cylinder engine. Electric it should be possible to get just about zero vibration......is the motor mounting solid? We are guilty of putting very light firewalls in some electric models & these can allow some vibration. Obvious thing to try but does it vibrate without the spinner fitted? If it does then the spinner ain't the problem.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich too Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Never bothered balancing anything (apart from the airframe!) and never had any probs. Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 Posted by Dickster on 25/06/2013 11:47:54: Never bothered balancing anything (apart from the airframe!) and never had any probs. Rich Glad to find I'm not alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted June 25, 2013 Share Posted June 25, 2013 I tend to check any props I've had to ream, and any that don't feel right in operation.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.