Prop Battle! Be objective please !!

lockeed

lockeed

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jan 18, 2012
Messages
151
Location
Gaspe - Quebec
Display Name
John
Home Airfield
CYGP
I've been enjoying my 2010 RV-6A since May 2011 and I absolutely adore it in every aspects.

I have a O-360 // 180hp and a 70 X 82 Sterba wood prop that performs very well (pic). But I'd love to get a prop that match my paint scheme. So a white prop with blue and gold accents would be perfect.

I've seen a lot of debate going on on the internet as to the effectiveness of a 3 bladed prop vs 2, particularly on RV's... I'd like to know if things have changed since then and if there is a newcomer, or a manufacturer being considered the best of them all in terms of performance, and reliability.

Let me know what you guys think.

I don't mind either a 2 or 3 bladed prop, as long as it perform as good or better than mine and that I can paint or simply get it with the colors I need.

Thx!
biggrin.gif


15rhwzm.jpg
 
Why not just paint your current prop? Very doable, and you won't need to buy, fit, and paint another spinner to match the cutouts around the new prop's blades?
 
Can't comment on the props but that is a beautiful airplane!
 
Sterba props are like swinging a club compared to a Catto prop. Craig Catto can build you a 2 or 3 blade prop in any color you want. You will not be dissapointed, and you will improve your performance 10%. Guaranteed.

www.cattoprops.com/

Call Craig, tell him your performance numbers and he will tell you what his prop will do for your airplane. I have done this a couple of times. The performance improvement is dramatic.
 
Last edited:
Painting is very doable, and a whole lot cheaper than a new prop.
 
kyleb said:
Why not just paint your current prop? Very doable, and you won't need to buy, fit, and paint another spinner to match the cutouts around the new prop's blades?
Click to expand...

Tom-D said:
Painting is very doable, and a whole lot cheaper than a new prop.
Click to expand...

I tought about painting mine, but I'm afraid of how it will old up over time.

The main thing is, I'm afraid about balancing issues... I admit I might be too concerned about balancing though...?

I think a wooden prop has more give than a metal or composite one which is why it's effective, the downside is: how to prevent the paint from craking?

Everskyward said:
Can't comment on the props but that is a beautiful airplane!
Click to expand...

Thank you sir! :D
 
Geico266 said:
Sterba props are like swinging a club compared to a Catto prop. Craig Catto can build you a 2 or 3 blade prop in any color you want. You will not be dissapointed, and you will improve your performance 10%. Guaranteed.

www.cattoprops.com/

Call Craig, tell him your performance numbers and he will tell you what his prop will do for your airplane. I have done this a couple of times. The performance improvement is dramatic.
Click to expand...

Not sure Richard VanGrunsven - Founder and CEO of Van's would agree with you there. They tested just about anything on the market and what they found is that the next best thing to a CS prop, was still the wooden prop like the Sterba on most of the RV line. A wood prop can bend in such a way that, particularly at high speed, it almost has the same pulling effet as a CS prop you'd be adjusting on the fly. I know this has been discussed by some builders and long time flyer...

I'm not a prop expert in any way, but I find the Sterba extremely smooth and my plane meet Van's performance specs dead on, and then some.

The main thing which makes me doubt the Catto and Sensenich... Is the fact that a lot of guys at Van's personaly own RV's with wooden props... :dunno:
 
lockeed said:
the downside is: how to prevent the paint from cracking?
Click to expand...

use 400 grit wet and dry, wet and lightly sand the varnish on the prop, then use a Randolph paint. It will not crack, the paint will flex with the prop.

The disadvantage is you will not be able to inspect the prop as you can now.
 
lockeed said:
Thank you sir! :D
Click to expand...

Umm... she ain't no sir. ;)

But it is a pretty plane (and I ain't no ma'am)!

No opinions as far as fixed-pitch props go, I only know about constant-speed ones.
 
Why the OP thinks he needs to change a thing on that gorgeous airplane is beyond me. The wood prop is perfect, adds a nice bit of contrast. If he's too embarrassed to be seen in it, I'll happily fly it for him. Nice airplane.
 
lockeed said:
Not sure Richard VanGrunsven - Founder and CEO of Van's would agree with you there. They tested just about anything on the market and what they found is that the next best thing to a CS prop, was still the wooden prop like the Sterba on most of the RV line. A wood prop can bend in such a way that, particularly at high speed, it almost has the same pulling effet as a CS prop you'd be adjusting on the fly. I know this has been discussed by some builders and long time flyer...

I'm not a prop expert in any way, but I find the Sterba extremely smooth and my plane meet Van's performance specs dead on, and then some.

The main thing which makes me doubt the Catto and Sensenich... Is the fact that a lot of guys at Van's personaly own RV's with wooden props... :dunno:
Click to expand...

Van is no longer the CEO of Vans Aircraft. I believe he is still active with the company, but not as CEO. Now he only works 40 hours a week. ;)

Catto prop is a wooden prop. The proven performance increase over the Sterba is well known in the RV world, and in my experience having changed out Sterba props for Catto.

The smoothness you feel is due to balance of the engine and prop. A 2x4 can be made to feel smooth, but it is not an efficient air foil.

A prop is an airfoil. Look at the Catto and look at the Sterba. Call Craig Catto and give him your engine specs and current performance numbers. He can tell you want performance improvements you can expect with his superior airfoil, and at no charge! Consultations are free. ;)

Why not get the most out of your plane you can? Buy a Catto, sell the Sterba. Cheap performance mod.
 
Last edited:
steingar said:
Why the OP thinks he needs to change a thing on that gorgeous airplane is beyond me. The wood prop is perfect, adds a nice bit of contrast. If he's too embarrassed to be seen in it, I'll happily fly it for him. Nice airplane.
Click to expand...

Because he wants to change it? :dunno:
 
Tom-D said:
This is a case of don't fix what ain't broke. or DFWI.
Click to expand...

And if it were your plane, nobody would question you for doing so. Why do you question him for wanting to change something?
 
Ted DuPuis said:
And if it were your plane, nobody would question you for doing so. Why do you question him for wanting to change something?
Click to expand...

Because he came on a message board and asked for opinions. I gave him mine, which is worth precisely what he paid for it.
 
steingar said:
Because he came on a message board and asked for opinions. I gave him mine, which is worth precisely what he paid for it.
Click to expand...

I think he overpaid.
 
I said "objective" guys! Come on! Prop is a subjet that will always mess things up! Like religion! Or guns!!! :lol::lol:

Back on the issue, I'm very much open to painting mine. I think it perform extremely well and the plane is smooooth.... It would be a waist to sell it or pay for a brand new one...

But I was afraid of the results. From the answers I received since the begining of the week, from actual repair shops and prop guys (Catto included), you can definetly paint it and get a good and lasting result.

What I like about that is I don't have to mess with my spinner and other hardware :rolleyes:
 
Isn't the old mechanic's joke, "Pilots always buy paint?"

It looks and works great, as only wood can.

Why cover it with $2 of colored paint that makes it harder to inspect and makes the beautiful wood disappear?

Varnished wood looks better than paint, IMHO. Polished metal looks better than paint too, but it's a heck of a lot more work to keep it looking good.

My $0.02 anyway...
 
Like I said, I really think the aircraft looks great. If you really feel the need to fart around with it, you should just build another and give it to me 'cause I'm such a nice guy.
 
Oh I like wood to - don't get me wrong. But on this plane, I want it to match the scheme... I think it'll look better.

On a piper Cub or a Champion, I would leave it alone!

It's just a matter of finding the best paint possible, to make sure I don't have to redo it next year...
 
Painting a Sterba prop is like putting lipstick on a pig. :rofl:

When you get serious about performance give Craig Catto a call.

You could rebuild the fiberglass on the old spinner so you don't need a new one. No hardware to change out. Bulk heads do not need to be changed. A new spinner for a 6 is $110.
 
Last edited:
lockeed said:
I've been enjoying my 2010 RV-6A since May 2011 and I absolutely adore it in every aspects.

I have a O-360 // 180hp and a 70 X 82 Sterba wood prop that performs very well (pic). But I'd love to get a prop that match my paint scheme. So a white prop with blue and gold accents would be perfect.

I've seen a lot of debate going on on the internet as to the effectiveness of a 3 bladed prop vs 2, particularly on RV's... I'd like to know if things have changed since then and if there is a newcomer, or a manufacturer being considered the best of them all in terms of performance, and reliability.

Let me know what you guys think.

I don't mind either a 2 or 3 bladed prop, as long as it perform as good or better than mine and that I can paint or simply get it with the colors I need.

Thx!
biggrin.gif


15rhwzm.jpg
Click to expand...

Stunning airplane.:yesnod::yesnod::yesnod:

And timing the pic to get the yellow flowers in the grass was a good idea too.

Care to share some performance numbers you are seeing ?

Thanks.

Ben.
 
I like the wood prop. To me, if you built it, you'd want a wood prop as nakad as it is. It's a beautiful plane. The natural wood adds to it.
 
N801BH said:
Stunning airplane.:yesnod::yesnod::yesnod:

And timing the pic to get the yellow flowers in the grass was a good idea too.

Care to share some performance numbers you are seeing ?

Thanks.

Ben.
Click to expand...

Thx a lot Ben. :redface:

Again, Van's published performance numbers for the 180HP looks to be dead on in my case.

75% cruise = 190-200mph
I usualy do local flights at 2200rpm @ 3-4000ft = +/-175mph

Single, I often see 2000 to 2500FPM / Gross is anywhere between 1600-2000fpm

Very happy with that.

I often stay in ground effet till I hit 150-160mph then pull a 45' climb to patern altidude within 10 seconds - I always enjoy the pull of that O-360 at the front :)
 
lockeed said:
Thx a lot Ben. :redface:

Again, Van's published performance numbers for the 180HP looks to be dead on in my case.

75% cruise = 190-200mph
I usualy do local flights at 2200rpm @ 3-4000ft = +/-175mph

Single, I often see 2000 to 2500FPM / Gross is anywhere between 1600-2000fpm

Very happy with that.

I often stay in ground effet till I hit 150-160mph then pull a 45' climb to patern altidude within 10 seconds - I always enjoy the pull of that O-360 at the front :)
Click to expand...

Very nice. Gotta love RV's. :D
 
lockeed said:
I've been enjoying my 2010 RV-6A since May 2011 and I absolutely adore it in every aspects.

I have a O-360 // 180hp and a 70 X 82 Sterba wood prop that performs very well (pic). But I'd love to get a prop that match my paint scheme. So a white prop with blue and gold accents would be perfect.

I've seen a lot of debate going on on the internet as to the effectiveness of a 3 bladed prop vs 2, particularly on RV's... I'd like to know if things have changed since then and if there is a newcomer, or a manufacturer being considered the best of them all in terms of performance, and reliability.

Let me know what you guys think.

I don't mind either a 2 or 3 bladed prop, as long as it perform as good or better than mine and that I can paint or simply get it with the colors I need.

Thx!
biggrin.gif


15rhwzm.jpg
Click to expand...

Darned thing looks fast sitting there on the ground. That is a great looking airplane.
 
Geico and Ghery - Thanks for the kind words! :redface:

I tend to like it also... :yesnod: Picture rarelly do justice to a plane... mine is no different, that metal flake Blue is georgous under the sun.

ev9wz9.jpg


I'll tell you when I sell it !!

Cheers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top