Cutting Kiwi Feathering Prop

Ken13559

Ken13559

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Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
Has anyone tried cutting/trimming the blades of KiwiProp to shorten it? I've damaged all 3 ends of the 16" blades and thinking of cutting the damaged portion away. Also shorter blades means I've scope to adjust the pitch. As it is now mine is set to lowest angle (18deg).
So I suppose hack saw and hand files can do the trick? I should try maintain same profile.
 
Sailor Sue

Sailor Sue

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Nov 12, 2009
270
J/ 32 NCYC, Western Lake Erie
I would think as well as cutting to the same profile you would probably want to keep the weight the same for all the blades.
 
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Ted

Ted

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Jan 26, 2005
1,272
C&C 110 Bay Shore, Long Island, NY
Bring your prop to a shop that repairs props and such. It's amazing what they can fix.
 
Ted

Ted

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Jan 26, 2005
1,272
C&C 110 Bay Shore, Long Island, NY
I just realized that you're in Singapore. My previous suggestion may not be an option for you.
 
fstbttms

fstbttms

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Feb 26, 2011
1,440
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
Ken13559 said:
Has anyone tried cutting/trimming the blades of KiwiProp to shorten it? I've damaged all 3 ends of the 16" blades and thinking of cutting the damaged portion away. Also shorter blades means I've scope to adjust the pitch. As it is now mine is set to lowest angle (18deg).
So I suppose hack saw and hand files can do the trick? I should try maintain same profile.
Click to expand
Jeezus- sounds like a great way to ruin a perfectly good prop. Maybe you should just buy some new blades. You know, considering that's why they designed them to be replaceable and all.
 
J

JohnShannon

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Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
Isn't each blade about USD $100 I would talk to Kiwi and see if they can set you up with the next smallest blade.
For those that don't know the blades are plastic (composite) and can be replaced individually
 
Ken13559

Ken13559

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Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
whatfiero said:
There should be prop shops or machine shop in Japan
Click to expand
People used to mistaken Singapore to be somewhere in China but this is first time I know Japan was mentioned :) :) :) LOL
If China gets its way and continue to claim all of South China Sea, Singapore could well be somewhere in China :) LOL
 
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Ken13559

Ken13559

.
Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
Yup I was toying between cutting it down to 15.5" D or buy 3 new blades of 15.5"D.
Heard new blades has modified profile . Don't know what improvement that makes.
 
whatfiero

whatfiero

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Oct 30, 2011
542
klidescope 30t norfolk
Wow need to work on my Geography checked map they are a long way apart kind a like me looking in south America for a local machine shop
 
seadaddler

seadaddler

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Dec 19, 2006
5,832
Hunter 36 Punta Gorda
Prop shop would be the best but maybe try grinding or sanding with heavy sander.
I did clean up a outboard prop with a heavy sander once and I do believe the blades are some kind of composite plastic.
Nick
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
getting the balance would be the hard part. Mod the worst (most removal of material) first and then use it as the template for the rest.
Good luck, I'm thinking you are going to need it.
Just curious, how did you damage the prop tips on a sail boat? Retractable keel? hit a floating object?
 
Ken13559

Ken13559

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Oct 29, 2005
2,362
Hunter Marine 326 303 Singapore
I might have hit a submerged log pretty hard. Each year end I motor up Straits of Malacca I bound to hit something. Even my bronze prop gets chip off as well.
 
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