5 x 3 propellers

I used a 3 bladed thick hub DAL on my TD020 that lost one blade mid-air and almost killed my plane...electric props are not always happy with the periodically repeating load from an internal combustion engine and may snap..for sport and recreational flying the COX props sold by COX Int'l and Ex-model engines are in my opinion and experience very good.

If you can find APC 5.7x3 props, they will, in my experience, yield the best results for general flying (not speed/racing) with a .049 COX. They are about the same price as the props from Cox International though.

Andras do you have a photo of that 3 bladed prop you used?

NEW222 wrote:DAL props are the cheapest alternative that have been used with success by myself and a couple others. The Bull nose props are the ones I use. These are designed for electric quad copiers and come in packages of 4, 2 cw and 2 ccw. Windsor Propeller also has propellers in the 5 and 6 inch range. The DAL props are mail order online, as are the ones from Cox International and EX Model Engines. If you have an lhs nearby, they may have the Windsor. Be careful with any other electric quad propellers though. The ones I mention are tough and flexible as well as have a thicker heavier center hub, and is why I tried them in the first place.

Thanks new222, looks like dal is all out of stock.

For Cox engines .049 / .050 / .051
The best 5x3 prop for mature use over the age of 12yrs. old in my operative opinion.  

APC 5x3E:
Strong enough at the hub
Rigid enough to sustain rpm
Improved rpm over stock - due to rigid tips
Thinner airfoil - improves rpm.
Higher thrust due to increased rpm.

2nd best thus far is the Cox 5x3 best for youth users
Anything else is too weak at the hub.

APC 5x3E


APC 6x3 is the best same reasons / bit beefy at the hub barely first due to thinner rigid tips.
Cox 6x3 is close second / best for youth users

1/2A Nut wrote:For Cox engines .049 / .050 / .051
The best 5x3 prop for mature use over the age of 12yrs. old in my operative opinion.  

APC 5x3E:
Strong enough at the hub
Rigid enough to sustain rpm
Improved rpm over stock - due to rigid tips
Thinner airfoil - improves rpm.
Higher thrust due to increased rpm.

2nd best thus far is the Cox 5x3 best for youth users
Anything else is too weak at the hub.

APC 5x3E


APC 6x3 is the best same reasons / bit beefy at the hub barely first due to thinner rigid tips.
Cox 6x3 is close second / best for youth users

thanks for that, gives me some options. will check out the 5x3e apc, I take it the 3E stands for electric.

1/2A Nut wrote:Andras do you have a photo of that 3 bladed prop you used?

Brad this is the one  - in counter clockwise version - that snapped mid-air. My TD020 swinged it well over 22k after the prop unloaded in flight.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Pairs-Dalprop-Cyclone-T3056C-PRO-3-Inch-3-Blade-Propeller-PC-ABS-Clover-Prop-T/183892390331?hash=item2ad0d731bb:g:90AAAOSwy5xdM1oE

I could land the plane but the 020 TD engine has thrown the remainder of the prop and revved up to who knows what rpm, I thought the engine will be killed, but I managed to rush there where it landed and stop it by pinching the fuel line...needless to say, the TD020 survived this ultra high loadless run too...

I have flown the TD .020 to 38k rpm with a lean speed plane.
Good to know thank you for sharing your field experience.

Any chance the prop blade was stressed on a previous landing?
With three blades one is always going to catch the ground on
landings.

Type material: PC+ABS, I have used Poly Carbonate but no issues thus far on my end.
Use: TD .010 and .020 would not use this material type on a .049.

I see they are making 7 x 5.6 3 bladed props out of the material.
T7056C propellers

Here are the ones I personally use, except in green which is currently out of stock. A few other colors are in stock. These hubs are very strong, and I believe 'beefier' that the 3 bladed. I too was intrigued by the three bladed ones, but knew there would not be enough room for a heavier prop to hub joint. I do not know what material the clear tinted ones are made of, but these ones I have flex very well. The only other thing I forgot to mention is that I have to use a piece of small fuel tubing in the prop hub to take up a bit of space, but again, no problems with them. Also, I too would be shy of running any of these on a .020 screaming at over 20,000 RPM. The fastest I have swung these on would be my Black Widow on 22% nitro, and I do not have a tach, but would be conservative and say 15-16,000 RPM. There is a thread here somewhere with some discussion. I thought there may have also been a post with video, but am not 100% sure on that one.

And, here is tthe thread. Note that Rene had contacted the manufacturer about the DAL props, and posts their reply to the inquiry.

https://www.coxengineforum.com/t11371-can-these-be-used-for-glow-power

So far the above examples are all good. I wouldn't run an E prop on an IC engine for the already noted reason... the hub can not withstand the sustained hammering of the crankshaft. And your eyes can't withstand the shrapnel from the resulting RUD.

My personal 1/2A favorites have always been the Windsor/Master Airscrew GF series 6x3, cut to your desired length. Or any of the APC 6" and under IC Sport props. They may need to be bushed onto the prop screw(1/2A fuel tube works well for bushing). And last but not least, the old bendy Cox Rubber Duckies. The Cox props WITH the half moon raised boss where the starter spring braces are historically the indestructible ones. The 1/2A combat guys use them, cut down from well into sub 4" lengths.

Some of them will not balance 360°, but at least horizontally balanced blades work fine for our baby engines.

Rusty

1/2A Nut wrote:I have flown the TD .020 to 38k rpm with a lean speed plane.
Good to know thank you for sharing your field experience.

Any chance the prop blade was stressed on a previous landing?
With three blades one is always going to catch the ground on
landings.

No, this was a brand new virgin prop that exploded in the air on its first flight..

Ahh interesting these are supposed to be very tough or may have been a dud.
Did you have any use prior with another prop out of the package?
It is possible to over tighten the prop and fracture a hub perhaps.
Was it just the blade that separated?
Was it cold out?

This is a race prop made to take continuous 3S / 4S 3,100kv motor up to 46,000 rpm
3x4 3 blade worth a shot with a TD .020
Produces up to 11.3 oz of thrust.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RotorX-RX3040T-Tri-Blade-Propellers-Props-for-RX122-Atom-RX155-Raiju-Quad-Black-/182267435313?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

It was lookwarm weather and the first one from the package. Probably the hub snapped first then the engine threw the whole remainder and screemed beyond 30k I guess with no prop left on it.

See my last post...

I have had Cox props fly off the engine, it can hack it when it happens.
What would be worse is the prop stays on and it still runs with a
out of balance condition.

Luckily the erratic run with the severed unbalanced prop was very brief the the engine threw it and ran at screeming rpm with no cooling. Still came out from the story unharmed.