cleaning the propeller

[bd32322]

how do you guys clean the prop?

I washed and waxed the plane and left the propeller out because I am not supposed to get water into the hub etc - McCauley calls for cleaning it with light oil... what is light oil?

I just rubbed a small amount of engine oil on it until it was all shiny

Bodi

[knute]

I just wash the prop blades along with the rest of the plane, but never spray a degreaser that would run down the blade into the hub.  If the blades are really gooped up with bugs, a spritz of Aircraft Simple Green on the wash mitt makes them go away, immediately followed by a rinse.  Unless you're using a pressure washer (bad idea!) then how different is this from having the plane on tie-down in a rain storm?  I always do a couple of laps around the pattern to dry everything off afterwards.

On the other hand, if the plane is in the hangar, I've had good success cleaning the bugs and smudges off of the wing leading edges and prop using either Ardex HydroGloss (ArtCraft paint put me onto this magical stuff) or WashWaxAll.  Spray on with a hand bottle, then wipe down with microfiber cloths that are available cheap from Costco.

Works well for me- hope that helps!

[bd32322]

yeah degreasers into the hub would be a bad idea - thanks for the tips. still dont know what they mean by light oil - i guess i'll continue to coat it with light amounts of engine oil

[richardheitzman]

I don't remember why they recommend to oil the prop other then to say that with the paint chips that happen it exposes bare metal aluminum so you end up with surface corrosion if you don't keep your prop painted. Just make sure your leading edges stay painted, have your A&P dress out any nicks and paint them and you should not have any issues.

[PTK]

I was looking to get a black prop paint from Spruce.  Will regular black paint in flat matte finish do the job or is prop paint special?  Also I have found that regular cleaning of the blades does the trick.

[OR75]

there is prop specific paint. 

I believe the prop is supposed to be painted at every annual.

[PTK]

My prop gets dressed at every annual becausei it can't keep any of its clothes on!!  But I don't think it ever got fully painted. Maybe it doesn't need to be.

[WardHolbrook]

Just ask the girl behind the counter if she has a quart of prop wash.

[tyrefoote]

I bought a can of prop paint (epoxy) and tried to touch up the worn edges but that was a mistake.  I then had a vibration and had to send it off to a prop shop for a balance and paint job it came back like new and no vibration.  That was my experience. Ty