Reboring and Rekeying a Prop

[mikogold]

I need to rebore and rekey a prop, my question is: Can I go to a regular machine shop or I need to go to a prop place?
regular machine shops are much cheaper off course and it doesn't seem like a very dificult job, am I wrong??

[model 10]

A "real" machine shop can do it. They know all about tapers etc. I had a new prop shaft made in Colon and they fit it to the prop to the shaft also. I'm not dissing Panama machine shops but it is an example of how a "real machine shop" knows how to do stuff wherever they might be..

[boden36]

Guy is correct - any good machine shop can do the job. It may well be worth getting a quote from a prop specialist as well, as their set up time should be less.

Regards,
Richard.

[Cheechako]

A prop shop should be set up to do it in a short time. There will be a lot of setup time for amachine shop that doesnt do it all the time. $ vs $?

[chris07732]

Why do you need to rebore prop? I have to think that the cost of the rebore is a significant % of the cost of a good used prop

[mikogold]

well, I came back to my boat after a year and found that my prop had only 1 and a half blades left. electrolisis....
so I order a used prop from proper pitch in Delawere, great price and very nice guy (Scott). My bad I did not measure the shaft correctly, and istead of 1'' 1/8 it is a metric 30mm
why the hell do I have a metric shaft on my boat??? anyway the taper and key are different.
what would happen if I make the groove for the key larger with a file???
I'm on a tight budget....

[model 10]

If you are a tight budget you can do almoat anything, They make guns on the street corner in Pakistan with hand tools

[bobconnie]

If ya don't have enough money to have a job like this done at a shop of some type, your closer to broke then on a tight buget!! LOL This type of job take a machinest! no matter where he works. This is not something you do with a file ! It's not a hard job, but it needs some knowlege of tapers and taper keying. If you can run the machines then your local high school or junior college will have the machines you will need ! Im lucky as theres a shop a stones throw up the bayou from us, and he let's me use his machines to do things of this type for myself. Get it done by a craftsman, and you wont have it rattle and tear up something when it comes unglued. just my 2 cents

[mikogold]

LOL
I was talking about the rekeying, the reboring ofcourse I will let to a pro.

[bobconnie]

Gee fella take from a 50 yr machinst, the keys is 90% of the job !! It's what holds all the power to the prop!! No way can ya do a really decent job with a hand file !! To pay a pro to bore it and then take the chance of messing it up trying to save few dollars seems like a penny wise and dollar foolish decision. Just my 2 cents

[mikogold]

ok, advice taken then, I'll suck iy and pay

[mlydon]

i enquired about having a prop rebored fro inch to inch and a quarter here in the northeast us by a prop shop (precision propellor in newburgh)

quote was $90

i thought that was a bit high, and asked why, was told they have to run very slowly due to the existing key.

in any case, that's what it costs around here

matt

[mikogold]

well I was just quoted 250!!!! today un ft lauderdale

[model 10]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Gee fella take from a 50 yr machinst, the keys is 90% of the job !! It's what holds all the power to the prop!! No way can ya do a really decent job with a hand file !! To pay a pro to bore it and then take the chance of messing it up trying to save few dollars seems like a penny wise and dollar foolish decision. Just my 2 cents

I thought it's the taper not the key... At least it's the taper on a tapered aircraft prop shaft.

[emcmia]

A prop shop such as Frank & Jimmies in FLL sells a tapered spacer specifically designed for SAE to metric conversions. No machining needed. I have two spare props originally sized for 1 1/8 that I have fitted to my 30mm shafts. In 2009, they were about $30 each. I'm sure other sizes are available.