Balsa Blade Propeller Mold V4.6 (August 2024)
Description
<b> Intro </b> Here is the v.4.6 of my OpenSCAD script for creating balsa-blade propeller molds. The new option (see photo) helps create left-handed propeller, in addition to normal/right-handed propeller. Same as the previous version, parameters like Pitch/Diameter, Centerline Location, Mold Thickness, etc. are adjustable in the OpenSCAD's customizer panel. Propeller blade angle is true helical. Wash-out angle could be added to increase efficiency. Flaring propeller is possible. Blade axis is straight. This is good for alignment. There are lots of other adjustment possibilities. Open up the .scad files in OpenSCAD and check them all out. <b> Usage </b> 0> Download and install OpenSCAD. Download PropBlade_Mold_xx.scad and Larrabee_Boor.scad files in your local folder. Open PropBlade_Mold_xx.scad in OpenSCAD. Select design parameters in OpenSCAD's Customizer panel based on your flight experience, or use default values as a good starting point. After render the model in OpenSCAD, generate a .stl file and bring it to your 3d printer. Print the mold with either PLA, PLA+, or your favorite filament. 1>Use the 3d-printed male mold (without flange) as a template, cut multiple blades out of 1/32" balsa sheet. 2>Wet these balsa blades thoroughly. 3>Put balsa blades into the female mold one by one with bathroom tissue under, in between, and above. Put the male mold on top of all. 4>Weigh the whole stack down with a book or something. Wait half hour or so and change tissue. 5>After changed tissue a few times, get rid of the tissue in between blades (leave the top and bottom ones), and wait for another few hours, or overnight. 6> Check again to make sure all blades are completely dry. 7> Prepare CF stems. Place a blade and then a stem into the same female mold. Put the male mold on top. Align the stem into the slot in the male mold. Through the open channel on the male mold, apply two or three drops of CA to hold the stem to the balsa blade (not to the mold!) After a few seconds, take the whole blade-stem assembly out and add a few more drops of CA to help secure the blade to the stem. Repeat for other blades. <i>Check out a build video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WBZlx42M5Y </i> The formed blade-stem assemblies then go through another process to build up a propeller. For that, I use another 3d printed gadget, Propeller Pitch Gauge. (A dual-directional Pitch Gauge is coming up soon.) Check it out at my design collection at https://www.thingiverse.com/aeromartin/designs Hope you <b>LIKE</b> it. Good luck with your precise propellers! -Martin
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