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Open Pores in Composite Prop???

duckluv26

Well-known member
is it normal for there to be a few small open pores (diameter of a stick pin) in the finish of a composite prop???? i was adjusting mine and saw them. this is my first composite prop so i don't know what is normal and what is not. thanks for any input.......
 
i had several small pin holes in the shank of my blades and it never gave me a problem i had about 175 hours of use on them.
 
ok thanks guys. it seems normal then because my pinholes are also close to the hub on the leading edge. just checking.....
 
The pin holes are little air-bubbles.. where the epoxy stuck in the mold.. Nothing to worry about.. most all composites have them!
 
I'm given to understand that the difference in the composites and fiberglass is the cloth, not the resin. Assuming it's the same basic process, the pinholes are caused by one of a multitude of things like, inadiquaqte wax in the mould, too thin a gel coat, and too hot or too much catalist that causes heat and lets the styrene gas pool under the now soft gell coat. These are the precursors to what most airboaters call gators. Looks like gator skin.

It's nothing really serious but if you want to fix it its really simple. Assuming you havent waxed the prop. If you have, you have to wash out the pinhole with something that will remove any wax residue. After that you can try to clean out any foreign debree with a scribe or almost anything pointed. Dont try to dig to china just clean the surfaces inside the hole. Get yerself the following. Same colored gel coat, (tooling gel is best). Get some MEK-Peroxide, any color is fine but clear gives no clue to the mixture concentration when mixed. A popsicle stick, an artists paintbrush, and a roll of wide Scotch Tape.

Mix a little gell along with a drop of MEK in a small container, (follow mfrs instructions). Mix thoroughly. Take the artists brush and daub enough in the hole to fill it. Immediately cover with the Scotch Tape and let sit for a while. Clean up your mess with acitone. (Not on the prop) ! Acitone will clean the brush, your hands and whatever you mixed up the gell in. By now the gel should have reacted and set. When it has, peel off the tape and let it sit overnight. Then buff the surface til it all shines and is blended. If it isn't perfect, sometimes cursing will help, if that doesn't work sometimes you can violently kick the tires on the boat trailer, you can even insanely yell at the dog, but no kicking. He knows your FOS to begin with ! Failing that, have a beer and figure ya gave it a good shot. Now go run the boat and have another beer. OH, no BUI.........LOL

If my assumptions about the resin being the same are incorrect, and somebody can correct it please do so. Regardless, this kind of repair usually goes well with beer or for us nondrinkers, coffee. My above is generic to plastics repair.

Oh and to stop fiberglass itch when repairing/building.....go to the cheepest place around and get the cheepest cologne you can find and liberally wipe the itching area with it. It'll make it ease up for a while but nothing makes it go away but time. There ain't enough beer in the world to do that !

Scotty :D
 
White bear ---What about balancing the prop after you add all of that goop.(this auto be good)
As for the fiberglass dust ware long sleeves tape them shut-- when done remove clothes and take a ice cold shower -- the shock to the body closes the pores and washes off the dust.
 
Good thinking, my thoughts were that were talking pin holes and likely that won't change the balance of the prop, but it never hurts to check the balance at anytime, no matter how small a repair ya make.

I'd rather itch than take a cold shower ! But if your into torture go for it. Your likely rightt about the technique though, bet it does work, or at least helps !

Scotty
 
You are right --- the best way is to have someone else do the sanding.... while you have a cold one.
 
Plain old white vinegar is good for the itch, and easy on your skin .....

BF
 
Ron - Once again you reaffirm my statement. "Something is different about them northerns." (Please note - not Yankees - I reserve that for the people off the East Coast) But Ron once again, ya'll keep bring up that darn icey topic. Running on ice, snow, white water airboating when it is in the 30s, and now freezing ice cold showers.

I just figured out the difference. I am to much of a wuss to even think about doing those thing. I will just try beer to stop the itch.
 
Thank goodness that their are a lot of us that like the cold because their is not enough room in the south for us all to live their.-- and besides just think of the money we save not having to by ice for the beer coolers!
 
Ron

I'm likely one of the last or very few Floridians who loved Alaska. I love the cold and the snow. In fact winter in Alaska is playtime, all the tourists are in Florida ! LOL Further in winter the roads are smooth !

Scotty
 
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