Source for brass propellors

[jjs1950]

Does anyone know of a 3rd party source for brass propellors? I would like to avoid using the britannia metal one that came with the Nantucket LV-112 kit that I am now building.

The ones I have found so far on line are all designed for RC boats and aren't shaped correctly

 

[paul ron]

perhaps you can 3d print what you need. but how about modifying an rc prop? i found this picture in a post here for a kit project...



see if you can modify something from amazon rc props?

https://www.amazon.com/Model-5-Blade-Propeller-Simulation-Accessory/dp/B0F1YG1JRC/ref=sr_1_23?adgrpid=1341406675608250&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3MyIppMa1xq6LHCTzUqWBn2un5KAWDUqcTX_sc8DWwRxw_G1iS9kE7mWpUzSN_6HVpXA91Gy52q991oCfn-ttG0L8byFVBHZAbXj24OUQwYaAdvMFvH910qaGM1bdisaE0eMx8KpeGl21fQAKsJISj8ay2IjdptHj1iu62ivPw0xmbBI5RmWv5VSaGozdP-0hhI6-LbcUvLisgHVdldXMae2r20IdWO23qxIqHqJr1vPtt_CXOECuNJPKCAhqcqXeJbyVOzWUlfhdlu9-1GU-RQ9bcF8xzdD9cbSgQvOwlw.zA5-DQKkVYBvTA-nIjZHmFap0ho7811Tx4c9nLukyo8&dib_tag=se&hvadid=83838192576252&hvbmt=bp&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=98347&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=p&hvtargid=kwd-83839046020108%3Aloc-190&hydadcr=26684_11663357&keywords=model+ship+propellers&mcid=9febaa0105db36249ecff7543cdeec64&msclkid=7bfe2c07833c1d12e0464426ecdaa96d&qid=1747022455&sr=8-23

 

[jjs1950]

Thanks for that great photo. Do you think that the photo shows that the prop is 5 bladed. The one included in the boxed kit from BlueJacket is a 4 blade.

I was thinking of 3D printing it, however I real wanted to look of real brass. I have never had any luck getting painting plastic with metallic paints to get a real authentic look of metal.

I did look and actually bought an RC propellor. Looked great but the problem with the RC props is that the boss caps all seem to be longer, not true to scale and the prop won't fit into the prop frame. It would be very difficult to reshape the cap without mangling the brass up.

I am considering same different metallic paints, i.e. AK interactive, https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/xtreme-metal-paints/ or Alclad metalic paints. AK makes two different versions of the paints. On of them is waxed based and can be buffed out. https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/true-metal-paints/

If I try the new paints I will repost.

 

[jjs1950]

FYI: I think the RC props have longer boss caps than scale to improve hydrodynamics and performance.

 

[Roger Pellett]

If you look carefully at the photo you will see that the propeller has detachable blades. The little white spots around the circumference of the hub are bolt heads. This simplifies making it yourself as the hub can be turned independently from the blades which can be made from sheet brass.

This type of prop was probably more common than assumed as a blade could sometimes be changed without dry docking the vessel

These vessels were of course, seldom under weigh and propellers could be and were changed over a ship’s lifetime, the most common reason being vibration. Diesel powered vessels are sometimes prone to harmonic vibration from the reciprocations of the engine and the pulsing of the propeller blades. The elasticity of the after hull structure can also contribute. The simplest solution? Change the propeller.

Roger

 

[paul ron]

the picture was posted here by someone researching his build of your ship. it appears the original ship had a 5 blade prop. the amazon prop is a 5 blade as well. the center hub for your model can be molded using an epoxy putty on the rc prop. the epoxy putty can be sanded and shaped. it doesnt have to be brass, maybe paint it like weathered brass thats been in the water or even flat black.

btw my 10yro grand daughter has a 3d pen. i bought her some 3d plastics that looked like metal. i got her silver and gold at microcenter in their 3d printer dept. they looked very nice.

 

[jjs1950]

Thanks for the advice and information.