I'm reading your posts (for years) and being a yankee I don't get to play around with props like you guys can from buddies who own different kinds. Not many mud motors around Chicago, let alone modded ones. I know what the diameter and pitch of a prop do, but what does working more cup, thinning the blade and polishing do? Anything else that gets done to a prop for performance?

Cupping the prop allows the prop to hold more water or mud and give it more pushing power and holeshot. Sharpened blades allow for better holeshot and top end because of less resistance when cutting through the water. Polishing a prop increases holeshot due to less resistance, whereas a satin finish is better for top end due to the air bubbles it creates when turning. Baggy in Houma has good info if you ever need more than that. 985-868-0103 is his number

Looking forward to a lot more info here. Great question.

We've repaired a couple props by welding up diameter, grinding them back to shape and thinning the blades. How do you guys retemper the blades so they won't wear out faster than the original? Seems like the heat in working the blades softens the metal, and allows them to wear. We heated the blades and quenched them in oil trying to retemper them, but it doesn't seem to help.

What temp did you heat the blades to and what alloy are they? Both of those facts seem relevant if you're trying to harden steel.

#CFFITR
#TheGhostBoat
#whoneedsphysicsihaveamudmotor

Alloy of props we assume is a low nickel stainless steel, after shaping blades we heated them to red hot, questionable on temp, then dropped them in a bucket of used motor oil. Did this with home made knife blades and it seem to help with hardness, helped hold an edge better. Thought it might work with prop blades.??

Not inaccurate, but the temp matters. Red hot can be a wide range, and depends on the alloy, and if the oil is room temp, it can cause cracking you may or may not see. Haven't you watched forged in fire? Lmao

#CFFITR
#TheGhostBoat
#whoneedsphysicsihaveamudmotor

Never watched forged in fire, may have to look it up. Blades on the props we done never cracked, just seem to wear with moderate use. Hope everyone having their props worked are having better luck.

Too hot, then quenching can make the metal brittle. Quenching in oil that's too cool can cause cracks (cooling too fast). Not hot enough, it wont harden. And no, not taking that knowledge from forged in fire, but they do talk about it every episode it seems lol.

#CFFITR
#TheGhostBoat
#whoneedsphysicsihaveamudmotor

Old school blacksmithing doesn't work with some of the new alloys in these props. Worth a try though. LOL.

I just bring my props to baggy lol