Blade pitch on Warp drive props

[MILO]

How do you check/change the pitch on the 3 blade warp drive?

[Stephan van Tonder]

Blade pitch is cehcked with a tool that has a setion that goes in the hub hole and then has a moveable Vernier with degree marking on the other side. The change it you undo the botls on the hub - turn the baldes to the new pitch you want to try and fasten to the correct torque the bolts again. Once you have flight tested it make sure the bolts are tight and wire lock them again.

[KFA]

Can Also use a protractor

[Morph]

Here is the method

http://www.warpdriveprops.com/protractor.html

Use a protractor as shown below

[Morph]

If you don't find one of those get one of these. there is a spirit level on the other side. The inner part rotates. Place the flat section against the flat part of the blade, rotate the inner part until the bubble is in the middle. Note this down. Then add or subtract the degrees you want to increase or decrease your pitch

[Low Level]

I have a very simple, yet effective way. Unfortunately doesn't like wind, but inside the hangar it works brilliantly. I have pitched three gyro's blades with this without any vibration.

Only downside is you have to have a start, cause it is tricky to set the blades to a specific degree at first, but if you just want to go finer, or coarser that litle bit, it is perfect.

I borrowed this from a friend, then made copies, pasted it on cardboard, cut it out, and voila. If interested, I can scan and e-mail it to you.

O yes, there is a little weight on the string to let it work like a plumb-line.

P1000797.JPG (70.5 KiB) Viewed 3177 times

[MILO]

Thanks Gents, seems relatively simple if you have the right tools, I enjoy the innovation. Props seem to be about balancing & pitch.
I have felt the effects of an unbalanced prop and trust me just a few grams + some rotational force makes things uncomfortable. That generates vibration, which is felt right through the plane & one is encouraged to do something about it.
Getting the pitch right on the prop seems to be about what works for you, what you want, what prop you have, altitude, weight etc.
However having slightly mismatched pitch on a 3 blade prop is more subtle, for me its about a noise thing, it appears more audible than felt, like one blade is working harder or less than the others. Considering the prop works on the same principle as a wing and is subject to lift, drag, vortex + more - getting the pitch (Angle of attack) right & the same on each blade makes a lot of sense.

Is fiddling with pitch a regulated thing? AP only? I leave maintenance to the boffins, I am just curious

[KFA]

Hi Milo, it could also be the tracking of the blades. It is possible on the warp that the bolts were not torqued evenly or in the wrong sequince(spelling??) and one blade is either more forward or behind the other two. You easily spot this by standing on the side of the prop and checking it with the motor running(stand far away.) in other words looking from the wing tip side towards the prop. Best is to check the pitch with the right tools and then retorque all the bolts.