> 
 >  Thanks for the reply Steve...  Any particular reason you use a wood
 >  prop?  I was told a wood prop is more of a headache then they are
 >  worth. With the plastic type they are less likely to break when you
 >  nose the plane on landings, etc...Is there an advantage to a wooden
 >  prop over a plastic?
 > 
Ken,
I prefer wood over plastic for that very reason.  Wood breaks more easily. 
Sure it may cost more in the long run but I think the added safety is worth 
it.  I also find the wood porps easier to balance and fine tune.  On any 
given engine I will match a wood prop I have set up to any other prop out 
there of the same size and pitch.  And my wood prop will deliver smoother 
operation and often more RPM than the others.  It's because I take great 
time and care in balancing my props.  I have yet to see one of the plastic 
props that can be fine tuned like a wood one.  And smoother operation means 
reduced wear on engine, radio and airframe parts.
Another thing is, many years ago we had a choice of nylon props.  Problem is
these props could develope hairline cracks in them that you couldn't see or 
detect.  Then suddenly, one day it would throw a blade.  If you were lucky 
it did it in the air and, if you were luckier still you were able to kill 
the engine before it shook itself out of its mounts.  If you were unlucky, 
you or someone close by ended up with a prop blade sticking out of some part
of their body.  An .049 of mine on the bench once threw a blade and about 2 
inches of it went into the leg of the girl next door.  I remember wanting to
meet her but not like that.  I don't know how the newer props are for 
hairline cracks and such but, as our model engines get bigger and bigger and
the props we swing get bigger and bigger, they begin to resemble full size 
aircraft more and more.  And if you look close, there's not a plastic prop 
in that bunch.  They're all wood and metal.
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