Where could I best start to look for an old 3 or 4 blade prop? The plan is to build a ceiling fan, so the prop can be worn, beat up etc.. and decommissioned for aviation use. Any leads on where to start asking?
Plenty of planes sitting about rotting..
Thanks!
I would start with https://www.aerotiques.co.uk/ if for no other reason than to support one of the legends of GA.
The airflow direction will not be optimal though (not sure how optimal blades are rotating I. What presumably will be the opposite direction)
Watch the weight also! You probably don’t want one of these falling off! Are you also getting a beefed up motor for the extra inertia?
You need to get one from the TPs with reverse thrust?
Have you ever picked up a three blade prop?
I have
WilliamF wrote:
Have you ever picked up a three blade prop?I have
This !
Ask a prop overhaul shop or any maintenance organisation. Particularly the former may well have a few lying around which came to them for overhaul and turned out to be out of specs. Mühlbauer should be able to help there and so should a few others.
Question is however how to drive it as a ventilator. I once tried that with a motor from a washing machine but it turns out that that one turns at much too high a speed. And you wanna be sure the thing stays up… the insurance case if someone gets turned into kebab by a runaway ceiling vent airplane prop would be about as appetizing as the contents of Idi Amin’s fridge.
On the other hand, now that with new regs regarding vintage engines quite some old airplane engines become unsupportable, a nice BMW engine out of a Swiss Junkers 52 might provide ample wind… but I feel sure that my wife would object if i were to install one of those in our bedroom. Apart, they make quite a rukus and your neighbour might have a word to say about the exhaust fumes.
For a ceiling fan, your best bet would be to make a mock-up out of hard styrofoam.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Question is however how to drive it as a ventilator
You need an ordinary ceiling fan motor IMO. They are designed for soft start, low rpm, and can handle “any” inertia.
You will need substantial bearings to support the weight, and a good ceiling attachment method 
The bearing will be a thrust bearing, perhaps taper roller.
