Folding prop balance

[Spike]

How do you guys balance a folding prop?

[fhhuber]

Tiny bits of paper or something to wedge the hinges and prevent folding. then put the backplate on a table and bring the blade tips to the table. At that point you can balance it like a normal prop.

[xviper]

For me, I weigh each blade (to one decimal point) and bring the light one to the same weight as the heavy one or sand the heavy one down to the same weight as the light one. (My preference is to add a piece of electrical tape to the back side (middle) of the light one.) Then assemble the back plate, yoke, spinner and nuts/bolts and balance that on a prop balancer. I use small blobs of hot glue on the interior rim of the back plate (or spinner) to balance. Once put together with the blades, it should be good. Folding props don't generally spin at high rpm but even the one from my Excalibur, I do this way and at full throttle, it's smooth.