Fixing a Bent Aluminum Prop

It is amazing what a little ding on a prop can do to a boat’s performance. Bigger dings are bigger problems. Gosh, those props turn so fast its pretty hard not mess up all of the blades when something gets in the way. Thankfully in this day of the Internet, when such a calamity happens all you have to do is get on the web and you’ll find good, easy-to-follow advice about how to fix nearly anything, including your dinged aluminum prop. We found an answer this week on eHow.com, and we’re passing along the fix to you.

Hey, dings happen! Here’s how to repair Dad’s prop before he finds out what’s up. (He’ll never know the difference.)

 How to Repair & Paint an Aluminum Propeller

Instructions:

Things You’ll Need:

•  Welding machine
• Aluminum welding wire
• Welding gloves
• Welding hood
• Grinder
• Marine paint

1. Remove the propeller from the boat and place it on a flat, sturdy surface. The damaged side should be facing up with easy access to it. If the edge needs welding, place the edge of that blade near the edge of the surface.

2. Put on the welding hood and gloves before welding. Make sure the welding wire is correctly being fed into the machine by checking it before use. Turn the welding machine on and begin welding. Start on the left of the damage and work to the right if you are right handed. Work the opposite direction if you are left handed.

3. Allow the weld to cool completely, which takes about 20 minutes. Once the metal is cool, use a grinder to carefully shape the weld to blend it with the shape of the propeller and smooth it out.

4. Sand the propeller with 120 grit sandpaper until the entire propeller is dull. Wipe it down with a tack cloth to remove any dust particles or fingerprints.

5. Spray three coats of aluminum oxide primer on the propeller. Wait 30 minutes for each coat to dry before applying the next. Allow 3 hours for the primer to dry completely.

6. Apply three to five coats of paint on the propeller, waiting at least 15 minutes between each coat. Wait a full day for all of the paint to dry before handling the propeller.