Quieter Prop
Several years ago I read an article about a product called Dimpletape, which improved the airflow around struts, curved things in general, and made propellors more efficient. Lately I heard that some one was selling some sort of tape with a pinked edge, and putting it on the inside third of Ivoprops to make them more efficient. So I figured that if others could fool around with their props, I was overdue to fool around with mine.

Aircraft Spruce sells a genuine prop tape called Aeroshield 2604, it comes in rolls 2" wide and 36 yards long, and it ain't cheap. But it's good and it's thick. Here is what the tip of my Ivoprop now looks like. You are obviously looking at the upper surface, the lower surface has an unpinked edge that extends back about 1.5".

The pinked edges of the tape stop just before reaching the high point or thickest portion of the airfoil. Leading edge is on the bottom of the picture, you are looking toward the hub.

Here is where the tape stops at the hub.
I was hoping that the tape would improve the performance of the prop, but if it did, it is too little to measure.

However, it has made it quieter. I have talked to several people as to why this has happened, and the general concensus is that there is no general concensus. But it is a little quieter. Was it worth the money? Probably. The Ivo looks better protected than it ever did before, and if a quieter prop helps keep the neighbors quiet, then it was worth it.

PS: Anybody want to buy some good prop tape? I got lots left...

Failure - Update - Failure

The tape has started to come loose at the tips. Nothing catastrophic, but it has started to lift at the tips, top side.

It was not happy going around the tight angle at the tip leading edge. If there had been some way to crease it and have it keep the crease, it probably would have stayed ok, it was secure on the rest of the prop.

Went ahead and took it off, replaced it with Powerfin's black plastic urethane tape, which works very well and is reasonable priced.

Looks like I now have lots of Aeroshield 2604 tape to protect the leading edges of my wings...

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