Propcrate

If you need or want additional protection when shipping a wooden propeller this reasonably light weight and very sturdy crate can be made with thin plywood and a few 2x4's. This particular crate was made to ship two propellers, the largest nearly 10 feet in length. The materials cost about $45 (2008). I epoxied the plywood together for strength, but that step could be eliminated.

Step 1 - Measure the propeller.
Lay the propeller on a flat surface and measure the highest point from that surface. Note on a curved prop like this the hub sits off the floor and the height is considerably greater than just the width of the blade. Measure the thickness of the hub using the same method. Measure the length from tip to tip.

Step 2 - Make a frame out of 2x2's (actually a 2x4 ripped in half, measures about 1.5x1.5). Note that one face will be about 3 inches wider than the width measurement you took above, to account for the 2x2's. In other words, the inside dimension of the frame should be the measured width and length of the propeller. This frame looks flimsy, but its strength is going to come from the plywood that is attached to it later.

Step 3 - Cut plywood to screw onto the frame. I had Home Depot two sheets of 1/4 inch luan plywood into 4 foot strips in the width I needed. For added strength I butt joined the panels then epoxied a small panel on top of the joints to make 10 foot long segments of plywood. I also reinforced the central point where the support post will go.

Step 4 - Cut a central post (It doesn't have to be round.), drill a small hole in the center and mark and drill the center of the top and bottom panels. This post will be screwed to the panels and will hold the center of the propeller in the center of the box.

Step 5 - Place the propeller on the post and secure it with foam or other padding to prevent it from moving. I use bubble wrap, scraps of foam, foam pipe insulation, cellophane tape or anything else I can find. The foam can be held in place using a hot glue gun. Here I've packed 2 propellers into one crate, for international shipment. The end panels have not been screwed in place yet, just to show the arrangement.

Step 6 - Screw the top panel on, beginning by centering the post screw into the post, then adding screws around the perimeter. Mark it as the top, with instructions to remove it first when unpacking.

Here is the finished crate, containing two very large propellers, and weighing about 120 pounds.