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Thank you in advance for your help in identifying this propeller. A friend found a 72 inch 2 blade laminated wooden propeller (end to end) with metal along the edge in the barn. Her husband passed away and they were cleaning out. Husband was a truck driver who picked this up on one of his trips. The propeller appears to have a strike. One blade with metal damage and cracked blade. The propeller is dirty where it has been in storage for awhile. I started to clean the propeller up but after reading some of the forum, thought I shouldn't. The propeller has 72LXL46 stamped in the hub area with AF0576 and AF0526 at the blade area. 6 hole pattern (hub about 8 inches across). Early inquiry said this was an airboat propeller with the X in the number. Any help in identifying the propeller manufacturer, age of the propeller and value would be helpful.
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Starting with the end of your questions, I can tell you that in my opinion it's practically worthless. Even in good condition, airboat props don't command much in price, and one that has been visibly damaged is practically not worth keeping.Dave -
suggestion
Hello from Seattle.
Dave is right, its really not worth anything because of what it is and its condition. All that being said, and this is just a suggestion. Being that you have nothing invested in it, and its not going to bring any kind of money that is of any high value, and that its already in such a condition that you cant go wrong with incorporating it into a great piece of kinetic sculpture.
If it were mine, I would get the right dimension bearing to fit the hub as a pressed fit on a simple shaft so that it can turn freely, and then with a bit of simple innovative mating of the right materials, I would make it into a very cool "wind mill" of sorts that would be on a fence or where ever you feel it would be a pleasure to watch it spin freely. You could even give it a coat of clear to seal it from water, and even mount some little LED lights on the tips so that you get a red circle at night as it spins in the wind. You have the luxury of having a piece that cant be wrecked anymore than it is, so in essence you have a great piece to experiment with as far as making into an art piece. Let your imagination run wild as this piece isnt a musuem collectable................cheshire grin!
Enclosed is a couple of shots of one of the windmills on my front porch, it a simple one made from a vintage water pump from the front of a engine that drove the fan with a belt, the piece its connected to, is the housing from the front of the engine that was a water passage. This particular hub is a type that was a sealed unit full of oil that could be filled by simple removal of the brass plug. The person I bought this from at a swap meet said it had been in a barn for over 70 years, and it looks it, but the oil resevoir had never been opened, and I will tell you, this thing spins freely in the slightest breeze. Total investment, $20.00
So there is some inspiration for you to possibly make your air boat prop into a windmill that is able to stand the elements as well with a new life to spin freely. Just a suggestion.
Sincerely,
Dennis Hicklin
Seattle WashingtonComment
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Love your rubber ducky Dennis. I have a small assemblage of them myself.
LamarComment
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recognition
You know lamar, I hadnt even noticed that the duck was in the picture, my front yard is a work in progress, my GF grows the giant sunflowers each summer in the old cessna bobcat fuselage we have in the front yard, see enclosed shots of what the hippy lifestyle looks like. Thanks for your recognition.
Sincerely,
Dennis Hicklin
Seattle WashingtonComment
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Love the eclecticism.
LamarComment
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Thanks everyone for the comments. I am in agreement. Since I posted the thread, I received information from Sensenich that the propeller was definitely an airboat propeller, manufactured in 2003. New it was approximately $450. They estimate value to be $75 or less. Evidently, it has seen some "rough" times in it's short life. The metal attachments were not factory standard so were added by the operator - probably in an effort to deflect the rough terrain they were operating in - to give the prop a longer life. LOL. My guess is that the operator pulled it for replacement and was planning to trash it. Truck driver came by who thought it was cool. The operator gave it to the truck driver. Thus how it ended up in a barn a few years later. I will pass on your comments and recommendations to the widow but will also add this would make a cool fireplace ornament for someone. Maybe even add a clock to the insert. Again, thanks everyone for jumping in to help. I've learned much about wooden propellers from the informative website and great forums. I really appreciate your help!Comment
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Forgot to add - thanks for the pictures - they are great!. Clever prop idea, beautiful sunflowers and cute rubber ducky! Love it!Comment
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