APC props worth it?

[buzzbomb]

I fly mostly Raycorp props because I can get them bulk on Amazon for about a buck a piece. Some I can find even cheaper. That's good for me, because I break a LOT of props! I've purchased so many cheap props, that I literally have a box full of the "R"s. I burn through some propellers!

Then I wanted some 9x6's and couldn't find them on Amazon. So I went back to FliteTest and bought some 9x6 APCs at THREE dollars plus a prop. More than triple the cost! What did I get for that money besides the size prop that I wanted? Take a look:



That's a Raycorp 8x6 next to an APC 9x6. The difference is both dramatic and striking. The FEEL between the two is just as striking as the image. The APC is thick, solid and has just a little bit of flex. The Raycorp prop seems flimsy in comparison. The thickness of the hub? The depth and design of the airfoil?

The Raycorp prop is for drones. The APC is for electric airplanes. It shows. I haven't put the APC through a crash test yet. That's just a matter of time. I've got to tell you, though. I keep reading on this forum over and over that APC is the King of electric props. Three dollars a prop! Is it worth it? I haven't flown them yet, but I'm seriously thinking "Yes." "Yes it is."

 

[Paracodespoder]

I think it is, I have had high speed nose in crashes with some of these and they didn’t break. They aren’t unbreakable, but they’re better than any other prop I have tried.
Also haven’t had the need to balance any of the ones I have bought.

 

[basslord1124]

Highly recommended here. Although I'm going through a period now of trying out cheapo props. But APC to me is one of the best.

 

[L Edge]

As I have mentioned before, props make a big difference in the ability to have the plane perform. APC is always on the front in what is happening in RC and the one big factor is they provide wind tunnel data for your evaluation. You can even call them and discuss your problem. Go to the site and you can gleen the info that you need.
If you are into speed(racing), small difference into design mean the difference of winning or losing. How about from prop to prop(yours broke), it gives the closest to being the orginal.

I have been using APC for many, many moons in sport, racing, 3D,scale,large birds and always compare(got a bushel full of props at home including other brands) for performance and rate them highly.

 

[Mad_Mechanic]

I use APC props almost exclusively because it means I'm supporting a local business. There shop is literally 3 miles away from where I work in Woodland, CA.

Beyond that, I also have some of those cheap orange props like what you show in the picture but I bought them under another name from another online hobby shop and what I notice is that the orange props just don't survive any landing. APC props on the other hand seem to survive much better in my experience.

 

[Mad_Mechanic]

Something else worth mentioning that you get for your money with APC props: prop-hub bushings.

When I got my shipment of those cheap orange props I discovered I would have to drill/ream each hub by hand to get them to fit my motor.

With APC props you get a set of hub rings that adapt the prop hub to any common motor drive shaft or prop adapter.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

APC APC APC, I cannot support APC enough. I did use other props and like others I have a box load of cheapo props that I won't use anymore. I was of the same ideal where a more flexible bendy prop would be able to withstand crashes, so not the case. I have crashed with the cheap props and they do flex but also have hidden dangers, like, after a crash the prop looks fine, I check my CRAP, and do a quick run up with some throttle, all of a sudden there is a wild shake from the front of the plane, cut the throttle and notice where there was once two blades there is now only one. The other must have had a weak point and flew off mid run up. FLEW OFF MID RUN UP! Where did it go, no idea, didn't see it happen. Could have been in the side of my head or buried in my eyeball. This has happened to me a few times. With APC when the prop breaks, it breaks right off.

Even though the cheap props are cheaper, you end up spending more money and time replacing them. Their performance is inconsistent, a more flexible prop does just that, it flexes, and twists itself straight. Meaning at higher RPM it loses some of it's ability to drive the plane forward, taking away your fighting chance in the sky. Or under heavy loads like vertical where you carry weight and drag, under a heavy power increase like trying to recover from a botched maneuver and avoid a crash, they flex, creating inconsistencies in recovery causing more crashes.

If you do a run up with both cheap props and APC you will see the difference right in front of you. Install a cheap prop on your plane and look at it from the side, (might want to wear eye protection), and do a run up. you will see as the RPM increases the prop will lose its pitch and flatten out and flex forward against the pull. Now put on a APC and do the same test. The difference is right before your eyes. Make sure the cheap prop you use is a new one.

Like you said just looking at the props on the bench you can see the efficiency comparison as well. The APC prop has a variable pitch from root to tip. the steeper pitch at the root where the speed of the blade is slower and less pitch at the tip where the blade travels faster, effectively making the thrust even down the span of the blade. The cheap props have the same pitch root to tip causing the inside half of the span useless, add to this the twist that straightens out under rpm and you now don't have a prop anymore, you might as well bolt pop sticks to your motor.

People talk about "this size of prop doesn't work, I am going to prop up... etc" yet using the same dime store props that have the same defective characteristics. A lot of the time its the brand of prop they use. Example when @sundown57 used a 8x6 prop on the 150% MSBP, it was still a cheap prop and probably flexed out even under full throttle and would barely pull the plane, said he put it on the Bloody Wonder and had the same result. Then he wanted to put a 10" prop on to get the plane to perform. An 8x6 in an APC or even a Master airscrew would have made a world of difference.

Actually using APC may icrease your chances of not crashing for these reasons and probably many others. And all this I just typed, (probably the longest post I have made to date, and I have over 700 posts on this forum) is all based on my experience, school of hard knocks, lots of crashes, lots of planes, and tons of props.

@buzzbomb, have you put the APC on the Spit and flown it yet? Get that prop on their and fly the fricken thing already. Quit messin around with the garbage stuff i wouldn't put on a wall hanger and fly the hell out of that Spit... wear a diaper cuz you will mess yourself as well lol!

My two cents

 

[BS projects inc.]

There really is an argument for both. There is no doubt that APC props perform better but whether they are worth the money is debatable. Personally I don't see how you can break 3 regular props for 1 APC prop. I use regular props for most of my builds because I am at the stage of flight experience where I trust myself not to break a prop every flight. You also have to consider where the majority of thrust is being generated from on a prop. Regular props produce more thrust near the tips of the prop while APC props produce more thrust towards the mid to center range. What does this mean? Basically it means you need to consider the type of plane you are flying. War-birds are great planes to but an APC prop on because of the relatively narrow fuse-lodge. On the other hand however, putting an APC prop on your bushwhacker isn't going to help you out a whole lot more. So basically it depends on air frame and skill level.

 

[Duck]

My own data point, on my bloody wonder I have ripped the entire motor/firewall off multiple times in a landing where the APC 9x6 prop caught the ground. The prop was fine. You might say, I would rather break the prop but in those cases there was actually just wear/tear on the power pod or I installed the motor without that X brace forgetting the screws rip out fairly easily. Repairs are just hot glue and more tape. I am definitely ~3:1 on breaking other props versus APC. They also make a much more complete range of sizes and pitches. Usually if I have a specific size in mind, I can always find an APC prop in that size which is the biggest deciding factor.

I also have a whole pile of $0.30 10x4.5 props I bought in bulk off Amazon for my Bushwacker. They work just fine and provide plenty of thrust. If I happen to nose in, I know the prop will break but at 10:1 cost you can't complain given they function otherwise. I know though that if I wanted to increase the RPMs (which I don't), the APC prop will just perform better as the other one rips itself to shreds (hopefully away from my face).

 

[BATTLEAXE]

I am of the type of pilot who breaks props, or used to on a regular basis due to crashing and lack of experience. This has changed dramatically because my skill level has notched up considerably, not because of the prop but from flight time. I still crash because I constantly push my limits, I don't just fly around in lazy circles and call it a day. In the past month i have crashed probably over a dozen times due to LOS or the stupid mistakes i make. All this has happened on the same prop on a myriad of different planes from warbirds to biplanes.

I find that APC has the widest range of uses and if you are used to the chep props the APC will be a noticable and welcome difference on many levels.

As far as cost goes, I have flown on props that are $0.15 for two props on my Minis (a deal at the FT Store site) to the APC (which living in Canada are closer to $5.00 CAN), I would rather pay for the APC then fly on cheap props. But thats just me. Compare for yourself and choose what you prefer.

When I started out I used the APC and was disappointed in the fact that i spent $5.00 and it broke on the first flight out. So using cheaper props was the option. But after using APC in times since i have learned to be able to tell the difference and for someone who has just been flying for the summer... it is seroiusly noticable.

 

[The Hangar]

I fly mostly Raycorp props because I can get them bulk on Amazon for about a buck a piece. Some I can find even cheaper. That's good for me, because I break a LOT of props! I've purchased so many cheap props, that I literally have a box full of the "R"s. I burn through some propellers!

Then I wanted some 9x6's and couldn't find them on Amazon. So I went back to FliteTest and bought some 9x6 APCs at THREE dollars plus a prop. More than triple the cost! What did I get for that money besides the size prop that I wanted? Take a look:

View attachment 142339

That's a Raycorp 8x6 next to an APC 9x6. The difference is both dramatic and striking. The FEEL between the two is just as striking as the image. The APC is thick, solid and has just a little bit of flex. The Raycorp prop seems flimsy in comparison. The thickness of the hub? The depth and design of the airfoil?

The Raycorp prop is for drones. The APC is for electric airplanes. It shows. I haven't put the APC through a crash test yet. That's just a matter of time. I've got to tell you, though. I keep reading on this forum over and over that APC is the King of electric props. Three dollars a prop! Is it worth it? I haven't flown them yet, but I'm seriously thinking "Yes." "Yes it is."

When you’re a beginner you’re going to crash just about every flight and your prop will break whether it’s APC or the cheapest of the cheap props. There will be a time when the whole flying thing will click and then you’ll be able to fly decent and not crash every flight. This is the stage where you should start considering APC props. Personally I use an APC prop in my f-22 cause you can literally not break a prop in that configuration unless you’re landing on a hard surface. If you break your prop, that means you had a TERRIBLE crash and you’re going to have to rebuild the plane first. I have broken several HQ props in some brutal crashes but never an APC. In my other planes I’ve stuck with the HQ 9x5 speed props because I got them for a good price and they are more durable than the slowfly props. I can easily keep just about any plane in the air without crashing, but I really like to push my limits and fly crazy. That is he point where the cheap props come in handy. I’ll fly my edge 540 off of a gemfan 10 inch prop and it won’t break on landing, but if I have a bad crash (cause I’m terrible a 3D) it’ll break just the same as an APC. So that’s just my thoughts on this whole prop business. Buy APC for applications that you don’t have bad crashes with, but if you’re a beginner and crash all the time, don’t waste you $ on expensive props that will break just as easily as a one 1/3 the price in an epic nose dive!

 

[BATTLEAXE]

When you’re a beginner you’re going to crash just about every flight and your prop will break whether it’s APC or the cheapest of the cheap props. There will be a time when the whole flying thing will click and then you’ll be able to fly decent and not crash every flight. This is the stage where you should start considering APC props. Personally I use an APC prop in my f-22 cause you can literally not break a prop in that configuration unless you’re landing on a hard surface. If you break your prop, that means you had a TERRIBLE crash and you’re going to have to rebuild the plane first. I have broken several HQ props in some brutal crashes but never an APC. In my other planes I’ve stuck with the HQ 9x5 speed props because I got them for a good price and they are more durable than the slowfly props. I can easily keep just about any plane in the air without crashing, but I really like to push my limits and fly crazy. That is he point where the cheap props come in handy. I’ll fly my edge 540 off of a gemfan 10 inch prop and it won’t break on landing, but if I have a bad crash (cause I’m terrible a 3D) it’ll break just the same as an APC. So that’s just my thoughts on this whole prop business. Buy APC for applications that you don’t have bad crashes with, but if you’re a beginner and crash all the time, don’t waste you $ on expensive props that will break just as easily as a one 1/3 the price in an epic nose dive!

I second that motion

 

[The Hangar]

I actually maidened my sparrow off a gemfan prop because it was the only 5 inch prop I had at the moment. Upon landing it tip stalled and plopped down pretty hard but no cartwheels or anything. Well, broken prop. The prop literally extends 1/2 a centimeter past te tail skid. I think these gemfans I got are about the worst props I’ve gotten. The 10 inch ones are pretty decent but these 5 and 6 inch ones are complete garbage. The only reason I’d use them is if I was flying my very first time and then I mean, you’re going to break them whatever prop you choose.

 

[The Hangar]

Here are pics

 

[buzzbomb]

@buzzbomb, have you put the APC on the Spit and flown it yet?

Not yet. I haven't been able to fly in a while.

 

[JennyC6]

The main reason I don't use APC props is they don't offer multi-blade. I fly MAS props instead. Love love love my 3-blade props! Just prefer the way they look on most planes.

APC props are widely regarded as the best performing props you can buy for your RC airplane. But if scale looks also matter...they do to me...APC props don't rank very highly at all. I want durability, good performance, and scale looks. So I tend to use Master Airscrew or Top Flite props.

When you’re a beginner you’re going to crash just about every flight

I'm about 20 or 25 flights into my time as a model pilot and I've only crashed thrice. Not every beginner eats %$*# every time they take off.