Threeking carbon fiber props

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Peter Pan

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Can somebody say if there is a reason to not try these props besides the usual “response before consideration, only use DJI props”
I already know these props would add a minor increase to the mounts stress, but I am a photog and sport mode is used with slow smooth acceleration rates so high shock loads are not going to happen with me at controls.
I am actually curious to see if the leading edges and trailing edges are better that DJI props that tend to be irregular and even rough with casting flash.
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01...rd_wg=NZsla&psc=1&refRID=0N299BV3CDQW264AH6CV
 
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My only experience with CF props were half were out of balance. I switched back to DJI props as they are always in perfect balance.
Jim
WA5TEF.
 
Here are all of the reason's to use CF props:
1) Some people think they look cool.

Here are some reasons not to use them:
1)They are an additional expense.
2)They don't do anything that the original props don't do.
3)They are very likely to completely fail if nicked.

You can also search for much more info on this subject. It's been discussed many times.
 
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Great replies. It is hard to tell if the responses were general in nature or from direct experience with the exact part from this exact manufacturer. Best guess is “general”.
The one really great point I never thought about but can easily understand is that carbon fiber is susceptible to shatter when struck with a hard substance at high velocity. With that one point alone, it makes no difference who makes them.
Thanks for the replies.
 
Your in the right track, specific testimonials with respect to the actual product would be highly desirable. Hopefully people who have experience with the product may comment.

There are a few universal facts that might be of assistance- firstly no aftermarket offering will provide for greater speed or acceleration. These parameters are defined by the flight controller software that will simply negate any greater instantaneous or continuous thrust potential that might be offered.

Your comments with respect to motor mount loading are likely of little if any consequence for the reasons stated above. The real problem you may have is with harmonics generated by potential balance issues and the likelihood that stiffer props will offer less self damping.

I note the avert describes the props as “Made of high quality Carbon Fiber and PC plastic,ensures flexibility and wing stability”. Whether the plastic contribution is restricted to hub components isn’t known however flexibility is not an attribute ordinarily associated with true CF components of any quality. The price point suggests the product is likely to be faux CF, all show and no go as is often said.

The advantage you get with DJI offerings is obvious, they are manufactured to a standard that gives some comfort in the reliability and performance. These may be better, they probably aren’t.
 
I don’t believe they purport to be CF in the sense of carbon weave and resin but rather CF reinforced, injection molded, which is (also) offered by DJI as well.

This is based on the photo linked to above.
 
N017RW said:
I don’t believe they purport to be CF in the sense of carbon weave and resin but rather CF reinforced, injection molded, which is (also) offered by DJI as well.

This is based on the photo linked to above.
Click to expand...
In that case DJI would probably to be the best choice. Even the standard DJI P4 props are carbon reinforced nylon (based on one of the DJI tech articles around the time of the P4 release).

I remember buying cheap so called CF side plates for RC heli’s that were inferior to the standard fibreglass- the price should have given me a clue.
 
I bought the Threeking props for my new P4P. Louder but better performance. The props are, as noted above, plastic reinforced externally with carbon fiber. Then I bought pure carbon fiber props...wow! Some difference! Much quieter and noticeably better performance. The drone flew faster, accelerated faster and handled wind (i was in 18-22 knots of wind at 150 ft altitude) far better. The pure cf props are much stiffer than either factory or cf reinforced props. They do require the augmented hubs but that took all of 15 minutes to do. One issue was that one prop came off twice upon touchdown and shutdown of the motors. Given that the props are self-tightening the possibility of them coming off while airborne is zero. However, I bought a pair of channel locks and along with a piece of cloth, I very gently but firmly now tighten the props more before flight. No further problems. The cf props will shatter on impact...so don’t impact! I did not measure it scientifically but just off-the-cuff I would say I now have 10-12 % more time and much better performance overall with the pure cf props.
 
Jetjockey6 said:
Then I bought pure carbon fiber props...wow! Some difference! Much quieter and noticeably better performance. The drone flew faster, accelerated faster and handled wind (i was in 18-22 knots of wind at 150 ft altitude) far better.

I did not measure it scientifically but just off-the-cuff I would say I now have 10-12 % more time and much better performance overall with the pure cf props.
Click to expand...
Guessing that your new props give you some percentage increase in speed or endurance or vague assessments like better performance don't mean much.
Particularly when you can see actual speeds and flight data on the screen.
Previous glowing reports of a similar nature have not shown such improvements when actual flight data was examined.
That you went out shopping for aftermarket props suggests you were expecting an improvement.
Perhaps that coloured your impressions.

Lets see some flight data to see what the numbers show.
Go to DJI Flight Log Viewer
Follow the instructions there to upload your flight record from your phone or tablet.
Come back and post a link to the report it provides.

ps Your comment about a prop coming off twice in limited testing should be a serious concern.
 
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tcope said:
Here are all of the reason's to use CF props:
1) Some people think they look cool.

Here are some reasons not to use them:
1)They are an additional expense.
2)They don't do anything that the original props don't do.
3)They are very likely to completely fail if nicked.

You can also search for much more info on this subject. It's been discussed many times.
Click to expand...

Actually number 3 is not true. I have nicked a couple of my props a little, and they still fly perfectly. No out of balance problems either. And yes they do look cool. So does the carbon fiber wrap on my drone.
 
Peter Pan said:
Can somebody say if there is a reason to not try these props besides the usual “response before consideration, only use DJI props”
I already know these props would add a minor increase to the mounts stress, but I am a photog and sport mode is used with slow smooth acceleration rates so high shock loads are not going to happen with me at controls.
I am actually curious to see if the leading edges and trailing edges are better that DJI props that tend to be irregular and even rough with casting flash.
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01...rd_wg=NZsla&psc=1&refRID=0N299BV3CDQW264AH6CV
Click to expand...

General feedback has been that they are out of balance and heavier then stock props. So, your bird will wobble and/or vibrate, especially when holding position, and will tend to be slightly louder.
 
Billmh12 said:
Actually number 3 is not true. I have nicked a couple of my props a little, and they still fly perfectly. No out of balance problems either. And yes they do look cool. So does the carbon fiber wrap on my drone.
Click to expand...
The so called carbon fibre wrap on your AC almost certainly isn’t CF, perhaps the props are only faux CF also- what brand are they?
 
Of course the wrap is not real carbon fiber, I was making the point that it looks good just like the cf or faux cf props, which have caused me no problems. I was making fun of the fact that the person wrote:
-------
"Here are all of the reason's to use CF props:
1) Some people think they look cool.

Here are some reasons not to use them:
1)They are an additional expense.
2)They don't do anything that the original props don't do.
3)They are very likely to completely fail if nicked."
-------
They were a modest expense they do just what they are supposed to and they do not fail.
I was just challenging his dumb advice.
His only reason seemed to be poking fun at people that want things to look cool.

So I fired back since he was very wrong on point three.

Let people spend money on what they want. IF they fail they fail, but only speak when you know what the hell you are talking about.
Too many give advice on things they know nothing about first hand. It could be any topic. Unless you know, make it clear you are not an expert.
OR if you really are an expert then explain that as well.

I know most people mean well on this forum, but we have to be careful not to believe everything that is posted.
Like the idiot who says we should break the rules and fly within 2 miles of an airport and just not get caught.
Bad advice.
 
Meta4 said:
He was using humour to get across the point that they don't do anything faster or better than the original props.
Click to expand...

Actually, the pure cf props are far better than the factory DJI props...stiffer, cleaner, quieter. If cf wasn’t better, in just about every application, it would not be the successful product that it is. The pure cf props I used produced noticeable improvement in all flight regimes. In high winds the drone was extremely stable and able to hover where before, in the same wind, it would have been pushed around. I was there..I saw it, I flew it.
Flexible plastic props, DJI style, are no competition at all.
 
Jetjockey6 said:
Actually, the pure cf props are far better than the factory DJI props...stiffer, cleaner, quieter. If cf wasn’t better, in just about every application, it would not be the successful product that it is. The pure cf props I used produced noticeable improvement in all flight regimes. In high winds the drone was extremely stable and able to hover where before, in the same wind, it would have been pushed around. I was there..I saw it, I flew it.
Flexible plastic props, DJI style, are no competition at all.
Click to expand...
Is stiffer better?
DJI has very clever propulsion engineers that designed the sophisticated propulsion system from ESCs to motors to props.
They didn't just get the cheapest props they could find and slap them on.
The flex is intentional and part of the design, like shock absorbers are on your car.
Apart from the noise level, are you able to provide any data to show that your CF props do anything any better or is it just your subjective observation that makes you feel they are?
 
Jetjockey6 said:
Actually, the pure cf props are far better than the factory DJI props...stiffer, cleaner, quieter. If cf wasn’t better, in just about every application, it would not be the successful product that it is. The pure cf props I used produced noticeable improvement in all flight regimes. In high winds the drone was extremely stable and able to hover where before, in the same wind, it would have been pushed around. I was there..I saw it, I flew it.
Flexible plastic props, DJI style, are no competition at all.
Click to expand...
Which pure CF props did you use (brand/supplier)?
 
Jetjockey6 said:
Noticeable improvement regardless of what the non-flying lurkers might try to promulgate.
Click to expand...
If it's so noticeable it shouldn't be very difficult to show some proof to back that up.
We'd all like to have a shot at anything that offers a real improvement.
Lots of people have claimed all kinds of improvements with CF props but they haven't been able to supply any proof.
Without evidence, your claims carry no weight.
 

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