Morane Saulnier type L Parasol
The propeller
Measuring of the old propeller from Brussels
For one month The National War Museum in Brussels loanded us a similar WW1 propeller to use as a model template.
The measurments were taken at the VTI college.
- The outline was copied onto a plywood board using a carpenter's square.
- The pitch was measured every 2 inches
- Every 6 inches a controle mould block was made of the profile.
Two adjustments were required:
- the length required shortening from 2,6 m to 2,4 m (8ft 6 inch to 7ft 10 inch)
- the propeller rotation for the Morane Saulnier L was made in the mirror image of the Brussels propeller.
Before starting the construction of the propeller I receivedt the necessery background information from the "PONCELET"
companie at Evere, Brussels.
Mr Poncelet, is the third generation of the family to build wooden propellors and wooden speedboats.
The Morane Saulnier propellor was built to the same original specifiactions as those made during the First World War.
Built by: Geert Woussen
Aproximately 300 man hours were taken in the making of the propeller.
The measurments were taken at the VTI college.
- The outline was copied onto a plywood board using a carpenter's square.
- The pitch was measured every 2 inches
- Every 6 inches a controle mould block was made of the profile.
Two adjustments were required:
- the length required shortening from 2,6 m to 2,4 m (8ft 6 inch to 7ft 10 inch)
- the propeller rotation for the Morane Saulnier L was made in the mirror image of the Brussels propeller.
Before starting the construction of the propeller I receivedt the necessery background information from the "PONCELET"
companie at Evere, Brussels.
Mr Poncelet, is the third generation of the family to build wooden propellors and wooden speedboats.
The Morane Saulnier propellor was built to the same original specifiactions as those made during the First World War.
Built by: Geert Woussen
Aproximately 300 man hours were taken in the making of the propeller.
Bonding
The original WW1 propeller was made from Walnut. (Juglans regia L.)
The Morane Sualnier L propeller is made of light Meranti (Shorea spp): this is a light wood with uniform structure and few flaws.
Once the wood is dry, there is litle destortion.
European Walnut is no longer available in these dimentions.
The construction of the propeller consists of six layers of wood, one each from two or three parts.
Resin glue was used (This is the same glue as used for gluing wooden rafters. This glue is water resistant and can take a certain amount of torsion.)
The Morane Sualnier L propeller is made of light Meranti (Shorea spp): this is a light wood with uniform structure and few flaws.
Once the wood is dry, there is litle destortion.
European Walnut is no longer available in these dimentions.
The construction of the propeller consists of six layers of wood, one each from two or three parts.
Resin glue was used (This is the same glue as used for gluing wooden rafters. This glue is water resistant and can take a certain amount of torsion.)
Getting the right shape.
- Drilling the propeller shaft hole.
- The shape is drawn onto the wooden beam using the plywood template.
- Sawing the outline shape of the proleller using a bandsaw machine.
- Drawing the pitch on the sides.
- Every 2 inches a sawcut was made, using the control mold blocks.
- Chiseling of the wood to the saw line, using a No 4 gauge chisel - 4o mm.
- Planing the form with a block plane.
- Control to symmetry (left/right) with the control mold bloks.
- Working out the space reqiured for the clamp system.
- Sanding the propeller using P60, P80, P100, P120, P150 and P180 grades of sandpaper.
- Balancing of the propeller using round metal shafts.
- A coat of Walnut stain was used for the colour finish .
- Finally finishing with several coats of polyurethane varnish.
- The final fine balancing of the propeller was obtained by giving one side 5 coats and the other side 8 coats of varnish.