On Jul 30, 6:47*pm, "Kyle Boatright" wrote:
(snip)
What steps have I missed, and are there any fine points I'm missing?

Kyle ..........

Shoulder surgery, hmmm. . . I remember three months after mine I was
finally able to lift my arm enough to wash underneath without using a
stick. Good luck on the sanding!

I used an electric random orbiltal on my Sterba prop and was surprised
at the irregularities in the surface. I just kept at it until all the
original varnish was gone and the last dip was sanded smooth, then
finished up to a 320 grit. I figured that all that sanding might
either improve the efficiency or thin the airfoil enough to increase
the rpm a bit. Neither one happened - I couldn't tell a bit of
difference.

The leading edge on a Sterba prop is made from a softer urethane
material that resists dings and it didn't need repair. Some tips on
wood prop maintenance are available he http://www.greatplainsas.com/edmtce.html

When I was satisfied with the quality of the spray can urethane
finish, I made a steel "spud" that fit the center hole. I constructed
a wood jig in the shape of a "U", cut two grooves in the top edges and
inserted two extra blades from my jointer. Then I could lay the prop
in the jig with the spud resting on the sharp edge of the jointer
blades. One extra coat on one blade of the prop and it balanced.

Rich S.