G-Factor Propellers?

Yup !

Zombie thread too.

G factor props are generally junk; they are usually just overpriced, poorly cast copies of kit props and are often innacurately shaped. G-Factor is just profiting off of the modeling obsession with all things brass.

Some good news.  I had the opportunity to remaster the props for Ernie.  He currently has them and is preparing the new props for casting.  In his last message he indicated that they would be ready about now for production.  I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.  

Dave

Yes, it is true that the props are very small in most scales, but in 1/200, they are very visible (something like a half of an inch in diameter) .  So it is up to each modeler to determine how he/she wants it to look.  As you noted, it appears that G Factor chose to just duplicate the plastic kit props in metal.  As to why, only he knows, but they look like props from an RC Ready-Built Racing Boat.  Very functional, but not appropriate for a scale model of a battleship.

Thanks for the update on Keith, Tracy.  I am glad he is recovering well (I hope so anyway). 

I guess this is one "advantage," as it were, to building in 1/700 waterline, props are never an issue. But if I understand these posts, this company is just taking plastic kit props and making duplicates in metal? I don't know, for something that, in most scales, is going to be so small to begin with ... my

I'm sending my set back to Keith, not at all because of any quality issue with his work, but because the Arizona hull is so badly done. The fact that I agonized over this for a couple of months is a tribute to his work; after I confirmed the shape issue it just looked a bit grotesque and I had to choose between pretty props on a blimp hull or hiding it all with a waterline rendition.

For what it's with, Keith broke his hip but is on the road to recovery

FYI - There is another alternative, too.  A gentleman named Keith Bender also makes scale props for warships, including the new 1/200 Arizona.  I understand he has been ill recently but is expected to resume his work.  The work he does is not cheap, but he takes meticulous care to get them right, and he uses the original dimensions from Naval Blueprints, or copies, to make sure they are right.  From the few pictures I have seen, and the many descriptions from other users, his work is exquisite, and available in a satin or polished finish.  I believe you can Google him for more info.  Tracy White has a set he purchased from him of the 1/200 Arizona props.  When I start mine, I plan to get these also.

so..its not just me eh?

I bought a set of G-Factor props for my Yamato, and they were, well... a mess. Tried everything...sanding, grinding, etc...and eventually ended up using the kit parts.

Thinking they were just a bad batch, for my Nagato I ordered another set of G-Factors...same thing, unusable and a waste of money.

Sorry to be so harsh, but I certainly was disappointed in the quality.

tucchase, Thanks for the photo, I was thinking that the kit and brass props looked a little chunky.  I grew up in a navy town and I have seen many, many, ship propellers and not one of them has an edge on it that looks to be about 12 scale inches wide!

 I will try and remember to take some pictures and post them.  The problem I have is just getting the darn pictures taken and transferred to computer....

As Tracy White mentioned, both the Arizona Kit props, and G Factor's props for that kit, are incorrect.  The blades are much too wide.  Here is a link to a picture of the Arizona in a drydock clearly showing the props.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/013915a.jpg

As long as you are polishing them anyway, just narrow them down a bit first, and they will look great!  Or you can leave them as is and most people won't know the difference anyway.  Good luck on your build!  Try to post some pics if you can!

Thanks for the thoughts.  I think they will work for me though, it will just take some tedious work to get them looking good.  I want to build this as a display for my living room (just have to explain that to the wife), so I am going to keep on polishing away until I get them nice and shiny.  After all, being in one service, growing up with another, and working with militaries from across the world I have learned one immutable fact....99% of the time if it looks right nobody will ever ask the question....  Thanks again!

Good information as I have considered using their stuff on a couple of kits. Will just stick with the kit props then.

G-Factor products are not worth it in my opinion; they make copies of the kit propellers in brass, but as Don mentioned, they should be bronze, and as you've noticed, they're pretty rough. Add to that the fact that they don't actually check to see if the kit props are correct (the Arizona ones are completely the wrong shape) and I see no reason to advocate their use at all.

Biggest problem I see with brass propellers is that props on big ships are not brass, they are bronze.  So you have to paint them anyway.  So plastic or resin are fine by me.