The FReeper Foxhole Profiles The Navy Corpsman - February 8th, 2004

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[SAMWolf]

Hand-carved wood aircraft propellers lead to unique business

By Dennie Miller

From an early age, Jim Corder emulated his grandfather, Ray Hegy, by hand-carving ornamental propellers from small blanks of wood while grandpa concentrated on the real thing. As a boy, Corder liked nothing better than to hang out in his grandfather’s shop. His father, a Border Patrol agent, was never interested in planes.

“Since I can remember, grandpa’s plane was like a big wonderful toy,” Corder said. “I began making ornamental props in his shop at the age of 8 and have been carving them ever since.”

As he grew older, Corder was able to work side by side with his grandfather. Hegy had been performing as a barnstormer since the 1920s before coming to Marfa in 1942 on an aerial mapping assignment for a Milwaukee-based corporation. When not conducting aerial reconnaissance from the old Marfa airport, Hegy taught himself to carve aircraft propellers from blocks of wood. He soon discovered there was a demand for his carving skills and established Hegy Propellers, a small business that produced wooden propellers for a variety of aircraft. After marrying a local school teacher, Marie Burson, he and his young wife settled in to the Marfa lifestyle. Today, his 42-year-old grandson carries on the legacy.

Corder is one of only a half dozen craftsman in the United States producing hand-carved wooden propellers. He works primarily with birch wood but says any hardwood is suitable.

“The propeller must be free of knots and colors are important. Some of the most beautiful propellers are fashioned from mahogany which finishes to a rich dark color,” Corder said.

Boards are layered to produce the desired thickness, a pattern is traced on the wood and the blank is rough-cut on a band saw. Many of the tools in Corder’s shop have been machine-tooled to meet specific needs. The rough-cut propeller is secured to the workbench with a special clamp allowing finishing work to take place from many angles.

Once secured, shaping is performed with a milling head connected to a power source by a flexible shaft. Next, a belt sander is employed to produce a smooth surface. The propeller is finished with the application of four coats of varnish containing a special UV blocker, and a plastic resin coating applied to its leading edges to protect it from being damaged by flying debris.

Propellers can vary in length from 18 inches (used on remote-controlled drones) up to 12 feet, the largest Corder has produced to date. His 12-foot propeller is part of a static display that can be seen at the Hidalgo County Museum in south Texas.

Many pilots have preferences for subtle differences produced during the production process. Different pitches are use for different applications. The pitch, or angle of the blade, is correlated to the forward movement of the aircraft by one revolution of the blade. Both the horizontal and vertical balance must also be perfect before the propeller is acceptable. Corder said he believes he has produced nearly 12,000 propellers through the years.

Hegy Propellers has customers worldwide. The cost of each propeller is based on the size, materials and time needed for production. The range in price is from $600 for small aircraft propellers, up to $5,000 for those used on antique airplanes. Corder produces as many as 10 propellers a month and at any given time has up to 10 backorders. Spring and summer months are busiest attributable to warmer air, which makes flying open-cockpit aircraft enjoyable.

When not in his shop, Corder works as an aircraft mechanic at both the Marfa and Alpine airports. He is currently working toward obtaining both airframe and power plant licenses, which will allow him to perform unsupervised maintenance and repairs on most aircraft. He has a pilot’s license and takes to the sky whenever the opportunity presents itself.

[snippy_about_it]

CAMP BULLRUSH, Kuwait -- Spreading his medical tools across the desert sand, HM3 Marcos R. Medina, 25, a native from Denver, who is a field corpsman with Transportation Support Detachment, MEU Service Support Group 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) showcases the tools which he takes to the field. Since field corpsmen don't have the luxury of working in a sterile environment, they must adapt to any given situation in combat or in garrison.
Photo by: (Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Anthony R. Blanco)

[SAMWolf]

Weather is nice been hitting upper 40's all week. They're saying we're in for a dry spell. I hope so, need to finish the "winter" cleanup in the yard and get the moss killer down.

[CholeraJoe]

Good morning, snippy. Outstanding job, as usual.

[SAMWolf]

Glad to hear you're feeling a little better.

I don't think there's anything redder than a Liberals' mind.

[SAMWolf]

Morning CholeraJoe.

[Soaring Feather]

:-)

LOL on the liberal nose!!

Oh I know the nose thing, I thought mine would fall off from constantly drying it.

[snippy_about_it]

Glad to hear you might be feeling a little better.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks CJ. Good morning back atcha!

[stand watie]

HI, snippy!

free dixie,sw

[Victoria Delsoul]

Happy Sunday all.

[Iris7]

Mornng, Snippy,

Back around this time of year in 1966 when I was a Swab they were looking for volunteers for Corpsman school. I never went, didn't think it was my duty to volunteer. Darned dangerous work; besides, never volunteer.

So, about 1978 I realized with pain and sorrow that I had not done what I should have done, what I really wanted to do. Still feel that way, though not as much, since I get to take care of my kids nowadays instead of being dead. Still, I would have been very good at the work, and in those days could sprint with a man over my shoulder.

So, likely somebody didn't make it home so that I could. Maybe more than one, maybe more. Way, way too many. Old regrets, today's regret.

[SAMWolf]

Afternoon Victoria. Nice picture.

[SAMWolf]

So, likely somebody didn't make it home so that I could. Maybe more than one, maybe more. Way, way too many. Old regrets, today's regret.

You don't know that, don't let those regrets get to you. Obviously there was a different plan for you. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Afternoon, stand watie.

[snippy_about_it]

!!!!!

[snippy_about_it]

Good afternoon Victoria.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hi Sam. Thank you.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hi Snippy.