SOLVED.  See my post at the bottom of this thread.

It's nice that Tiny Whoops sells the Prop Popper, and it's nice that they have a genius guy making it (in his garage, I'm guessing).

I suppose they sell--maybe--dozens of these.  They are always out of stock, and you have to get onto a waiting list, once for each color.  Well, that's nice.

I have to believe that there is a demand for--probably--thousands of these.  Not dozens.  Thousands.  The Prop Popper is pretty much the only good way to remove props from tiny whoop motors without bending the shafts.

If Tiny Whoops and/or their genius guy could get the Prop Popper into some sort of small manufacturing, they could--yes--sell thousands of these little genius tools.

I have been waiting for several months for one.

Alternatively, is there another such tool out there?  I have tried a RC wheel and motor hub removal tool, but its geometry does not lend itself to whoop props.

Ideas?  Recommendations?

I modified a 1/4 inch hex key into a sharpened y pry bar to squeeze under the props and then jiggle/lever the prop off. It's basically the exact shape of the prybar half of the prop popper. The advantage of it over the prop popper is you can attack the prop from under the rotor as well as above.

Someone mentioned trying an IC extractor and this is probably not the right tool, but the description got my attention (ouch)!!

Piercing Ball Grabber Tool,Extractor Gripper Gem Picker

But I did pick up a pinion gear remover and was going to try making something like Radla
https://intofpv.com/t-removing-press-on-...#pid206499

I have a pair of those extractor grippers for another hobby and they don't have nearly the grip strength to pop a prop.

Pliers? I use a set of needle nose pliers and grip the bell with my fingers and twist and pull. Probably not going to work well on those fragile 1mm shaft motors, but it works fine on my 1.5mm shaft motors.

Hi Segler999,

Although I generally just use my fingers (works 99 percent of the time),
I have, from time to time, used a variety of objects to pry the props
off smaller motors.

Those little prop remover tools that used to come with tiny whoop type
quads did not (originally) seem to work very well, so I often used a 
very thin straight blade screwdriver and sometimes a knife blade.

Then I had an epiphany. The issue is not the tool, it is the slope on the
leading edge that must get between the prop hub and the motor housing.
So, I took one of those standard prop tools and used a bench grinder to 
slope the leading edge down to more of a "knife" slope. 
Yeah, the thing now works like a charm. 



I could have even made it thinner, but I stopped here since it worked for me.

I have another idea, but just haven't gotten to it.

Later, iFly  

Not my method - got this from Phobos:

Two Xacto knives.
Each knife blade goes under the prop hub on opposite sides of the shaft.
Then gently twist each knife simultaneously to push up under the hub (twist knife in left hand CCW; right hand, CW).
Prop slides right up without bending the shaft.
Might have to remove motor first if prop guards are in the way.

Just recently did this when changing from 31mm 3-Blade props to 41mm bi-blades on my Fractal 75.
3-Blade props were on really tight too.
Slid right off without any drama

Those come with most of the BNF whoops I have purchased. I just use a flat blade screwdriver. I push the tip under the prop and rock it back and forth forcing the prop up.

I have some sitting so if you are in the states, shoot me a pm and I will send you one...

EDIT:

I am guessing that you are not in the states as I see vendors here that have them in stock.

Yes, Brett, I have a bunch of those. They are really flimsy and basically don't work. Somewhere I saw a thick version of them. I have been using a chip puller that Ciottifpv lists on his equipment list. Very stiff. Works fine.

Have waited before replying, as my situation is far from "normal", I doubt anyone does more 65mm "quad" prop removal than me.  Micro quads and micro hovercraft.

12-16 year olds with "fashionable" hair and ground skimming hovercraft as well as quads is a weekly venue. The area is washed by a ride on wet vacuum before us since previously to our use its a dining area, most of the food seemingly being thrown around, not eaten!  Does not stop hairs intruding.

Another is a sports hall at another site where our session follows a mostly female long haired hoard doing "Zoomba", basically jumping up and down sweating and shedding hair. That one I usually fly a 180 Heli low in a pattern to "sweep" the area cleaner before we start, since the general cleaning standard is not great either.  Its like tumble weed.............  piles of it are often still there in the corners weeks later. We cannot clean the area conventionally as they lock away all cleaning tools, I think they pretend they don't exist...

Either way, hairs in/under props is a constant background irritant.

SO, what do I use?  The standard forked unit supplied with some quads, the thicker ones of which have been sharpened for better entry under the props.  Some had the forks too far apart, so were squeezed in a vice to narrow the slot, and then tapered.

Myself, other adults at venue 2 and most of the boys inc special needs kids at venue 1 manage it easily without delay or breakages.

Maybe we're just a lot more experienced!!!  

(11-Feb-2024, 09:05 AM)BadRaven Wrote: Have waited before replying, as my situation is far from "normal", I doubt anyone does more 65mm "quad" prop removal than me.  Micro quads and micro hovercraft.

12-16 year olds with "fashionable" hair and ground skimming hovercraft as well as quads is a weekly venue. The area is washed by a ride on wet vacuum before us since previously to our use its a dining area, most of the food seemingly being thrown around, not eaten!  Does not stop hairs intruding.

Another is a sports hall at another site where our session follows a mostly female long haired hoard doing "Zoomba", basically jumping up and down sweating and shedding hair. That one I usually fly a 180 Heli low in a pattern to "sweep" the area cleaner before we start, since the general cleaning standard is not great either.  Its like tumble weed.............  piles of it are often still there in the corners weeks later. We cannot clean the area conventionally as they lock away all cleaning tools, I think they pretend they don't exist...

Either way, hairs in/under props is a constant background irritant.

SO, what do I use?  The standard forked unit supplied with some quads, the thicker ones of which have been sharpened for better entry under the props.  Some had the forks too far apart, so were squeezed in a vice to narrow the slot, and then tapered.

Myself, other adults at venue 2 and most of the boys inc special needs kids at venue 1 manage it easily without delay or breakages.

Maybe we're just a lot more experienced!!!  

But how exactly do you use that tool? If I try inserting it from the top the duct makes it impossible to apply any lever action (there is few mm of space before hitting the duct). If you insert it inverted, from the bottom sometimes it works, but most often the metal just bends...

I use my hands, twisting the prop slightly back and forth while holding the bell to loosen it up. It probably messing up my 1mm motor shafts, but I found no other method that doesn't apply a sideways force(like using curved tweezers).

My first 6 months or so was exclusively 65mm to 85mm brushed motor
"tiny" whoops. Now, brushed motors do NOT have holes for bolts so they
are all push on, pull (Or pry) off.

As mentioned in Post #6, I mostly used just my fingers and sometimes that
little prop removal tool (as pictured). However, I have often used a very small, 
flat blade, screwdriver as there is always one on my work bench and it is easier
than tracking down the little tool. I never did use a knife although I see where 
that could work as well.

@BadRaven, yeah, I use that little tool that has been "sharpened" (Post #6).

As for using a device, any device, be it the "tool", a screwdriver, or a knife;
the prop does not need to be completely removed. It just needs to be lifted
a few mm from the bell housing, then it will generally twist off easily using
one's hand (finger and thumb). 

The tricky part is just getting the tool started. Once it is wedged in, it will
lift the prop very, very slightly, but that is often enough. If not, then use
a bigger screw driver that can now get into the gap. Most of the time,
it is not necessary to actually "pop" the prop completely off with the tool.

Later, iFly   

Twice now I have received an email from Tiny Whoops telling me that the Prop Popper is available. I go there only to be told that they are out of stock. Then I have to re-register for notification. Once for each color. Guess I have to park my eyeballs on their website and respond within mere milliseconds. Ridiculous.

If they farmed it out to some little factory that could churn out these little gems by the thousands, instead of by the dozen, they would sell A LOT OF THEM. Anybody who makes frames or canopies could easily tool up for these Prop Poppers.

Come on, git 'er done.

(17-Feb-2024, 12:16 AM)segler999 Wrote: Twice now I have received an email from Tiny Whoops telling me that the Prop Popper is available. I go there only to be told that they are out of stock. Then I have to re-register for notification. Once for each color. Guess I have to park my eyeballs on their website and respond within mere milliseconds. Ridiculous.

If they farmed it out to some little factory that could churn out these little gems by the thousands, instead of by the dozen, they would sell A LOT OF THEM. Anybody who makes frames or canopies could easily tool up for these Prop Poppers.

Come on, git 'er done.

Hmm, I for one sympathize with the maker. First, it takes time and money to get anyone to produce anything, and just sending your design files to random factories in china is a great recipe for your design to get stolen, crappyfied, and sold by million units on Ali without you ever making a dime.

Let's say you were OK with the risk the moment your thing starts selling well lots of copies will appear and you still wanted to bring it to market. There will be minimum order quantities, few back and forth changes as they inevitably get it wrong on first few tries and every change will cost at least $200 in just the shipping (for some reason manufacturer's I talked to always wanted to use $200 FedEx and no other carrier).

As someone who dabbles in making stuff myself I'd sooner open source a design than trust alibaba "contacts" with it.

Sure, open source the design. Somebody like Luhr Jensen or Mack's Lure could easily tool up to make these. They already make zillions of small fishing lure stuff so they already know how to cost and produce and ship. It all could easily be kept domestic.