Made my own prop puller for my 1 3/8" shafts from an old velvet drive coupler

If its on a boat, bump it into reverse, if you have a spare key.

 

Second prop off prop shaft, took same amount of force, came off easy, noiseless, it is tapered.
Then rather than whacking off the rest of the way, I removed big nuts and set some spacers and cranked the puller nuts
For some reason it needed that, maybe some corrosion getting in the way.


Tightened up, see spacer gap has gone, then it came right off.



Looking at the coupler bolt spacing for the bolts, I think I could cut the collar so as to slip on a shaft without removing shaft from boat.

That would be a lot of metal to cut. Maybe a grinder blade to cut it. Or on my table saw.
Cut between the red lines idea.

Possibly could drill the original holes for use on 4 blade props.
Which I don't have.

This is ductile iron, and it is very thick, I doubt it would break with a slit. The bolts also bear partially on the thick collar. Plus those thick washers spread the load.

 

For a slip on, you need two pieces. Take some 3/4 plate and duplicate the holes, but cut the slot out a different side. Best to drill one more 1/2 inch hole through both (where they both have meat) and bolt the two in place so you can pull the other three bolts out without loosing stuff. The collar flange will bend far too easily if you don't back it up like that.

 

That's a good idea, use a double plate.
I still don't think that coupler would bend.
My props had been on longer than 25 years, cause I got boat in 1998 and this is first time I ever had them off.
The force needed was a lot less than I thought it would take.

I checked the fit and it will need to be lapped in with some grind compound as some small corrosion ate at the prop inner hub farthest from the nut side. Not much just little.

Key slot is in good shape.

 

Sharing this about the thin and thick prop nuts.

Mine was setup by PO with thick nut first and thin set as a locking nut.
I plan to grease those nuts and keep it the same way as before.
I won't grease the taper. It helps to lock shaft and prop together
You can grease the key very lightly, thin, like wet with grease only, no layer.
It obviously worked fine for decades!

This guy agrees with me.
Propeller installation / Big Nut vs. Little Nut - Seaboard Marine

This whole proper nut order is silly!

Funny how he says a hot prop in the sun torqued on will be too tight to remove later, have to pull the shaft and prop and maybe take to a machinist to press it off!

I will remember that when it goes back on.

 

This am I cut shaft collar.
Used the table saw and a hacksaw and a dremel with a carbide cutter and a file

And it was not an easy cut. Some parts of the steel were harder and some softer, felt like that when using the metal grinding blade. And it cut slowly. Got so hot had to stop and cool it down.
This now slides onto shaft

 

I also realized, not that I would need to, but I could put a steel strap across the opening on each bolt, like a gate. At the relative low forces involved when I did use it to remove the prop, I can't imagine this collar ever bending.