Abstract

A method of rehabilitating a hub body of a controllable pitch propeller of the type having port openings with threads for the bearing rings and seating surfaces for the O-rings of the blade-mounting assemblies comprises the steps of removing the threads, material underlying the threads and material at the O-ring seating surface to expose clean base metal at the port opening, excavating any casting defects in the exposed base metal area of the port opening, filling the excavated areas and all dowel holes with weld metal, grinding the weld metal flush with the adjacent clean base metal surfaces, positioning the hub such that the axis of the port opening is vertical, and applying weld filler material to the port opening by successive passes, starting at the bottom of the port opening and working upwardly, using an automatically and mechanically manipulated welding torch by pulse arc welding so as to lay down a multiplicity of adjacent beads of weld filler material extending circumferentially of the port opening in planes substantially perpendicular to the axis of the port opening.