What is this wooden propeller ...thing?

It is placed in a material to take its form, removed and a casting is made from the void left by it.
Or.. It is copied by machining it from a block of whatever.

 

The blades are just so thick for it to be creating the void, i just don't know what it would be used for.

I even asked at work and they had no idea out side of a mold

 

Agree with the others that it is an industrial model for casting.

 

It could simply be a sample.

 

Thanks for the size info. I kind of ruled out any kind of air movement because the blade contour isn't good for that. I think it is a pattern for casting steel or aluminum agitators for use in mixing or stirring low-viscosity fluids when positioned at the bottom of a 500-gallon or so vat. Say in a paint or liquid soap factory.

No doubt at all it is a casting pattern, that metal "A-9" tag comes out of a machine all pattern shops use, kind of like one of those Dymo label makers, but on steroids.

 

Do you have a ruler handy? Maybe you could measure from elbow to wrist.

Mine's only ten.

 

Komo, yours has shape and taper to it....SeaGoat's example does not.....I tend to think for more like a whirlagig.....although as previously mentioned we do not know the size.....?????

 

THAT'S a good thought!!!!!!!

 

It's all about that A-9 tag........
Without that...maybe....
~
BUT..... Could be a template for making peddle car props BUT...aren't those usually 2 bladed and stamped metal?
I have seen home builts but even those were 2 blades.

 

Yes...it looks like a finished product ....but so far , with all the speculation , the thing I found is the closest looking to what the OP posted.......whatever it is !