JT Hammer

Have you guys tried the new 'Green Hornet' starter by Sullivan? What a gem. I use the 12 volt power pack off my portable 'Jobmate' electric drill to power it up - works like a charm, and has ample power to start my La .10, many many times. Try it , you'll like it!

Bipe Flyer

I've got one. I just ordered a Miller starter to replace it becasue the motor fell apart.

JT Hammer

Cripes, thats bad news; I hope mine keeps on working as well as it has been. I just started using it this spring, though, so who knows! You didn't drop it or something did you? How many volts were you using? The motor is pretty light.

Bipe Flyer

I bought mine in November. The rear bushing fell out of the motor. I just doesn't feel as nice and solid as the Miller starter.

I had a Miller starter for 4 years, but the switch broke on it. Figuring it was out of warranty, I threw it out and bought the Sullivan because it was cheaper. I called Miller today to order a new starter and they told me to send the old one back and they'd repair it and install a new heavy duty switch. I wish I hadn't thrown out the old one.

Oh, well. I put the bushing back into my Sullivan and it can be my backup.

JT Hammer

I am not familiar with the Miller starter. Where can one buy one, and how much? Thx for the feedback.

Bipe Flyer

For some reason Tower only carries their starter inserts and Great Hobbies in PEI only carries their "Big Grip for 1/4 scale". You can buy direct from Miller RC though. Their phone number is 707-833-5905 .

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

My Astroflight mini starter my dad bought me when I was 12 (back in 1983) is still inmy flight box, and still going strong! I use it routinely to start up to my Rossi 15 (allthough I shouldnt!) and it has the original rubber cup too.

Not bad for a 20 year old 540 mabuchi motor!

Ahhh they dont build em' like that anymore....

AJC

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Sullivan once made a mini-starter that was just like their big stuff only it was smaller and suited to small planes. The starter cup was too big for the spinners on my Coxs but was perfect for anything else up to a .15.

Some years back I was given some electric stuff to play with. I never got into electrics but I used the motor and gear box, (Graupner) and made up a starter using plastic pipe fitting connectors for the body and a switch from Radio Shack. The cup and spinner rubber was provided by Miller. This worked well for a few years but eventually the plastic gear blew on me. A donation from another electric flyer yielded a nice, aluminum bodied and metal geared drive that was adapted. The motor is intended for 7.2 volts so some huge dropping resistors were used to reduce the current to the motor. Inefficient but it works.

Both starters are employed on my Coxs and Norvels. Where I have a plastic spinner such as on my Tsunami, I use the Sullivan. Where I'm using Cox or Norvel spinner nuts, I use the geared starter. I just have to remember to bring the right starter.

Miller makes cups for their starter that are suited for Cox from .09 all the way down to .010. I got one of each and based on the quality of those pieces, I wouldn't hesitate to buy their starter if the need should arise.

Bipe Flyer

I use a miller cup in my large starter too. They are silicone instead of rubber. They have a cone shaped recess and don't slip or burn plastic spinners.

Big Al-RCU

Fellows, it isn't too hard to make one. This one was a sun roof motor out of a Honda Civic, I believe, but power window motors, etc should all work OK. Just cut off the worm gear and the output arm. Simple sheet brass switch and some heat shrink. You will have to make the cone and adapter tho. This is shown next to a cox 010 for size comparison, which it starts very nicely. Also has lots of torque for larger engines too. The price was right, I don't remember buying anything outright except the black rubber stopper from Ace Hwd, (for the rubber cone).
al

Bijan999

My Feedback: (2)

Big Al,

Great job on the starter! Very cool. I've always wondered if they made a smaller starter for 049 size engines.

So what kind of kit is that P-51? Looks awesome. Can you put a TD 049/051 in it and how does it fly?

Bijan

Big Al-RCU

Bijan999,
No it was scratch built just for a 010. Too small for a 049. It flies well, although pretty fast. It's why I cobbled up a starter, the spinner prevents the use of the spring starter and I never got the knack of propping a 010 by hand. Way back when tho, lots of the (us) diehards refused to use the spring starters on the Babe Bees, i.e. real modlers don't need no stinking starters! Of course, I have had engines that had lots more revs from flipping than running, Oh well, those were the good old days?
al

Bipe Flyer

Here's a picture of a starter I've been working on for .010/.020 engines.

It's made from a small electric motor from Radio Shack, a film canister, a prop adapter and a cap off of a toothpaste tube. I just need to add a switch and a starter cone.

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Big Al,

Werja get the neat little spinner for the .010?

BipeFlyer,

Neat, how many volts? What Radio Shack part number?

Bipe Flyer

The motor is 12 volts, 15,200 rpm with no load. It turns the wrong direction, but it has adjustable timing, so that shouldn't be a problem. The Radio Shack part number is 273-255.

Here's a link:

Radio Shack 12V motor 273-255.

Big Al-RCU

Andy,
The spinner is home made, alum and balsa. Will try to attach a drawing.
Al

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Andrew and Al,

Many thanks. All together, a solution for starting .010 and .020s, 'specially with enclosed, spinnerized engines.

DICKEYBIRD

Hey Andy, I saw (and flew) Big Al's Mustang at S.M.A.L.L.....both the plane and the spinner are little jewels! Looks like some of your lathe work.

AndyW

My Feedback: (1)

Milton,

Yes, a neat solution to the problem of spinner sizes not commercially available.

Al,

Thanks again a bunch. I've printed out the drawing and it's going in my file of things to try next. Should be workeable up to .049 sizes.

Big Al-RCU

Andy, if someone finds my drawing useful then that makes my day! Thank you. I might add that this example has close to 50 flights on it and it has held up surprisingly well. The balsa part was given a coat of thinned out epoxy and then sprayed with a mist coat of silver Aero Gloss. The contour was cut on a Sherline lathe using a handheld graver and a template, the old time way.
Thanks again,
Al

Bipe Flyer

Al, after seeing the beautiful job you did, I think I'll start looking for a lathe.

spyder0069

I have the sullivan 1/2a starter (bright green). Its great! I run norvels .061 and .074's and have had no problems with them. I use a cheap 9.6V tyco R/C car pack to run mine. No problems with power and running less volts means no broken rods it they hydrolock for some reason. The 9.6V pack fits pefectly between the 2 bottom stands and they are slotted so I run a piece of balsa underneath and it holds the battery in tight. I would never go with out one. I have a spring starter on one of my .074's which works good once the engine is warmed up but there is no replacement for this electric. Its a quick start every time. Its rubber cone is reversable. One side works for spinners. The other side is a small hole perfect for the little stock norvel hold down spinner.