mvigod

Just curious. Excluding accidents where a plane is not held down safely have any of you guys had any sort of accidents or injuries starting your gas engines by hand? Backfires, throw props, prop coming around to hit your fingers/hand/arm, etc???

Antique

My Feedback: (4)

How many would you like to hear about ? 20 years of gassers..
Lessee, stitches in little finger from a 26-14 prop, killed the engine, put a dent in the prop..
Stitches in another finger, forgot which, stuck hand in prop reaching for the carb adjustment..
There are more, mostly minor, ALL from lack of attention...
Stitches in finger from rotating a big gasser with an APC prop, engine was not running, just had lots of compression...Left a few drops of blood on El Mirage dry lake from that one..Hurray for super glue.. Kept it shut for about 4 hours before going to the hospital, we had to get the racers tested...
AMA paid most of the bill on all of these...

pizza

My Feedback: (24)

not me but one I will never forget

AJF--2

My Feedback: (119)

I have 2 very crooked finger tips. BTW-- BE SURE TO SET THE PROP AT 1 AND 7 OR 2 AND 8 O'CLOCK position for best starting. I always will.

rmh

The spring start Zenoah setup - got me - first time I ever played with a gas thingy. big bruise.
But - on a standard modern ignition set-which has a electronic advance - -I have never had or seen one of these kick or snap at the hand flip operation.
But those nasty MF'n glow setups, can --if flooded or whateve-- take a hunk out of you

Tmoth4

My Feedback: (1)

In 15 or so years of starting gas engines by hand I never got struck by the prop.....until the first time I tried a spring starter! The prop whipped right around and smacked my hand. When you hand start the regular way, your hand tends to move away from the prop. With a spring starter you wind backwards and let it go. I have learned to be very cautious when using a spring starter.

Jim

Diablo-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

I got caught on the back of a fingernail when an engine took off running HARD in the forward direction. All I can figure is that if the mixture is just right at idle (a little lean) then the first pop is a doozy. No lazy flips for me, especially with a 3 blade prop. Flip that thing like you mean it.

the Wasp

My Feedback: (1)

yes,,, and I learned,,, I worked on my new MVVS 35 gasser and I must have fixed it, it was not pumping fuel, it usually took 20 flips to start it after the prime, this time it started on the 4th flip, I had the fuse strapped down to it's stand, but the stand was not held to the table, but as I said I must have fixed it because when I started it I had the trim set to idle but the motor screamed around 3500, the whole fuse, motor and stand came flying it me, so I had to put my hand up or the prop would hit me in the belly,,, well it did not cut my finger, it hit so hard it split my finger I had 6 stitches, and there was a lot of trauma to my finger, like hitting it hard with a hammer, that was over 3 weeks ago and I'm getting the feeling back a little more every day,,,

I feel lucky the prop did not hit my belly. I could have been standing there with my guts on the ground,,,

I lost respect for a moment, but I never will again !!

Jim
edit,,, I did have a glove on !!

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

I never got bit by an electronic ignition either, until I had one really flooded. That sucker kicked back and bent all my fingers backwards, and I had a sore hand for 3 weeks. It also cut one of the fingers pretty bad too. It would not of been so bad if had not just bragged a couple hours before that an electronic ignition will never bite you. I have learned since that time, to choke with ignition on and wait for the pop. I also always use a B&B starting glove as well.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

I have seen a couple buddies with 3W's hurt thier hands, one needing stitches. I have never had a backfire with my DA's

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Glow yes, Gas no.

I use both spring and no spring. I don't just let go of the spring. I wear heavy gloves, and my hand moves out of the prop arc to the side when I let go. Doesn't mean I won't, but you gotta respect those big bad boys! They will do damage.

Lost a finger tip in a glow, and many scars from kick backs

mvigod

I'm trying to figure out here since I make my living on the keyboard if I should risk starting by hand or with a chicken stick. So far I've used a stick with my gassers to keep my fingers out of harms way. Figure a $40 prop ruined is better then losing a digit or two should a backfire or some other bizarre thing ever occur. My buddies tell me I'm a baby when I don't use my bare hand (or gloved) but I figure an extra margin of safety could save my finger someday. One of my buddies said accidents and backfires don't or rarely happen with gassers so this is why I am asking.

I've heard a field where there are surgeons who only use megatron electric starters on their gassers to save their valuable hands and fingers.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Oh Marc...... for sure use a stick, or starter. I prefer the stick with the bigger engines. None of my bigger engines take to much effort at all with a stick.
I take a 5/8"diameter dowel, cut it to a comfy length, maybe about 8" or so, then cover it with a clear tubing that is a 5/8" I.D. ... just a plastic/urethane variety from your hardware store.. clear so it won't mar the props or your cowling if you happen to scrape it, black tubing leaves black rubber junk on your props. .. clear leaves nothing.
I even put stickers(Futaba, DA, stuff like that) on the dowel inside the tube, and it looks like a pretty cool tool like that, and it secures the plastic tubing on the dowel nicely. I made like 10 of them and gave them to friends too.
I haven't been bit by a prop since I was about 12 finger-flipping an .049.. and I've used either the starter(on smaller 4-strokes), or a stick(on most 2strokes, and my gassers. I don't think I take it for granted for a second that it won't happen... it sure could.. to any of us.

I believe a magneto driven gasser would backfire.. although, I've never had one backfire with an electronic ign system, dont' think it's very likely that they do either... not worth the chance for me though... Good luck.
PS...... an electronic ign. equipped engine is very user friendly, and seems much easier to start IMO.

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

Well, I have seen the electronic ignitions kickback and draw blood, like I mentioned a couple posts up. BUT, they are a heck of a lot better than magneto!!!

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

I haven't had a gasser bite me in the couple of years I've been using them, but I had a 16-8 wood prop shed a blade on my hand on a 4 stroker kick back. With glove, thank God! That hurt!!

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

Marc, if you use a HEAVY leather (palm and back, with good heavy leather on the fingers as well) glove you should be fine. I find propping with a "stick" so awkward and really like using my gloved hand (never bare). I have had up to 80cc gassers kick and whap me (when I was fooling with timing, setting up my own engines) hard, and the worst I got was a bruised hand but no real damage.

Its such a personal thing... if you are happy with a chiken stick why change? Just becasue the fellows think you are "a baby" isnt any reason to change if you are happy with the way things are... at least not IMO.

WHatever YOU feel safe with.

AJC

Furyflyer2

My Feedback: (117)

I flic my prop bare back, I like it stickless

DKjens

My Feedback: (50)

I've had a Bambula26x10 on a zdz80 come around during choking, hitting my three middle fingers on my right hand. People at the other end of the pits thought somebody had hid somebody with a baseball bat. I had the prop come up agains compression at 3 o'clock and was lazy flipping for priming. Now my right ring finger can't get completely straight - I think the ligaments over the last joint in that finger got a little crushed. It didn't break skin, but I had to sit down and shake it of for some 10 minutes or so[:@].
Now I set all my props to come against compression at 1:30 and flip on the tip, my fingers are automatically out of the way when the other tip comes around. I am really happy apc doesn't make props for the large gassers (not including the racers), they would be really dangerous revolving knives.
DKjens

David_Moen

I like using a heavy glove, in fact I double-duty one of the gloves I have for riding my street bike kinda like this...

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...106&division=1

It's not too hard or too expensive to find gloves like these that have articulated, overlapping armor on the backs and multi-layered leather palms. You just have to find a flying buddy that can use the other glove in the pair!

Airbike

My Feedback: (6)

I don't know if he checks RCU often, but one of our local flyers just lost two fingers on his right hand (pinky and ring finger) a couple of weeks ago. Two more fingers were also cut but savable. From what I understand, it was a combination of many events that were not the norm and resulted in his right hand making contact with a 102 or 105cc eng and a 27x10 or so wood prop at or near full throttle. I think he has at least 20 years experience and was into the big gasser IMAC planes very early on.
He is recovering and flew some foamies to exercise the fingers. I think his words were: 'Be Safe, accidents CAN happen, it only takes a moment of lapse of concentration'

fwman1

My Feedback: (22)

I only use wooden props. Hopefully you will get a broken bone, or severe bruise instead of being sliced to bits. I've only been hit once hard enought to break the prop, and it was a spring starter on my first gasser. Part of gasser 101 from the looks of people reporting similar experiences. I'd rather get a rap on the knuckles to get my attention, although the above post proves even the wood props can mangle you in the wrong situation! Just my opinion.

rcnutmd

My Feedback: (2)

just had 4 stiches put in 2 different fingers today after a backfire on 3w 106 .from now on i will be wearing a glove. john m

JohnVH

My Feedback: (38)

That seems to be normal with them... A few buddies have had problems. One more reason I wont buy one. Dont need gloves with DA, very sorry to hear about your fingers! Not cool

John Clark

My Feedback: (1)

All of these remkarkable stories reflect the reason God invented a starter which will turn any size engine..I have been hand starting evetything for over 20 years and hve had my share of hits and cuts. Even with my big 6.4 twin cylinder with a battery ignition I still use a starter. NO MORE hand starting. There is no reason to display your macho image by hand starting any model plane engine.

Thanks, John C. in MN

MHawker

My Feedback: (16)

From where you're coming from, Marc, I wouldn't risk it. Of course one of your hot shot programmers could set you up with a voice activated system, I'm sure.

I was starting my DA-50 (first gasser for me) the other day and the club president was watching. He called over and said, "Mike, you look scared of that thing".

I said, "That's because I am".

I've tried starting a couple glow engines with a chicken stick but found it very awkward. If I can't start them by flipping the spinner back (a la OS 160fX), I use a starter. Most of the guys who wear gloves at our field use Welder's gloves and swear by them. If you're concerned about it at all, I'd definitely go for that.