ORIGINAL: LouisB
The moment my glow plug is powered up, my respect for the engine increases many times and I use an electric starter, irrespective. Our field is rather far from any towns with serious medical facilities.
I have a clip from our national telly where an instructor used his thumb and index finger to spin the spinner over in order to fire the engine up. The clip was aimed at attracting beginners to the hobby. Not a good ''lead by example'' clip IMHO.
God willing, I would like to leave my earthly life behind with all the bits and pieces I was born with.
I think you are talking about back snapping the spinner. It's really a lot safer then it looks, no fingers are on the prop at all. Just choke, ignite and snap. If you would go to the kit building forum then open up the thread on the Up-Roar build Rick just posted a video of him starting one of his engines doing the back snap, it's on the last page. I hand start my big gas engines and even with a leather glove they could still do some finger damage. There is a safe way to do everything if you know how. Four strokes back snap better then prop flipping, the back fire spins the prop forward. I use a spring starter on my G-62 even that can be messed up. Ask me how I know that!!
I now use my leather glove when starting that. Go check out Ricks video!!