so, i built an engine stand to run an engine i bought a couple of years ago used, but never fired up. so, i get it running, and my throttle link pops off. the vibration opens the throttle to wide open. i reach for the throttle a little to fast and over shoot. got 5 nice deep cuts in my pinky, abd blood everywhere. the initiation is over now, and it hurts, but im ok. anyone else have a good story so i can learn what not to do before i learn the hard way again?? lol.

Sorry that happened. I got my initiation with an electric with reversed throttle.

What is abd blood? A new blood type or internet lingo or a typo?

Please, don't post pictures of your pinky. Link to them if necessary, but please, no posts.

CGr.

sorry, typo. it was supposed to read, "and blood everywhere" i doubt anyone wants to see the damage, lol. heck, i didnt want to see it!

Tomorrow, you will really remember what happened. Take two aspirins..

I had five stiches with my little mishap.

CGr.

got some advil in me now, so im not feeling it at the minute. im planning on an advil regime for the next couple days lol.

Weenie drugs for the wennie finger. Man up, get yourself some big tabs of Codeine!!![&:] They don't really stop the pain and throbbing but you won't care a lot. I haven't gotten bit hard sense I was a kid in the 50s, a little nip here and there to remind me I have a slice and dice on the front of the engine but nothing real bad.
I have had to pick up some other peoples fingers though, it can get real ugly real fast.

Very sorry to read what happened to you.

I would add more area to the base of that stand.
It seems prone to tip forward or rotate with a powerful engine.

Painting the tips of the propeller always help see the arc.

Fast recovery!

i actually built the stand with a c-clamp in mind. its now clamped to a small work table. just got to get a better throttle hookup. making a trip to the lhs tomorrow for a tip to solder on so this doesnt happen again. hurts too much, and the cleanupb was a pain in the butt!

G'day

I have been trying to remove a finger since about 1959. Haven't managed it yet. But recently I had the worst cut ever from the second smallest engine I have ever owned. Engine was a 0.6cc MPJet diesel in an old timer. Prop was an APC (stands for A Precision Cut) 6 x 4. I was holding my model in my left hand and my radio in my right and I realised that I needed to swap hands. You can guess the rest. Only one hit to the back of my index finger on my right hand as I reached past the prop.

The cut was quite long but not all that deep but it bled very nicely and there are still the blood stains on the floor of the club house as we tried to find a suitable dressing in the first aid kit.

There really is only one piece of advice. Stay Awake and make sure running engines are properly secured. And if the engine is running and you are carrying it in a model - STAY AWAY from the PROP. Behind it is best.

Next.

Mike from Oz

My SuperTigre 3000 backfired and broke my finger........so, it's a little crooked now. Learned to use a glove.

I got it 3 years ago...21 stitches to my last three fingers....the trick is not to get it again

I've only been flying for about 8-9 years, but I haven't been bit, yet. Not bragging and I have gotten into the back of a prop while turning a needle valve, but not more than a couple drops of blood. I think the main reason is that while teaching kids, we exaggerate everything dealing with safety. We even walk around the front of the plane so that we remove the glow ignitor from behind the prop. It's now a habit that I use all the time, teaching or not.

I know a guy in his 70s who has been a modeler since he was a kid. Never a nicked finger until last year: then stitches. It can happen to anybody.

Two good rules (for glow: electrics aren't my area): 1. Always wear a glove when starting a prop with your hand: (2) Once it starts, get behind it before you do anything else.

Do I follow these myself? Well, mostly, except it's hard to keep from taking the glow igniter off the plug before you get behind the prop. But if you can make yourself do these things it will save you some ER visits.

I had a bad one last year. I bought a Zenoah G-26ei, modified by Ralph Cunningham. The ignition box started acting up.( I thought it was the carb settings). So I had a flat tip screwdriver and I had a death grip on it. When I went to adjust the low end needle the engine started surging. The screwdriver slipped off and the propellor grabbed the screwdriver and my hand along with it. (I should have had heat shrink tubing and control rods on the needles)

It put 3 gashes in my index finger on my right hand and a little gash on my thumb. The biggest gash was right on my knuckle to the bone. I did not get stitches (should have) but kept a dressing on it and went to the ocean where the salt water cured it right up about a week later.

There was an audience and I informed everyone then and there that I would never do that again. So now when I have to adjust my engines, I stop them, make the adjustment and then restart and repeat if needed.

I have always considered myself a safe guy but obviously not safe enough.

Prop strikes hurt people. Be safe out there.

Glenn Williams

In 1973..I was into cotrol line and was breaking in a McCoy 40 (the old red head).. My friend was holding the plane by both wings which meant he was looking right into the prop. I didn't like that and started moving my right hand in and watching my lef hand ... should have watched my right hand. I put it right into the prop and took 19 stitches to the index finger from the knuckle to thumb. It took me years to get over that..mostly psychologically. I haven't done the same since. [sm=thumbs_up.gif]

I got bit about a year ago with a 24x8 prop. It actually got me on the back fire, and not when it was running. It literally spun me around and it felt like somebody took a sledge hammer to my three fingers on cement. It was completely my fault, should have used a glove, and the person holding it (my father) even told me too. Got a good cut on my middle finger that bled for 2 days.

I was flying with my nephew, we were flying a Great Planescub with an OS70 four stroke in it,put on glow ignnitor and started engine,engine was running about half throttle.We were not sure why, we had no response when we moved the throttle stick,then noticed we didnt turn on the battery switch. as I was yelling at him for not turning on the switch I put my hand into the prop when I went to turn on the switch,wasnt thinking . Gave me a good whack across three fingers hurt for 2 weeks. Now I keep calm when things arent right and dont yell at anyone.</p>

Cricket batting glove maybe?? There is almost an 1" of padding on the back side of the fingers.

Those will certainly help prevent injury. I wonder if you can wrap those around a chicken stick?

The first finger I broke was done by the original Fox 40 RC BB. Bought it when they first came out. In 49 years of starting glow engines I wish I could say I've learned my lesson but I keep hand starting them from time to time and still get whacked once in a while. Oh well the joys of the sport...LOL

I have to be real careful with the big 50cc Extra in my avatar as it makes 5.5 HP and swings a 23X8 prop. If that rascal ever got hold of me I am fairly sure it would take the whole hand off. We're talking lawnmower size props/blades here and some lawnmowers don't even make that much HP.

Hi

Welcome to the club . I did my pinky three years ago . And I did a good job of it to , 5 or 6 good slices , blood every where . But ,1 ) it didn,t hurt , and 2 ) it was more of a pain in the ***** .

It was so bad , they couldn,t even stich it , it was a hamburger situation

Live and learn , always be aware .

Michel

This is GREATADVICE.
It's also prudent to get everyone else behind the prop once the engine starts. With R/C - nothing except landing (or a return to terra-firma) should be taken for granted.

Cricket batting gloves, what a marvelous idea. But how did a guy in Las Vegas know about Cricket gloves?

personally even if you can't post but link pictures I think you should. Really wakes you up and makes you think and hopefully it will not happen to you... or again. Mine also was a small electric with a reversed throttle servo situation and in grabbing for it as I've done a few times but this time reached into the prop arc and opened up the base of my hand 8 stitches worth at $100 per stitch ouch and ouch! So if you haven't been bit and it's still on here with all the pictures find and look at the thread and learn. If a prop is spinning or can, stay away from it or behind it and always think and don't get complacent. Seems like we all do and some with a lot worse outcome or more of a permanent one.

The timing of this post was too good to pass.
Folks, I've been "nicked" by these things now and then for all of the 40 years + I've been at it.
But - TODAY - was absolutely the worst. I broke THE"Cardinal Rule" of managing e-power a/c in a shop. Yep - working on it with the ESC armed...bumped the throttle, and a 700 Watt 12x6 eAPC went almost full bore. Instinct took over, put my right hand in front of me as it lurched forward. Horrible - ugly...Off to the ER, and suturing of FOUR large, deep cuts in the meat of my right palm....and 17 stitches.

The rule - easy to remember - the Cure - MUCHharder. But you all can bet I will be disabling ESCs for in-shop testing from now on. A real shame this had to happen to improve my memory.