This should probably go in the general area. But I though it might be appropriate for beginners.


Last weekend I saw several of the plastic spinners shatter and hit 3 guys in the eye. No one was injured. 2 of the guys I saw had glasses on, but they were not specifically safety glasses.


When working around spinning props, it's a good idea to have some sort of eye protection. These guys could have easily been injured if the glasses had not stopped flying parts.

One thing that will cause these plastic spinners to shatter is when they are tightened down onto the prop causing undo stress. Make sure that the opening in the spinner is big enough for the prop. I have been using them for years and have yet to have one shatter because I don't tighten them against the prop!!!!!!!!!!

Art is 100% correct on this one. Inapropriate user interface with a breaker bar will do it everything. These spinners are just inexpensive plastic...

I am sure we all excerise the most obvious saftey hint, i.e;

NEVER POSITION YOURSELF OR ANYONE ELSE IN IN THE ARC OR PATH OF PROPELLER.

ANOTHER SAFETY CONSIDERATION IS TO ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES

I'd say your club members are all incredibly lucky.

I have always been taught never to tighten them against the prop either.

Make sure no part of the blade is touching any part of the opening where it passes through the spinner.

Yes I think they are lucky.

Never heard about not touching the spinner. However, I have always overcut the spinner. But, it does make sense.

I have NEVER seen one shatter in my 12 yrs. let alone SEVERAL IN ONE DAY!... Glad I do not fly at your Field! , BTW were any of them the cheep ones that come with most of the ARF's?

I think that Art is on the right track, dont let the blades touch the cone. As for the safety glasses.......They have been putting stickers on Prop's for years, how many people do you know that wear "safety" glasses? My sun glasses meet ANSI. but they are safety glasses that have dark lenses (Smith&Wesson shooting glasses)

Can't remember the type planes they where on. Most were outside of where I was at.

My sunglasses are like yours (shooting type), I always get shatterproof lenses, since I am a shooter also.

They all were not in one day, one was on saturday the other 2 were on Sunday.(I know, still not good)


But I think you are correct, they may have been the cheaper ones from ARF's.

Never, but never trust a spinner that comes with an ARF!!!!!!!!!!

I have always thrown the ARF spinners away and replaced them with Dubro units which I am very happy with.

The ones that have socket head screws to hold the spinner cone on.

THAT IS FUNNY...I JUST LET ART START MY PLANES!

Of course some of the ARFs do come with Dubro spinners anyway. e.g. Sig Kadet LT-40 came with a Dubro!

THAT IS FUNNY...I JUST LET ART START MY PLANES!

Well since Ken likes Gliders that shouldn't take to long to do!!!

Ya-Know Art, I was thinking that just might be what we need to do this season......build a couple gliders and take it easy....No Fuel,,No flight box, I already have all the high-starts, and if it gets to strange for you I have a pigg-rig to haul you up on my eagle?.... Just something a little different???

Ok, call me silly but if you don't put the spinner between the prop and the engine, how else will it mount? I had problems with my original spinner not staying tight enough and my electric starter would work it loose after about 5 or 6 starts. I now have an aluminum propnut spinner, I'm never going back.

Wayne

I think what they are talking about is not letting the prop blade touch the spinner cone. The hub of the prop can touch the backplate, but the blade cannot touch the cone.

Hope this clears things up for you.

Lost one this last weekend, luckly in the air.
It was a cheap ARF spinner.

Never Again.

I changed all of my cheap arf spinners for aluminum spinners for this very reason. The original spinner for my trainer was not balanced, so I changed it for a new plastic one. This would never stay tight, so I changed all of them to alum. Don't think I will break these unless I plant another plane into the runway. (don't want to talk about it) LOL Loren