Can you use a battery powered drill with a starter hub in the chuck to start a engine?

Probably a very small engine, but to be safe and happy, go and get a starter that is designed for model engines, in the long run, you'll save money and aggravation.

I want to do the same thing firefighter. An electric starter here in Aust costs around $120.00 and you need to carry a battery to connect it to. A GMC brand cordless drill is only $30.00 when on special and has its own re-chargeable battery. I was going to use a socket and fill it with silicone but as you mention "Starter hubs" I will try and get one of these instead. (I didn't realize that you could get a starter hub separate from the electric starter.)
I cant see why it wont work as its not as if speed is required to start the plane or using a chicken stick wouldn't work.
Thats my thoughts on the mater anyway, I'm now just waiting for them to come on special again at Home hardware.

Regards,

Troy.

I will be using it on a .46 engine.

You need to buy the rubber insert because a gob of silicone squeezed into the drive cone really doesn't work very well. You can make the drive cone out of wood. It is the inside diameter that is critical. Just make sure it fits a standard Sullivan rubber insert.

Borrow a highschool kid and have him turn a drive cone for you in shop class. or you can cut one out with a couple of hole saws. Maple works well, but whatever really strong hardwood is handy down under will do. Saturate it with epoxy and fibreglass the outside if you want it to be indistructable. You can mount the wooden drive cone on a carriage bolt and then chuck the assembly into your portable drill. Use the low speed range and the highest torque setting. I have been successful in starting engines to .46 with a Makita 9.6 volt drill, using the home made drive cone.

My first starter was a wooden drive cone turned from maple and mounted to a 12 volt blower motor I got at a junk yard. It wasn't torque-ey enough to turn more than a .25, but you can do better with an actual starter motor from a salvage yard. Pick one from a smaller car so the motor housing isnt too big for your hands. Get a hefty normally open push button switch from your favorite electronics supply house and mount it to a comfortable spot on the motor housing. Friction tape does well for this.

starter motor from a junk yard? good idea , but couldnt you buy an r/c plane starter for less than that... there like 19 bucks at tower hobbies, although you do seem to have some original ideas
Rog

Well, Back in 1975 when I got started, starters were a lot more expensive, and as I recall, the blower motor was free. I was posting the idea mostly for the benefit of the guy in Australia since everything is a lot more expensive there.

The tower/hobbico starters are cheap and do the job ok, but they are fragile. Generally they can't survive if they drop to the ground and hit on the cone. The motor shaft is driven through the plastic backplate and is generally irrepairable. THe best starter buys in my opinion are the Sullivans, but the Kavan does well too.

Personally, I use an old Royal starter that has ball bearings in an aluminum housing. I have dropped it dozens of times with no harm done to the starter. (Hard on the toes though)

I tried the cordless drill out just because I found that old home made starter cone in a box at my dad's place and was curious. The drill is a good use for the cone

If any of you do buy a starter, keep in mind you may want to start bigger engines some day. There is a guy in our club that bought one of those $19.99 jobs that works pretty good on his 40 size engines. Then he witnessed my Saito 91 on a Tiger 60 and had to have one. The Saito laughs at this little starter. Always happy to help if I can. Garry