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Using a Drill as a Starter

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Using a Drill as a Starter

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Old 08-04-2006, 03:42 PM
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Ballistic Insanity
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Default Using a Drill as a Starter

I know someone has thought of this before but I have a Craftsman 9.6V Drill I do not use anymore. I was thinking it would be a great Engine starter.

First is 9.6 enough?

Second Where could I get the end of a torque master that will fit a drill?
Old 08-04-2006, 03:49 PM
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RCKen
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

A lot of people have tried this before. Usually drills don't spin fast enough to start your planes.

Ken
Old 08-04-2006, 08:24 PM
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Kimhoff
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

How can it be that a chicken stick will and a drill won't?
Old 08-04-2006, 09:42 PM
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BSARGE
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

A chicken stick can because it's you doing it, and can easily push the prop through the compression...a drill won't have enough torque...maybe a 18v would do it...but 9.6v would not.

-Bill
Old 08-05-2006, 11:12 AM
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

My 12V didn't have enough rpm. It was strong enough to overcome the compression.

Off to try something else ...
Old 08-06-2006, 07:26 AM
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woodbutcher
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

A guy in my club used an 18 volt cordless drill. He took a hole saw and removed the drill end and buried the cone rubber in the hole saw. Worked pretty good on its' higher speed. I don't remember the brand or model of the drill.
Old 08-08-2006, 08:10 PM
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raw
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

I used a 14.4V dewalt drill to start a gas engine before. I used a large starter cone that had the end threded and put a bolt in it with a jam nut and ground down the bolt that was sticking through to make some flat spots to chuck it up in the drill. It worked fine.
Old 08-09-2006, 11:02 PM
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BeenThere
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

I use a 12v Black and Decker to start all my nitro cars. They have smaller engines but it works fine for me.
Old 08-26-2006, 10:04 AM
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ChuckW
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

There was a guy on eBay a while back selling adapter to use in cordless drills. I'm not sure if they are still available though.
Old 08-29-2006, 01:07 AM
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The Raven
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

Once upon a time I regularly started a 4stroke lawnmower using an electric drill. OK, not a cordless but it worked.

A friend uses a cheap cordless drill (can't recall the voltage but it has a 5 speed ESC in it) to start a very tough to turn over ThunderTiger engine in his RC 4x4.

He has a Ryobi 31cc that will go flying soon and he's managed once or twice to start it with the same drill, although to be honest a bigger drill may be required.

You can do it but the key issue is generating enough torque to get the engine spinning. Once spinning the torque load reduces.

What sized engine are you trying to start? That would help a lot in determining whether you should mess with a cordless drill.

I'm trying to convince my friend that a $89 genset and a electric drill may be cheaper than messing around with all sorts of crazy starter modifications. The genset would come in handy running the lights at our flying field during our night "fly ins", which is an excuse for a BBQ and few drinks (no flying occurs).
Old 08-30-2006, 07:48 AM
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

I watch a my friend start his 50 size heli all the time with a cordless drill
Old 08-30-2006, 09:50 PM
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Ballistic Insanity
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

I have a .46 OS and a 1.20 OS that I would like to start with it. I am begining to loose hope with the idea.
Old 08-31-2006, 12:50 AM
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Default RE: Using a Drill as a Starter

Compared to the cost of everything else in the hobby, I would just buy a good electric starter and convert the drill to a back-up tool of some sort.

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