Finger bitters!

[Clint Ormosen]

We all have at least that ONE old engine that is guaranteed to snap at you in protest every single time you attempt to fire it up. I have a few engines with attitude and several that will give me lip when flipped an a cold day. But by far the worst offender is my OS Max-1 .29. That stupid thing bites the fingers like no other! I don't usually use a finger guard or chicken stick. Not trying to sound brave or macho, I just find them cumbersome and annoying. But that darned OS takes advantage of that fact every time, without fail.
The "Starting engines" post reminded me of how much I hate starting that old OS, but it runs so sweet!

[Paul Taylor]

I always - always - ALWAYS use a heave leather glove. I have the cut it off so it just covers my palm and very easy to sling off after the engine starts. My LA .46 does not kick back very often but when it does I am protected.
I use TT and APC props. I know it may not work for a CF prop but I don't own any.

[Randy Ryan]

Come to think of it, I did have one old O&R .60 that couldn't be retarded enough and it would kick and bite badly. But that was a manufacturing problem, not the normal characteristic of those engines.

[Alan Resinger]

After seeing 4 different people get rather serious cuts at last years Northwest Regionals I vowed to not add my name to the list.  As soon as I got home I bought an electric starter and my new ship sports a jack mounted on the fuse side to connect my battery to the glow plug.  I'm getting too old and stupid and don't want to leave part of a finger lying on the tarmac.  Even if you're using wood props you all should go the route I've gone.  Your didgets are just too important to lose or permanently injure.

[PJ Rowland]

Chicken stick people......... Chicken stick.

After getting my 1st .60 at aged 13 in a stardust, and got a massive cut, which I still have the scare I always use one.

If you saw my chicken stick after 10 years of use, you'd appreciate why my finger is fine and the stick isnt...
 

[kenneth cook]

         There is no doubt that it hurts when you get whacked. I being a 1/2 a enthusiast know this better than most. A few years ago, I learned to backflip engines on startup. By far this was probably the best method I ever learned to start engines. It works well on 1/2 a engines as well. I find it to work much better with the larger engines though probably due to the larger props having a bit more flywheel momentum to them. Your  hands or fingers are out of the prop before it can come around and get your finger. The glove surely is good safety advice, I should practice what I'm typing though. The best part of backflipping a prop is that if the engine is loaded it will usually assist in clearing the flooded cylinder after a few attempts. I've managed to get a few engines to start on the first try using this method. Ken

[John Hammonds]

From the Barton site. OK, This was not a bite during the initial start up apparently the guy lost his balance while adjusting the rpm, kinda emphasises the need to make sure you are in a comfortable position and not over reaching before making any adjustments.



Sorry if anyone stumbled across this while eating...

TTFN
John.

[Richard Grogan]

Electric Starter.

[Jerry Leuty]

Since most of us across this USA tend to fly alone w/o an assistant we must develop good safety practices and use them everytime. Obviously profiles are easier to start, disconnect the glow battery, and set the needle valve when flying by yourself. The prop is always the 'teeth of an angry dog' so to speak. If you are going to get eaten up it will be by the prop. I tend to use wooden props simply because they are wood. I also use a water ski type of glove for starting. You can get a nice set of gloves from Home Depot right now that have a leather palm and a mesh upper surface. They are red and black in color and come with 2 sets for $10. They are flexible and you can nearly able to pick up a coin with them on. If the engine does not hit within a few flips I take out the electric starter. On a full fuselage stunter with reverse engine the glow plug battery is a little tricky to disconnect. I use a PVC pipe stand to hold the plane inverted and a long string already connected to the stooge. Plus setting the needle valve can be a little dangerous as well. Accidents are going to happen. But they don't have to happen to you. I find that accidents happen to me when I am tired, frustrated, and should take a break from my activity. I have to concentrate on what I am doing and not let my mind wander off to other things. Well I am preaching to the choir. Just remember why we do this and lets go have some safe fun while doing it.

[Clint Ormosen]

Well, this thread didn't go in the direction I intended it to. But that's ok, we can always use another reminder about prop safety .

[Annette Elmore]

The Amco 3.5 PB diesel was know as THE finger biter here in the UK!

Annette

[Ward Van Duzer]

A very comfortable Chicken stick can be made by cutting off about 9" of a RUBBER garden hose. Use it as cut off, it is stiff enough not to need a dowel stuck through it, and flexable enough to be forgiving. Easy to grip also...

Or use an "electric" finger!

Ask me how I know! A Bolly taught me so...


W.

[FLOYD CARTER]

This started out about engines that "kick", meaning they tend to fire long before the piston reaches the top.  I think that can be cured with an extra head gasket or two.  If the head is not removable, then, low or no nitro should help.

Since my own fingers are necessary (all of them) for violin playing, I'm in habit of using a chicken stick:  a piece of old garden hose works just fine.

Floyd

[Clint Ormosen]

This started out about engines that "kick", meaning they tend to fire long before the piston reaches the top.  I think that can be cured with an extra head gasket or two.  If the head is not removable, then, low or no nitro should help.

Since my own fingers are necessary (all of them) for violin playing, I'm in habit of using a chicken stick:  a piece of old garden hose works just fine.

Floyd

Yeah, as an organist, you'd think I be a little more worried about using a chicken stick. I did order a rubber finger, they're the least annoying things to use.

[Garf]

I usually don't use a chicken stick, but I own one. It's a piece of plastic air brake line from a bus.

[Balsa Butcher]

except that many (possible most) prop injuries occur when hand makes contact with prop after engine has started...finger guard, glove, electric starter, chicken stick, etc. removed or discarded. Complacency Kills! 

[George]

For me it was learning diesels...mostly .15's. I wore out a couple pairs of gloves before the chicken stick was available. I usualy flip left-handed and wore the right hand glove on the left hand when the other one wore out.

Still have that old original wooden handled chicken stick.

High compression glows that kick back can usually be started by back-flipping.

George

[Neville Legg]

I had a 2.5 Oliver diesel break its nylon prop on my finger, one bitterly cold bright frosty day in '68! Finger wasn't too bad (one cut) but did it hurt!

Cheers

[Jim Thomerson]

This is a story of stupidity.  I flew my big Fry with AM 25 diesel, after about a three year hiatus for the airplane and engine, last Sunday.  I had to open the needle to flush out the congealed castor.  Engine fired right up and I got it running pretty good but, as it turned out, way too rich.  The airplane would fly some maneuvers but not others.  My leg started hurting, so I flew the airplane in while the engine was coughing and sputtering.  No damage except broke one blade off the APC 9 x 5 prop.  Oil in great amounts from being too rich.  I drained the fuel tank, cleaned the airplane up, and sat down with it.

Here comes the stupid part.  I was sitting holding the airplane and thoughtlessly flipped the one-bladed prop.  The engine fired up and ran for several seconds.  The airplane was shaking and vibrating something fierce.  I was able to hold on to it, which I would not have been able to do if I had not cleaned the oil off.

[Randy Ryan]

This is a story of stupidity.  I flew my big Fry with AM 25 diesel, after about a three year hiatus for the airplane and engine, last Sunday.  I had to open the needle to flush out the congealed castor.  Engine fired right up and I got it running pretty good but, as it turned out, way too rich.  The airplane would fly some maneuvers but not others.  My leg started hurting, so I flew the airplane in while the engine was coughing and sputtering.  No damage except broke one blade off the APC 9 x 5 prop.  Oil in great amounts from being too rich.  I drained the fuel tank, cleaned the airplane up, and sat down with it.

Here comes the stupid part.  I was sitting holding the airplane and thoughtlessly flipped the one-bladed prop.  The engine fired up and ran for several seconds.  The airplane was shaking and vibrating something fierce.  I was able to hold on to it, which I would not have been able to do if I had not cleaned the oil off.

I was in the shop one evening, had just replaced the engine on a big RC ship, an FP .60. I tightened the prop nut and replaced the spinner and as has always been my habit, I went to flip it through, which I did, once, twice and on the third flip it fired what must have been the oil I used to reassemble it. Not expecting it, I got one H*** of a crack across my fingers. No blood, but man it hurt. So, its just like a gun, like my Dad taught me, "its always loaded".

[john e. holliday]

WD-40 used to be the oil I used just for that purpose.  Especially for people that could not keep their hands off stuff.  I would oil up a diesel and flip it maybe once or twice.  Set it down and do something else.  Amazing how fast people learn not to flip the prop on my engines.