Imagine now if that would have been a DA-120 or (like mine) a DLE-170! that glove is not going to do much except keep all the broken bones in a nice bag for the surgeon.

Dont do this guys! Get a RCS, or someone else's stick, or an electric starter or a base ball bat but don't risk your safety.

Richard

Originally Posted by RICHMATH

Imagine now if that would have been a DA-120 or (like mine) a DLE-170! that glove is not going to do much except keep all the broken bones in a nice bag for the surgeon.

Dont do this guys! Get a RCS, or someone else's stick, or an electric starter or a base ball bat but don't risk your safety.

Richard

Well said

Richmath glad you are doing well after surgery, I had three spine surgeries last year, my flying has improved. I love my RCS, I have inspired several at our field to make the purchase. A couple did not want to and I reminded them I would not help look for the fingers in the grass and I would say I told you so. That is a great marketing slogan you can use. Again thanks for a great product!

Originally Posted by Festivus

Richmath glad you are doing well after surgery, I had three spine surgeries last year, my flying has improved. I love my RCS, I have inspired several at our field to make the purchase. A couple did not want to and I reminded them I would not help look for the fingers in the grass and I would say I told you so. That is a great marketing slogan you can use. Again thanks for a great product!

Thank you so much for posting this!
I am glad the RCS is working so well for you. There are some that will continue to start their engines by hand. Its up to them. I hope they never have a problem. I am not in this to convert everyone. I am doing this to offer those that want a better way and can not find one. I personally use the RCS and will NOT start an RC engine by hand again.

Thanks again for the post, it makes my day!..
Richard

ps. my spine surgery went very well, I am recovering very fast. But my flying still sucks! I should have gone to YOUR surgeon...LOL

Originally Posted by Ryanmlt12

Haha yup, This is what it took.

I watched that video on a great stereo with a massive sub-woofer. OMG, the sound! That's terrifying!

It happened to me on my first gas engine a 35cc. Hit me right on the base of the middle fingernail. Fortunately hurting like hell is all it did.

I watched a friend of mine come back from the starting blocks complaining his 120cc engine was kicking back. I offered him my stick. No no, that's fine. He took a welder's glove back out to tackle his known misbehaving engine. What can you say? Lucky he kept his fingers that day.

Originally Posted by dldeuce

I watched that video on a great stereo with a massive sub-woofer. OMG, the sound! That's terrifying!

It happened to me on my first gas engine a 35cc. Hit me right on the base of the middle fingernail. Fortunately hurting like hell is all it did.

I watched a friend of mine come back from the starting blocks complaining his 120cc engine was kicking back. I offered him my stick. No no, that's fine. He took a welder's glove back out to tackle his known misbehaving engine. What can you say? Lucky he kept his fingers that day.

I really dont understand why some dont want to even try a Starting Stick?? It's not anything that takes away any of your manhood or anything like that. Hell its just a better way to get the engine running? Dont understand but to each their own.
A 120cc can bust your fingers inside a glove. Maybe then he'll try one.

Nice post, thanks...
Richard

After seeing a couple of people get bit, thought it was time to get one for myself. Always used a welders glove before as the carbon fiber props are somewhat sharp. Starts my DA 120 and DA 60 effortlessly. Great product

Originally Posted by mark109

After seeing a couple of people get bit, thought it was time to get one for myself. Always used a welders glove before as the carbon fiber props are somewhat sharp. Starts my DA 120 and DA 60 effortlessly. Great product

Thanks Mark.. I appreciate the post.
Ya know, I say this is a safety item but along with that aspect it is also a lot better way to start your engine...you can spin the prop with a lot more force. Just all around a better idea if I may say so myself...

Thanks again for the post.
Richard

Well, finally got a chance to try my RCS on my trusty old G23 (on EI). It's always been a well behaved, easy-starting engine, but I figured it was good to practice on. The RCS purchase was, for me, about reducing strain on my shoulder for my other (larger) engines. I had rotator cuff surgery last year and want to protect my shoulder from re-injury.

I watched the videos, looked at the technique. I was unable to start the engine cold for the first flight, and I ended up using my Dynatron.

On the 2nd flight, I still could not get whatever wrist-flipping/snapping thing I'm supposed to do with the RCS to properly accelerate the prop. My shoulder started to get annoyed at me. I had the RCS touching the prop at the 1/3 distance from the tip, prop clocked at 1 o'clock coming up on compression. In frustration, I used my leather glove and it started immediately on the 1st flip.

It was not working for me and certainly was not less stress on my shoulder. I'm clearly doing something wrong since everyone else is thrilled with their RCS.

Still have never seen a starting stick at my 350 member club. Everybody just starts by bare hand or with a glove.

Originally Posted by RCAddiction

Well, finally got a chance to try my RCS on my trusty old G23 (on EI). It's always been a well behaved, easy-starting engine, but I figured it was good to practice on. The RCS purchase was, for me, about reducing strain on my shoulder for my other (larger) engines. I had rotator cuff surgery last year and want to protect my shoulder from re-injury.

I watched the videos, looked at the technique. I was unable to start the engine cold for the first flight, and I ended up using my Dynatron.

On the 2nd flight, I still could not get whatever wrist-flipping/snapping thing I'm supposed to do with the RCS to properly accelerate the prop. My shoulder started to get annoyed at me. I had the RCS touching the prop at the 1/3 distance from the tip, prop clocked at 1 o'clock coming up on compression. In frustration, I used my leather glove and it started immediately on the 1st flip.

It was not working for me and certainly was not less stress on my shoulder. I'm clearly doing something wrong since everyone else is thrilled with their RCS.

I found it much easier to set my props at 11 oclock to use the RCS. I struggled when they were set at 2 oclock trying to get a straight swing over the top. It was much easier for me to just push straight down. I also broke a wood prop as well when I first started using it and was really getting frustrated with it. Switching my props to 11 and it just clicked for me.

It may or may not work for you, but that did the trick for me. You certainly dont have to use an RCS, but using your hand is just a bad idea. Im a mechanic, I make my living with my hands. I dont give two shits if someone wants to make fun of me for using a chicken stick. I tell them just remember that when your hand is mangled up on your way to the ER. Some people are too stubborn, and it makes no difference what you say. But to be brutally honest, I dont care what somebody else does anymore. Want to start a big twin bare handed? Go ahead, I dont care. Its your hand.

Now a new or inexperienced person I would mention that thats probably a poor choice. Other wise an experienced flyer, by all means, do whatever floats your boat.

I'm not new to chicken sticks. I own 3 others in various sizes.

I used to start most of my sharp APC-propped 2-stroke glow engines from .46 to 1.80 with a chicken stick. Most of my YS needed an electric starter. Unfortunately, a Saito .80 glow engine prop strike at high idle caused me to endure hand surgery 10+ years ago. It was not from hand-propping...but nonetheless the 13" APC split the tip of my thumb, entire thumbnail, and the bone into a "Y" up to the 1st knuckle. Thumb is fine today, but I don't recommend the experience!

I will try the 11 o'clock method as a backup plan, but I'm going to get a belt reduction electric starter for the engines my Dynatron direct drive won't handle. Even if I master the RCS, flipping is still going to be extra load on my shoulder rotator cuff that I'd rather avoid.

And no, I don't care if people think an electric starter on a gas engine is even more "un-manly" than a chicken stick!

Originally Posted by Eric_04

I found it much easier to set my props at 11 oclock to use the RCS. I struggled when they were set at 2 oclock trying to get a straight swing over the top. It was much easier for me to just push straight down. I also broke a wood prop as well when I first started using it and was really getting frustrated with it. Switching my props to 11 and it just clicked for me.

It may or may not work for you, but that did the trick for me. You certainly dont have to use an RCS, but using your hand is just a bad idea. Im a mechanic, I make my living with my hands. I dont give two shits if someone wants to make fun of me for using a chicken stick. I tell them just remember that when your hand is mangled up on your way to the ER. Some people are too stubborn, and it makes no difference what you say. But to be brutally honest, I dont care what somebody else does anymore. Want to start a big twin bare handed? Go ahead, I dont care. Its your hand.
Now a new or inexperienced person I would mention that thats probably a poor choice. Other wise an experienced flyer, by all means, do whatever floats your boat.

I had same problem with my rcs. Worked fine on my 35, but the 100 not a chance, broke the trailing edge off two wood props, so back to the paint roller which has never damaged my props. The thing with putting props at 11, is that if someone is starting your plane say at a competition etc, then using your hand/glove ends up being more dangerous because you cant flip up and away at 11 o clock. The guys that tried mine at our club also didnt like it. They sure as hell werent about to move the props on there imac planes. One guy told me straight out, he wasnt putting it near his 200+ dollar 3 blade cf prop. His choice i guess, but after breaking two of my own wood props its not going near my cf props either.

Originally Posted by RCAddiction

Well, finally got a chance to try my RCS on my trusty old G23 (on EI). It's always been a well behaved, easy-starting engine, but I figured it was good to practice on. The RCS purchase was, for me, about reducing strain on my shoulder for my other (larger) engines. I had rotator cuff surgery last year and want to protect my shoulder from re-injury.

I watched the videos, looked at the technique. I was unable to start the engine cold for the first flight, and I ended up using my Dynatron.

On the 2nd flight, I still could not get whatever wrist-flipping/snapping thing I'm supposed to do with the RCS to properly accelerate the prop. My shoulder started to get annoyed at me. I had the RCS touching the prop at the 1/3 distance from the tip, prop clocked at 1 o'clock coming up on compression. In frustration, I used my leather glove and it started immediately on the 1st flip.

It was not working for me and certainly was not less stress on my shoulder. I'm clearly doing something wrong since everyone else is thrilled with their RCS.

It is a total let down for me to hear this from you!... We gotta figure out what is not happening here!
I had four...FOUR rotator cuff surgeries (one right after the other) on the same shoulder in two years. I know your pain!! Fortunately they were all on my left shoulder! However, my flipping shoulder is not much better.
When I tune my DLE-170, I will start it at least 30 times with the RCS and every time when I am finished I look at the RCS and say (just like I say in the video)..."This thing really works!" Without the RCS my shoulder would not take that.
I have a friend that tried out one of the first Sticks for me...so I could see how it worked with others. For some reason he just could not get a good flip on the prop. He is your normal guy that does all the normal guy stuff with hand tools but for some reason he just didnt have the action???
Now I do not think I am any more gifted then anyone else but I have never had any problems with manual dextarity...for me the prop flipping with the RCS just came as easy as anything...???
I (as stated in the video) have always set my props at the 11:00 o'clock position. I tried it at 1:00 o'clock and it just really feels wrong to me.
Please try this again with your prop at the 11 position. It sounds like you are doing everything else right. I have had others write me and tell me the same thing and after they went to the 11 position wrote back and said ..."problem solved!"
My friend, if the RCS was not everything I say and everything you read from other pilots I guarantee you I would have discontinued them long time ago and went back into retirement! Lets give this another try.
Give the 11:00 o;clock a try and let me know how that works,...please!

Thanks
Richard

I've always propped at 11:00.