Prop Bite!!!!

[tarheal63]

So here I am at my computer with 2 wrapped fingers wondering where I went wrong. I finished out my GWS A-10 pusher conversion, took her out for the maiden, it is running a 2212-6 with an apc 6x4. I grasp it right behind the wing close to the nacelles, wind up the motor and heave, there is a loud THUNK and my plane noses to the ground, not hard, but i notice the motor swinging freely, crap, it broke off, well, turns out it broke off when the prop struck my fingers on the way out, OUCH, I am bleeding like a stuck pig, but my first concern was my plane, are you hurt baby, you gonna be ok?, nevermind that I have a chunk of APC sticking out of the top of my finger, sheesh. Ok, so I look down to check the damage, 3 deep cuts across the top of my index finger, and one across the middle knuckle, the wife is with me, so she grabs the first aid kit out of the car, and she was very concerned at the amount of blood I was leaking, it looked like we slaughtered and animal where I was standing. Meahwhile, am checking the plane out. Not too bad, the motor mount has broken off of the rear, easily fixable, and there is a crack in the center of the fuse, easily fixable, glad I glassed this thing. This is my first rear mount pusher but I won't be deterred, next time, I underhand launch, the bird is 26oz AUW but the motor prop combo gives me about 32oz thrust, so I think it is doable. If there is any suggestions about launching a rear mount successfully I will welcome them. Tommorrow, I am off to Hobby Lobby to get my F9F for my birthday, I feel that an EDF won't bite me.

[kenchiroalpha]

Hi
Im so very sorry to hear this
But im so relieved and happy that it wasnt worse
My prayers and best wishes for a swift and full recovery
Take care
Yours Hank

[CHELLIE]

ouch, sorry to hear about that, put some EDFs on it, or landing gear and take off from the ground with a prop, you got to get your hand down out of the way and follow through or bump with the prop, take care, Chellie

[flydiver]

Sorry to hear about the injury.

Follow through.
Always pause before launching and think about that follow though.
Never, ever get rushed.
You need a decent grip so slipping doesn't happen if there are no built in throwing grips/dents/ridges. Lightly wet the fingers or even glue on some sandpaper.

[tarheal63]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys.
Chellie, I had EDF's on this thing to begin with and that is how I ended up making it a park pusher. I didn't realize that it also doubled as a meat slicer.

[Larry3215]

The trick with pushers is to wait and NOT give it any throttle until AFTER it leaves your hand.

Cant get cut that way

[tarheal63]

You know Larry, that thought went thru my head last night, I wasn't sure it would work though, I would need to be quick on the stick though, wouldn't I. Worth a shot to keep from losing digits.

[Trammellc2001]

I had an accident with a heli cutting up my thumb before winter, it really made me think. When I purchased my Stryker, the first thing I did was install landing gear.

[flydiver]

Thousands of fliers launch this type of craft tens of thousands of times without incident. But it sure gets the person who gets chopped up attention when they get an injury like this. They are nasty.
The group sees one of these warnings every couple months (do a search), which is a good thing as it probably does save some fingers. It may have saved mine (so far). Taking the prop off and/or securing the plane while working on it is another common injury scenario.

But, the message certainly doesn't get out to everyone. Well, that just BITES!

[SmoothCruizer]

Ouch dude! Sorry to hear this... Underhand is not going to help much and it's harder to lift your hand away this way instead of to javelin throw. I throw my funjet like a paper plane without the full power. Then gun it when it drops around waist to head level

[tarheal63]

It really scares me to launch a plane with no power, but I am willing to try at this point, I think I have the power to get it going from a good hand toss though, this will be my next attempt. I do have epoxy standing by.

[Nitro Blast]

Sorry to read about your prop bite there tarheal, Looks like you are mastering the "Heal" in your WF name.

I have a buddy who launches a rear pusher, but what he does is use a leather glove with the fingertips cut away. He launches, gets altitude, then flings the glove to the ground like a hockey player skating in for a fight.




BTW, THANK YOU for sparing me from any very graphic images, bandages tell the story just fine!

[Saddlebum]

May I suggest a meat cutters glove...

http://www.askthemeatman.com/cut_resistant_gloves.htm





No kidding. Loving my fingers the way I do, I woud not launch a pusher without some form of protection.

...The Bum

[stuart]

interesting glove....,might even help with the throw.

sorry to hear of anyone getting bit by a prop...happens to us all ,and to some they never learn .

my worst time bitten was when a plane flew off the work table into my lap,i caught it with my hands and received 6 stitches.

i will never ,ever stand or sit with the plane facing me wether at the field or in the workshop and power up the throttle,i'v learned my lesson.

the worst i heard of at my clubs field was an old timer reaching through his glow prop to adjust the carb,serious injury!

[iflyrc1012]

Tarheal,
watch this video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJJe7QLT0vE the launch is at 45 seconds or so into the video.
airplane in left hand, fingers on top side of the wing, thumb on bottom. airplane at half throttle, swing your arm, elbow locked, in a slightly upwards arc from the waist to the shoulder, don't toss hard, just smooth and steady. i have a big heavy modified stryker that uses a 3000 mah 4 cell, and it gets tossed exactly this way. Size,weight of the plane/wing make no difference. i also launch my buddy's Habu E.D.F. jet this way!
i have hand launched all types of pusher planes/wings/e.d.f.'s this way and never been so much as scratched.

(the little kick with the left foot is optional)that's just how i roll!!! lol!

[tarheal63]

Interesting style, but very workable I beleive, as far as the gloves go, I am VERY familiar with them as I was a restaurant manager and chef for 10 years and spent many hours with knives in my hands, they even make chain mail ones for serious knife work. I have had uncountable cuts, but never at the velocity of a spinning prop, my wife actually suggested the glove today. I like the idea of throwing the bird out by the wing though, just have to practice the move before going live.

[hillbillynamedpossum]

I use a welding glove. They are really heavy split hide and only cost about $10 a pair. The follow thru is VERY important. Right after the launch, I fling the glove to the ground and Ive got my right hand free to run the sticks. So far, Ive never gotten nipped, but it only takes once!


Possum

[iflyrc1012]

Tarheal,
Get a Frisbee at the dollar store, and toss it a few times using the toss i showed you.
hand launches are easy once you are confident enough. at half throttle, the plane should want to fly right out of your hand.

[tarheal63]

Thank you fly, I will try it. I appreciate everyone's concern AND advice. This is why I joined this forum. Great bunch of people who don't judge when someone screws up, just offer suggestions as how not to do it again.

[Octavius]

Others have talked a little about over-hand vs under-hand. Both seem to be better or worse depending on the plane. A third option is the discus launch by holding one wing tip. The asymmetrical toss just doesn't seem right but that's mostly just in our mind. I've seen several people that launch exclusively like this no matter what plane.

Note: I wouldn't exactly call the video above a discus launch. More of a just-let-go rather than a full swing. I don't mean to knock it because it's another good example of how to launch, but some planes need more speed than that to fly.

This would be an extreme on the other end...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8TsT4mpLDc

[iflyrc1012]

Tarheal,
your welcome, and be safe.

Oct,
your right, that wing is overpowered, and only needs to be lightly tossed, but i was just trying to demonstrate a general technique, how i manage not to get struck by the prop while launching a pusher prop model, not the perfect stroke.when i launch my stryker or something else heavier, then the swing and release are different. all i'm trying to do is get it to minimum flying speed, on a slight up-line. after that it will fly out of your hand.

[pattern14]

Hey Tarheal, sorry to hear about the prop bite If I had got my act together earlier and sent some photo's about pusher mounting, it may have averted it My right thumb is still healing from a good chop from the left pusher prop of my Me 262. On my single motor pusher planes I install a ventral fin ( under neath the fuse) just ahead of the motor mount. The original Idea was to act as a prop saver for the rough paddock I fly off and land on, as I used to break them on rocks and such. Then I realised that they also improved the handling as Vertical stabs actually work better upside down. AND THEN I discovered that it protects my hand on launch, regardless of prop size or power. Maybe you could rig something similar up on your A10. Even if it is taped on and tears away on landing, as my original prototype test one was. The photo should give you some Idea. Good luck

[kevinm]

(had to move this here, i need for no -one to have happen to them like did me) -
- hate when that throttle gets touched when i didnt mean to - i got 31 stitches - took 3 hours to reassemble my palm -low RPM assident -asked the stitcher if it looked like i left a part out there at the flying field - she said no- -my coat touched the throttle as it was hanging from my neck- many ppl carefully dull the razor sharp tips of their props - any reason those tips are so sharp? i cant think of any - leading edges, sure, but the tips?
also-- anyone install a throttle lock somehow? (two step throttle actuation)

[tarheal63]

OOOOWWWWW, man, makes what happened to me look like a scratch, I hope it didn't put you off of RC, man, I cannot even imagine that kind of pain.

[kevinm]

not a bit of discomfort till i started getting stitched-- lotsa shots, and boo-hissing, when shed thread me on a live nerve - then another shot for that area - yea it sucked -of course several Q&A sessions, and they without fail were thinking "liar" when i told them "toy airplane "
i carefully put the hotrod wildhawk in the car and called that i just cut myself and would be late for dinner -fly that bird ever so often -2208-08 2600kv its a fast WH - 6x4 apc sport
heres the power http://cgi.ebay.com/RC-A2208-2600-KV...item43a484b8f2