[SEL] From a newsgroup: Lookin For: Crank for 1.5hp Economy

[Arnie Fero]

Hi Joe,

Danger is what you make it.  If we were all so worried about potential
danger, we'd be in a different hobby.  I won't bore everyone with all of
the possible ways that our beloved old iron can hurt us.  I think we know,
although we probably don't dwell on it.

I think that any of us who have been in the hobby over five years can cite
examples of someone who has been hurt by every one of those "potential
dangers."  And we can all cite wonderful gory details.

The simple fact is that we get hurt when we get careless.

It's not the evil hand crank, or the heavy ackward engine, or the spinning
flywheels, or the moving crankshaft, or the ungarded gears.  It's a person
who got careless.

I routinely use a hand crank on roughly half of my engines.  It's the
easiest way to start those engines; and on four of 'em, its the ONLY
way.  In ten years I've gotten whacked by a crank exactly once.  And guess
what?  I got careless.

We routinely make observations of US and English engine shows without
fences (compared to the Aussie shows with fences) and show no
wild increase in spectator injuries.

So it is with hand cranks.  When you walk around an English engine show
it's really rare to see a guy pulling flywheels.  They use hand cranks.
I've never seen anyone get whacked or seen folks with grevious hand crank
induced injuries.

A hand crank isn't some mysterious instrument of the devil.  It's a tool.
Just like a power drill or circular saw.  If you're not careful, it can
hurt you.  If you are careful, it won't.

Now, go be a man and go grab your crank!!  8-))

See ya,  Arnie

Arnie Fero
Pittsburgh, PA
fero_ah at city-net.com

On Wed, 25 Jan 2006 jlb94 at juno.com wrote:

<parts snipped>
> There has been much discussion on the list about hand cranks.
> I had 2 in my lifetime.  I now have only one for my Stover CT-1.
> I have NEVER used a hand crank to start a flywheel engine.
> I have NEVER used a hand crank to start a flywheel engine.
> I have NEVER used a hand crank to start a flywheel engine.
> Real simple - IT'S TOO DAMN DANGEROUS !!!
> If you want it for DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY - - - GREAT !!!
> But you said "Yanking on the flywheel to start it is getting old fast!"
> I have NEVER used a hand crank to start a flywheel engine.