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

[Dave Croft]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <FRM8198 at aol.com>
To: <sel at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 10:51 PM
Subject: Re: [SEL] From a newsgroup: Lookin For: Crank for 1.5hp Economy
In a message dated 1/25/2006 11:47:10 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
fero_ah at city-net.com writes:
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.
Arnie,
How true your words are!  I have the hand to prove it.   Yes, I tangled with
crankshaft on my Economy.  I forgot that the Economy  had an open crankshaft.
While trying to start it with an electric motor,  my hand slip into the
crankshaft turning area.  Heck, it only took a trip  to the ER and ten stitches
this time.  This is the same hand that tried to  stop my 4¼" grinder.  I spent
two days in the hospital with this boo boo.
Francis  Maciel
Santa Maria, CA


In my 30 years of Engine restoration I have only had 3 big mishaps.
On the first engine I restored ( A 3 HP Lister A) I didn't know about
how important it was to check the timing before trying to start a new
engine with a crank. I did survive OK but the pain took a while to go away.
(PS Remember to keep you thumb on the same side of the handle as your fingers)
I haven't had any other serious problems with starting handles since.
Later I slipped on a muddy field when downloading with my trailer winch  &
I kissed the towbar on the way down.
The third time I was unloading a large engine from my trailer at 45 Degrees
when the handle slipped out of my hand & first time round smashed the watch
my family bought me for my 21'st birthday. I still have it as a reminder!
The second time round it caught the back of my hand as I pulled it away & I had
a hand twice the normal size for weeks after. The run away engine missed any objects!!
Overall I think I have been quite lucky for all those years of pleasure.
Dave Croft
Warrington
England
http://community.webshots.com/user/crftdv