Is this 12V ? now w/pictures

Hi Eric, consider making 2 cones to fit snugly over the gear. 1/2" ID rubber hose might fit well and will work for your larger spinners. Most of my spinners are the small aluminum Tee Dee .049 style. Your "2nd" cone could be a shorter piece of hose that fits inside the 1/2" hose. Something like fuel-line hose that's 1/2" OD and 5/16" ID. Use "Shoe-Goo" to glue it in. Swapping from one cone to the other could be a PIA though. Maybe a small hose would fit tight-enough inside the larger one without gluing it in?

The starter that I made uses a 540 "can-motor" (Mabuchi or Johnson) that was cannibalized from a 12V air-compressor. I wrapped the motor with some thin aluminum sheet, installed a momentary-switch, routed the wiring out through a hole-plug in the other end and held it together using hose-clamps.

It's purely "redneck" but has worked for decades.

I see that you added photos. COOL! You won't need the noise-reduction thingy's on the motor-terminals.. so I'd just snip them off.

I can't remember the amp-rating on my momentary switch.. but you'll only be applying "short-pulses" when you use the starter. Notice on mine, that I installed my switch inside a plastic cap. That's a safety feature to prevent the button from being pushed when you put the starter down on the ground.

You can connect your starter to the 12V fuel-pump receptacles on your power-panel. The polarity (in/out) switch allows reversing your starter's rotation for use on L/H props.

fredvon4 wrote:

I am a heretic in my old age... I start every engine with electric finger after properly priming...and I can tell when priming if I flooded an engine....

Never ever E-Finger a flooded engine no matter what size

Good advice Phred! I'm in the habit of applying only VERY light-pressure to the spinner. I actually let the cone "slip" slightly.. like engaging a "clutch". It's better to have a lower-powered electric-starter for 1/2A engines.. if you're going to use one.

One more thing.. I've mentioned this before. I keep a small container of light-oil in my flight-support box. I ALWAYS place a few drops on the prop drive-plate before applying any pressure from an electric-starter. Flip the prop a few times to work the oil into the mating-surfaces. It's worth the few seconds that it takes.. and provides a cushion to lessen friction compared to grinding dry parts against each other. Apply "quick-blips" with approx. the same duration as a starter-spring would produce.. and no longer than that. The heat from friction will come very quickly with prolonged cranking. Beware of any "grey-goo" around your drive-plate. That would be ground-Aluminum mixed with fuel. Not good.

I used to watch in horror at the local RC field, when flyer's would crank their engines with an electric starter. They would crank their engines excessively without applying a drop of oil between the case and drive-plate . There's just no need for that.

fredvon4 wrote:

I would like (as I do) users of a E-finger.. to build the engine.. lube/fill it... spin for 3 secs with E-finger...then open the back to see if the Pushing back on the Crank shaft caused interference with the Back Plate (TeeDee/Medallion) or Reed holder... (All Bees)...if true---- and you still want to reliably use E-finger... add more thrust washers to reduce the fore aft play

That's more great advice Phred.. I've never removed a drive-plate from any of my Cox engines. I never knew "how".. until becoming a member here. I haven't tried it yet. There's several threads explaining "how-to".. I've just never done it. Some of my old CC's show some in/out crank-play.. so I should give those some attention. What's the OD measurement on a standard "Bee" crank where a washer/shim would be fitted?