My Blade Exploded today

[Tomscave]

Adjusting the tracking today on my kitchen table with a brand new set of Eflite woodies. Spooled her up and it was a little off so I readjusted and spooled her up again and BAM, one of the woodies lets go at the root. Blade skimmed my left shoulder and took out a vase behind me on a shelf. I was holding the heli by the skids and looking at the blades even with my eyes. I was almost another victim, whew

[Epoweredrc]

holy crap..... helis are Dangerous, NEVER spool up while your that close to it, you need to be at least 15 feet from it while spooling it up checking tracking, glad no one got hurt worse.
Poor heli.
brand new set? never flown? I be talking to whoever you got them from

[eabing]

Originally Posted by Tomscave

Adjusting the tracking today on my kitchen table with a brand new set of Eflite woodies. Spooled her up and it was a little off so I readjusted and spooled her up again and BAM, one of the woodies lets go at the root. Blade skimmed my left shoulder and took out a vase behind me on a shelf. I was holding the heli by the skids and looking at the blades even with my eyes. I was almost another victim, whew

Wow...that's a wake up call for me because I do the EXACT same thing! I'm glad you were not seriously injured! It definitely could have been a lot worse!

How exactly did the blades come off? Did the grips break off? Grip screws weren't tight enough and rattled off? The feathering shaft not tight and let go?

[Larry227]

This is the second post in the last few weeks where someone could have gotten hurt badly by checking their tracking while spooling up and holding the skids. I can understand someone that doesn't own a heli not realizing how dangerous they can be but someone that does own one should know better.
If they do know better and still do it then I guess you can't fix stupid.

[Tomscave]

Originally Posted by eabing

Wow...that's a wake up call for me because I do the EXACT same thing! I'm glad you were not seriously injured! It definitely could have been a lot worse!

How exactly did the blades come off? Did the grips break off? Grip screws weren't tight enough and rattled off? The feathering shaft not tight and let go?

The blade broke at the root. Only thing I can think of is it was a defective blade.

[Tomscave]

Originally Posted by Larry227

This is the second post in the last few weeks where someone could have gotten hurt badly by checking their tracking while spooling up and holding the skids. I can understand someone that doesn't own a heli not realizing how dangerous they can be but someone that does own one should know better.
If they do know better and still do it then I guess you can't fix stupid.

I agree Larry. It's been storming all day here and I couldn't go outside. I should have waited, but I got a case of stupid.

[Larry227]

Bet you won't do it again.

[dazzzer30]

the tracking is something i hate doing i have got to the point where i dont know how best to do it , first way i tried was holding the tail holder spooling up and looking at the blades, nearly got hit by a blade, so then i decided to try and tracking out side and spooling up the heli to head height and looking at the blades, but this can be just as dangerous, as your looking at the blade you can loose focus of the fact that your still controlling the heli and i nearly lost control .

[eabing]

Originally Posted by Larry227

This is the second post in the last few weeks where someone could have gotten hurt badly by checking their tracking while spooling up and holding the skids. I can understand someone that doesn't own a heli not realizing how dangerous they can be but someone that does own one should know better.
If they do know better and still do it then I guess you can't fix stupid.

Can't argue with you there. I am guilty of this. I spool up my heli in my large living room. I never get it off the floor. I have a piece of heavy lumber that goes through both skids to weigh it down. But I stoop down in front of it only four feet away to see how they track. Definitely won't be doing this again.

[Larry227]

You could always get someone else to watch your blades at a hover from a safe distance. Or video it.
Really guys, like my mom use to say.........it's all fun and games until someone looses an eye. Don't let that someone be you.

[scott s]

Strap it down to an ironing board and dont leave anything dangleing. And stand at least 10 feet from it. You cant eye the blades for tracking anyway if you are so close you can hold it!! Man you are lucky!! Bet you will never do that again HUH!

[Geardaddy]

Tracking is tough.. I have taped my blade 400 down to a solid floor with duct tape a few times.. I run two pieces through the skids, then another two pieces on the outside of the skids to "tape down the tape".. It's pretty obnoxious, but I don't want that bad boy getting loose..

[mulicheng]

Originally Posted by scott s

Strap it down to an ironing board and dont leave anything dangleing. And stand at least 10 feet from it. You cant eye the blades for tracking anyway if you are so close you can hold it!! Man you are lucky!! Bet you will never do that again HUH!

Why would you strap it down? Bring it up to an eye-level hover outside where you can do things safely. (This is the finless recommended way). If you aren't comfortable doing that, get some help.

[Epoweredrc]

Originally Posted by Larry227

This is the second post in the last few weeks where someone could have gotten hurt badly by checking their tracking while spooling up and holding the skids. I can understand someone that doesn't own a heli not realizing how dangerous they can be but someone that does own one should know better.
If they do know better and still do it then I guess you can't fix stupid.

That is my Fav t shirt, i am wearing it right now!
people I run into just love it.

BTW, We have used something heavy like Rebarb before to hold the heli down to check tracing and such things but now I just hover 15-20 feet away and look at the tracking

[backburner1955]

Always keep a pair of these with your heli stuff... Make a habit, you can even get dark ones for outside. $5 or your eyes? Which is better to loose?

[Deputydawg]

Whats the diff? whether its bolted to the floor, held at eye level or hovered at eye level bottom line is you have to get it line of sight in order to get it right. It can cut loose in anyone of those scenarios, I'll be wearing safety glasses.

Dave

If they say Smith&Wesson on them I'll bet they don't cost five bucks :-)

[backburner1955]

Originally Posted by Deputydawg

Whats the diff? whether its bolted to the floor, held at eye level or hovered at eye level bottom line is you have to get it line of sight in order to get it right. It can cut loose in anyone of those scenarios, I'll be wearing safety glasses.

Dave

If they say Smith&Wesson on them I'll bet they don't cost five bucks :-)

Check this Link DeputyDawg, Amazon.com, sold from Coast to Coast Safety for $4.69.

http://www.amazon.com/Jackson-Safety.../dp/B000TBMZZS

[Deputydawg]

Well I'll be a monkeys uncle................I was thinking along the line of designer shooting glasses.............my bad........prying foot out of mouth!

[backburner1955]

Originally Posted by Deputydawg

Well I'll be a monkeys uncle................I was thinking along the line of designer shooting glasses.............my bad........prying foot out of mouth!

We need more smileys, like a foot in the mouth smiley... haha

[Epoweredrc]

I would rather be 20 foot away where the blade has time to drop and hit the ground then right at it where its going to hit me as soon as it brakes yes helis are SO dangerous people scare the (&^ out me standing in line with a airplane prop while motor is running full power but there is less chance of it breaking and sticking in your side then the heli blade breaking and hitting you, its all chances so oh well. do it how you wish.