Bensen tale....not tail

[StanFoster]

I had a tale with my Bensen I had back in 1985 that came to mind. I had a 90 horse Mac on my Bensen. I also had a weak left shoulder from a snowmobile accident years earlier. My left shoulder would pop out of place on occasion. Well...I had my Bensen out on dads farm and was getting ready to start the Mac. I used to place some wheel blocks in front of the Bensen and hand prop from the rear. I had a blue denim work coat on and hand propped the Mac and she roared to life. On that last hand prop though...my shoulder went out of place and I was rolling on the ground behind the screaming Mac which needed its throttle cut back a little. My dad meanwhile had just driven in and to his horror saw me laying on the ground twisting and turning in that blue denim jacket. He KNEW my arm had gotten in the prop and the look in his eyes as he ran up to find God knows how many parts of Stan missing. I was yelling at him to cut the motor off. He could not understand me over that Mac warming up. I hobbled around and did it myself before the Bensen decided to make a solo flight. Was dad ever releived that I was ok.

After that I started hand propping from the front with my right arm...and I was near the throttle. :)

[jucie]

LOL, Stan. Good story. :D

When I was about 18, my shoulder had a similar problem. My shoulder muscles were too weak. Carefully planned and executed gym exercices solved my problem.

[Bob]

Its a good thing your Dad didn't take out the shot gun and Kill the beast that tried to eat his Son ! .... Dad's have been known to do that ya know !
... I bet that scared him out of 10 years for sure !

I have taken to putting one leg on the front side of the wheel stablizer and one on the other when i start my gyro now.... I had it on its trailer ,still hooked to the lawn tractor and forgot to block the wheels... I thought for a second or two we were going to go for a ride down to the creek ! but soon as I throttled down the brakes on the lawn tractor held again.... boy that thing puts out alot of thrust ! hehehehe <blink, blink !whew ! > hehehehehehe

Bob...

[Bob]

strange...the delete message don't work !

[Pelt]

In the early 80's I had a Bensen with a 72 Mac. One of my buddies was standing in front holding the nose while I pulled the prop through. It was one of those days when the Mac just didn't want to start, so I advanced the throttle a good bit. Well, you guessed it....when I pulled the prop, the Mac started at about full speed ahead. I was was able to throw the kill switch, but not before the wheel pressing against my right ankle cut a big slice out of it and my buddy had his hand sliced open when the air speed indicator broke. We spent the rest of the afternoon in the ER getting stiched.

After that, I never hand started the Mac without the gyro being butted against my trailor. It never bit me again! :)

Randy
N26VT