Several safety-related reader stories are featured this month
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• A clever engine-starting
safety idea
• Responses to smoking in
the pits
Skillful Hugo Yacoucci made a special propeller bearing for his 10-
inch-span Indoor Rubber model. He is a retired machinist.
Don Burke is a veteran CL flier. Experience shows in the way he
protects his hands, knees, and eyes in the pits.
Spectators got a close but safe view of RC helicopter demonstrations at the Los Angeles
iHobby Expo, thanks to heavy netting from floor to ceiling.
IT’S STORY TIME! I have a stack of
great E-mail to share, starting with the
following from Frank Slavin.
“About two years ago I took two
electric airplanes to the field—both on the
same frequency. After flying one, I parked
it under my car. A club member test flew
my second airplane.
“As I watched, another member asked
me where my first airplane was. Going
over to my car, I noticed that airplane
number one had taken off and crashed into
the plate-steel clubhouse.
“There is a moral to this story: Don’t
forget to turn your switch off after you fly
your electric airplane—unless you want to
practice formation flying.”
I can relate to that one, Frank! A few
times I have found switches on as I put my
models away. Double-check this stuff!
Following is a clever idea from Joe
Wagner—MA’s “The Engine Shop” man.
He wrote:
“Experience is what you gain immediately
after it was needed. While spectating at a
sport RC session, I was asked to help a man
with a balky engine. No starter or ‘chicken
stick’ being available, I hand-flipped—and
got bit.
“Then it occurred to me that an excellent
substitute for a ‘chicken stick’—or for the
leather glove I use when hand-starting one of
my own engines—can be quickly improvised
by folding over a paper towel a couple or
three times, then wrapping that around one’s
index and middle fingers, retaining it with
rubber bands or masking tape.”
It’s better to wrap the finger with a paper
towel before flipping the propeller than with a
bandage afterward. If someone as
knowledgeable as Joe can get nicked, we all
need to take extra care.
Eddie Graves wrote in, and, once again, I
saw myself in the story. He related the
following.
“These are a couple of the things that I
have observed or experienced myself
(painfully in one case). First is a topic that
you have covered several times, battery
safety, but this doesn’t involve Li-Polys.
This involves your field box batteries.
“I have observed twice in the last six
years the rare and mysterious smoking
field box. In both cases the battery was
shorted and caused a small fire (from
melting wire and burning painted wood).
In neither case did the fuel that was
attached to the box catch fire and both
were quickly contained.
“I guess my biggest worry is people
leaving their field box batteries hooked up
while they are unattended (stored at home
in the house or garage). The terminals of
the batteries (at least one) should be
covered with something. (I use a connector
by itself that hasn’t been crimped to
anything—just a brand new connector.)
“I would hate to see what could happen
if the boxes had not been attended and the
fire had been allowed to get to full
potential.
“The second topic is hobby knife
safety. This one comes from personal
experience, and a bit of pain. It sounds like
common sense (and is really). Put down
the knife when you are going to do
anything that does not involve cutting.
“I was scoring a piece I was working
on, and I figured that it would be easy
enough to break the two pieces apart, so I
decided (or really just didn’t think about it)
to break them apart while still holding the
knife in my left hand.
“Well, after I removed the buried blade
from my right forearm, I realized that it
took a little more force to break those
pieces apart than I thought. I am now
current on my tetanus shot and have a nice
little numb spot on my wrist from nerve
damage.”
Thanks for the reminder, Eddie! My
bad habit is holding a running rotary tool
while brushing sawdust away or
rearranging something. Dumb! I’m making
a real effort to catch myself and change
this, or I could end up typing with nine
fingers instead of two.
Christopher Singleton is an experienced
user and kindly jotted down some tips for
getting along with these useful gadgets.
“The following are based on my
experiences with working with rotary tools
as an architectural model builder 15 years
ago:
“Always wear safety glasses, and wear
a face shield when using cutoff disks.
Disks do indeed shatter if you apply
twisting force to the blade.
“Use a cutoff disk when cutting metal.
Unless you have fingers to spare, do not
use a toothed blade. A cutoff disk is a
miniature version of the same cutoff disks
used in the metal cutting industry. A cutoff
blade is a miniature circular saw, and some
manufacturers have stopped selling them
because of liability concerns.
“Rotary tools work great on wood,
metal, ceramics, and glass (etching).
However, even their lowest settings are
generally too fast for use on plastics
(styrene, acrylic, and polycarbonate).
“Typically if you try to use a 1/4-inchdiameter
or larger sanding drum on plastic
you will generally find that you are
melting the plastic. Smaller-diameter burrs
are generally okay, but light pressure is
needed.
“When possible use a collet rather than
a three jaw chuck, which has a tendency to
loosen, especially when under heavy load.
“Other than the above, I couldn’t live
without my two rotary tools.”
I agree with Christopher regarding
miniature saw-blade tools. They are
marvelously useful but require great care.
I’ve found that the better-quality blades are
well worth the cost compared to flimsy
bargain products.
Another seasoned power-tool man is
responsible for the teensy propeller bearing
in one of this month’s photos. Hugo
Yacoucci does beautiful work, and his
careful, methodical habits allowed him to
have a long career in machine-shop work
while retaining all of his fingers, not to
mention his keen eyesight.
I snapped a picture of CL flier Don Burke
at a local contest. He doesn’t have time to
waste with injuries, so he uses proper
“personal protection equipment” down to a
shade hat for the California sunshine. He’s
an excellent pilot too, which is why I was
taking pictures rather than competing.
Another picture shows the backs of
fascinated spectators at a hobby show. They
can get a close look at the newest RC
helicopters, thanks to a sturdy net barrier.
Those factory demonstration pilots are
among the most skilled in the world, but
they still understand the need for
precautions, just in case. That net pleased
the crowd and the insurance company.
Ken Scholz E-mailed his learning
experience to me for our benefit. His flying
site is a truly beautiful spot, but don’t let
that distract you from keeping an eye out!
“I’d like to relate one of my ‘lack of
good judgment’ experiences. Years ago I
was flying my first aerobatic slope glider at
Coyote Hills at the southern end of San
Francisco Bay. The sun was low in the sky,
reflecting off the bay, and limited me to
using only about half the slope. Everyone
else had gone home and the summer wind
was probably over 30kts.
“I tried to avoid the sun, but being new
to an airplane of this performance level,
mistakes were made and I found the
airplane flying right into it. I closed one
eye, waited, and in a few moments it
reappeared on the other side, and I resolved
more than ever to keep it on the half of the
slope that I could see.
“In a few minutes it happened again, and
again I confidently waited for it to
reappear—only this time I waited, and
waited, and waited. I had been flying high
and well out from the slope and after some
time it dawned on me that if the Coyote was
still flying it either had to be flying straight
away from me toward the bay or straight
toward me.
“I shaded my eyes for a closer look, saw
a shape, and ducked to the right as the nose
grazed my ear and the wing delivered a
blow to my shoulder like a hard punch. The
airplane probably was traveling over 60
mph and easily could have penetrated my
skull. How many mistakes can you identify
here?”
Ken’s close call is a lesson to all outdoor
fliers. As the fighter pilots used to say,
“Beware of the Hun in the sun”!
Remember that you don’t need E-mail to
contact me; real letters can be sent to Box
7081, Van Nuys CA 91409. Your
correspondence is always welcome, and
please don’t hesitate to let me know if I’m
wrong about something. I work under the
handicap of not knowing everything, so
your help is appreciated.
I received exactly two E-mails from
readers who took issue with my
condemnation of smoking in fueling areas.
Although I agree that model-airplane fuel is
fairly hard to ignite with a cigarette,
particularly when in sealed metal cans, I
maintain that there is no excuse for lighting
up in the pits when fuel is present. Why
take the chance when the risk is zero just a
few feet away?
Spilled gas, lit matches, leaky tanks, and
invisible fumes can and do come together,
and people get hurt. This is not an antitobacco
rant—just a safety rant.
I have been reminded of the continuing
need for education about Li-Poly batteries.
Again, these batteries are wonderfully light
and powerful, but they require much more
caution than Ni-Cds.
Do not charge them without being there
watching. A “crashed” pack is suspect and
may puff up and explode at a later moment.
Charging must not be done indoors or in a
vehicle; a clay pot or a bucket of sand is
the best place to put a pack while
charging.
Nearly everyone I know who has
upgraded to these cells has experienced a
damaged pack, and some have resulted in
structure and vehicle fires. Please don’t
take shortcuts!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 86,87,88
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 86,87,88
Several safety-related reader stories are featured this month
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• A clever engine-starting
safety idea
• Responses to smoking in
the pits
Skillful Hugo Yacoucci made a special propeller bearing for his 10-
inch-span Indoor Rubber model. He is a retired machinist.
Don Burke is a veteran CL flier. Experience shows in the way he
protects his hands, knees, and eyes in the pits.
Spectators got a close but safe view of RC helicopter demonstrations at the Los Angeles
iHobby Expo, thanks to heavy netting from floor to ceiling.
IT’S STORY TIME! I have a stack of
great E-mail to share, starting with the
following from Frank Slavin.
“About two years ago I took two
electric airplanes to the field—both on the
same frequency. After flying one, I parked
it under my car. A club member test flew
my second airplane.
“As I watched, another member asked
me where my first airplane was. Going
over to my car, I noticed that airplane
number one had taken off and crashed into
the plate-steel clubhouse.
“There is a moral to this story: Don’t
forget to turn your switch off after you fly
your electric airplane—unless you want to
practice formation flying.”
I can relate to that one, Frank! A few
times I have found switches on as I put my
models away. Double-check this stuff!
Following is a clever idea from Joe
Wagner—MA’s “The Engine Shop” man.
He wrote:
“Experience is what you gain immediately
after it was needed. While spectating at a
sport RC session, I was asked to help a man
with a balky engine. No starter or ‘chicken
stick’ being available, I hand-flipped—and
got bit.
“Then it occurred to me that an excellent
substitute for a ‘chicken stick’—or for the
leather glove I use when hand-starting one of
my own engines—can be quickly improvised
by folding over a paper towel a couple or
three times, then wrapping that around one’s
index and middle fingers, retaining it with
rubber bands or masking tape.”
It’s better to wrap the finger with a paper
towel before flipping the propeller than with a
bandage afterward. If someone as
knowledgeable as Joe can get nicked, we all
need to take extra care.
Eddie Graves wrote in, and, once again, I
saw myself in the story. He related the
following.
“These are a couple of the things that I
have observed or experienced myself
(painfully in one case). First is a topic that
you have covered several times, battery
safety, but this doesn’t involve Li-Polys.
This involves your field box batteries.
“I have observed twice in the last six
years the rare and mysterious smoking
field box. In both cases the battery was
shorted and caused a small fire (from
melting wire and burning painted wood).
In neither case did the fuel that was
attached to the box catch fire and both
were quickly contained.
“I guess my biggest worry is people
leaving their field box batteries hooked up
while they are unattended (stored at home
in the house or garage). The terminals of
the batteries (at least one) should be
covered with something. (I use a connector
by itself that hasn’t been crimped to
anything—just a brand new connector.)
“I would hate to see what could happen
if the boxes had not been attended and the
fire had been allowed to get to full
potential.
“The second topic is hobby knife
safety. This one comes from personal
experience, and a bit of pain. It sounds like
common sense (and is really). Put down
the knife when you are going to do
anything that does not involve cutting.
“I was scoring a piece I was working
on, and I figured that it would be easy
enough to break the two pieces apart, so I
decided (or really just didn’t think about it)
to break them apart while still holding the
knife in my left hand.
“Well, after I removed the buried blade
from my right forearm, I realized that it
took a little more force to break those
pieces apart than I thought. I am now
current on my tetanus shot and have a nice
little numb spot on my wrist from nerve
damage.”
Thanks for the reminder, Eddie! My
bad habit is holding a running rotary tool
while brushing sawdust away or
rearranging something. Dumb! I’m making
a real effort to catch myself and change
this, or I could end up typing with nine
fingers instead of two.
Christopher Singleton is an experienced
user and kindly jotted down some tips for
getting along with these useful gadgets.
“The following are based on my
experiences with working with rotary tools
as an architectural model builder 15 years
ago:
“Always wear safety glasses, and wear
a face shield when using cutoff disks.
Disks do indeed shatter if you apply
twisting force to the blade.
“Use a cutoff disk when cutting metal.
Unless you have fingers to spare, do not
use a toothed blade. A cutoff disk is a
miniature version of the same cutoff disks
used in the metal cutting industry. A cutoff
blade is a miniature circular saw, and some
manufacturers have stopped selling them
because of liability concerns.
“Rotary tools work great on wood,
metal, ceramics, and glass (etching).
However, even their lowest settings are
generally too fast for use on plastics
(styrene, acrylic, and polycarbonate).
“Typically if you try to use a 1/4-inchdiameter
or larger sanding drum on plastic
you will generally find that you are
melting the plastic. Smaller-diameter burrs
are generally okay, but light pressure is
needed.
“When possible use a collet rather than
a three jaw chuck, which has a tendency to
loosen, especially when under heavy load.
“Other than the above, I couldn’t live
without my two rotary tools.”
I agree with Christopher regarding
miniature saw-blade tools. They are
marvelously useful but require great care.
I’ve found that the better-quality blades are
well worth the cost compared to flimsy
bargain products.
Another seasoned power-tool man is
responsible for the teensy propeller bearing
in one of this month’s photos. Hugo
Yacoucci does beautiful work, and his
careful, methodical habits allowed him to
have a long career in machine-shop work
while retaining all of his fingers, not to
mention his keen eyesight.
I snapped a picture of CL flier Don Burke
at a local contest. He doesn’t have time to
waste with injuries, so he uses proper
“personal protection equipment” down to a
shade hat for the California sunshine. He’s
an excellent pilot too, which is why I was
taking pictures rather than competing.
Another picture shows the backs of
fascinated spectators at a hobby show. They
can get a close look at the newest RC
helicopters, thanks to a sturdy net barrier.
Those factory demonstration pilots are
among the most skilled in the world, but
they still understand the need for
precautions, just in case. That net pleased
the crowd and the insurance company.
Ken Scholz E-mailed his learning
experience to me for our benefit. His flying
site is a truly beautiful spot, but don’t let
that distract you from keeping an eye out!
“I’d like to relate one of my ‘lack of
good judgment’ experiences. Years ago I
was flying my first aerobatic slope glider at
Coyote Hills at the southern end of San
Francisco Bay. The sun was low in the sky,
reflecting off the bay, and limited me to
using only about half the slope. Everyone
else had gone home and the summer wind
was probably over 30kts.
“I tried to avoid the sun, but being new
to an airplane of this performance level,
mistakes were made and I found the
airplane flying right into it. I closed one
eye, waited, and in a few moments it
reappeared on the other side, and I resolved
more than ever to keep it on the half of the
slope that I could see.
“In a few minutes it happened again, and
again I confidently waited for it to
reappear—only this time I waited, and
waited, and waited. I had been flying high
and well out from the slope and after some
time it dawned on me that if the Coyote was
still flying it either had to be flying straight
away from me toward the bay or straight
toward me.
“I shaded my eyes for a closer look, saw
a shape, and ducked to the right as the nose
grazed my ear and the wing delivered a
blow to my shoulder like a hard punch. The
airplane probably was traveling over 60
mph and easily could have penetrated my
skull. How many mistakes can you identify
here?”
Ken’s close call is a lesson to all outdoor
fliers. As the fighter pilots used to say,
“Beware of the Hun in the sun”!
Remember that you don’t need E-mail to
contact me; real letters can be sent to Box
7081, Van Nuys CA 91409. Your
correspondence is always welcome, and
please don’t hesitate to let me know if I’m
wrong about something. I work under the
handicap of not knowing everything, so
your help is appreciated.
I received exactly two E-mails from
readers who took issue with my
condemnation of smoking in fueling areas.
Although I agree that model-airplane fuel is
fairly hard to ignite with a cigarette,
particularly when in sealed metal cans, I
maintain that there is no excuse for lighting
up in the pits when fuel is present. Why
take the chance when the risk is zero just a
few feet away?
Spilled gas, lit matches, leaky tanks, and
invisible fumes can and do come together,
and people get hurt. This is not an antitobacco
rant—just a safety rant.
I have been reminded of the continuing
need for education about Li-Poly batteries.
Again, these batteries are wonderfully light
and powerful, but they require much more
caution than Ni-Cds.
Do not charge them without being there
watching. A “crashed” pack is suspect and
may puff up and explode at a later moment.
Charging must not be done indoors or in a
vehicle; a clay pot or a bucket of sand is
the best place to put a pack while
charging.
Nearly everyone I know who has
upgraded to these cells has experienced a
damaged pack, and some have resulted in
structure and vehicle fires. Please don’t
take shortcuts!
Edition: Model Aviation - 2006/03
Page Numbers: 86,87,88
Several safety-related reader stories are featured this month
Safety Comes First Dave Gee | [email protected]
Also included in this column:
• A clever engine-starting
safety idea
• Responses to smoking in
the pits
Skillful Hugo Yacoucci made a special propeller bearing for his 10-
inch-span Indoor Rubber model. He is a retired machinist.
Don Burke is a veteran CL flier. Experience shows in the way he
protects his hands, knees, and eyes in the pits.
Spectators got a close but safe view of RC helicopter demonstrations at the Los Angeles
iHobby Expo, thanks to heavy netting from floor to ceiling.
IT’S STORY TIME! I have a stack of
great E-mail to share, starting with the
following from Frank Slavin.
“About two years ago I took two
electric airplanes to the field—both on the
same frequency. After flying one, I parked
it under my car. A club member test flew
my second airplane.
“As I watched, another member asked
me where my first airplane was. Going
over to my car, I noticed that airplane
number one had taken off and crashed into
the plate-steel clubhouse.
“There is a moral to this story: Don’t
forget to turn your switch off after you fly
your electric airplane—unless you want to
practice formation flying.”
I can relate to that one, Frank! A few
times I have found switches on as I put my
models away. Double-check this stuff!
Following is a clever idea from Joe
Wagner—MA’s “The Engine Shop” man.
He wrote:
“Experience is what you gain immediately
after it was needed. While spectating at a
sport RC session, I was asked to help a man
with a balky engine. No starter or ‘chicken
stick’ being available, I hand-flipped—and
got bit.
“Then it occurred to me that an excellent
substitute for a ‘chicken stick’—or for the
leather glove I use when hand-starting one of
my own engines—can be quickly improvised
by folding over a paper towel a couple or
three times, then wrapping that around one’s
index and middle fingers, retaining it with
rubber bands or masking tape.”
It’s better to wrap the finger with a paper
towel before flipping the propeller than with a
bandage afterward. If someone as
knowledgeable as Joe can get nicked, we all
need to take extra care.
Eddie Graves wrote in, and, once again, I
saw myself in the story. He related the
following.
“These are a couple of the things that I
have observed or experienced myself
(painfully in one case). First is a topic that
you have covered several times, battery
safety, but this doesn’t involve Li-Polys.
This involves your field box batteries.
“I have observed twice in the last six
years the rare and mysterious smoking
field box. In both cases the battery was
shorted and caused a small fire (from
melting wire and burning painted wood).
In neither case did the fuel that was
attached to the box catch fire and both
were quickly contained.
“I guess my biggest worry is people
leaving their field box batteries hooked up
while they are unattended (stored at home
in the house or garage). The terminals of
the batteries (at least one) should be
covered with something. (I use a connector
by itself that hasn’t been crimped to
anything—just a brand new connector.)
“I would hate to see what could happen
if the boxes had not been attended and the
fire had been allowed to get to full
potential.
“The second topic is hobby knife
safety. This one comes from personal
experience, and a bit of pain. It sounds like
common sense (and is really). Put down
the knife when you are going to do
anything that does not involve cutting.
“I was scoring a piece I was working
on, and I figured that it would be easy
enough to break the two pieces apart, so I
decided (or really just didn’t think about it)
to break them apart while still holding the
knife in my left hand.
“Well, after I removed the buried blade
from my right forearm, I realized that it
took a little more force to break those
pieces apart than I thought. I am now
current on my tetanus shot and have a nice
little numb spot on my wrist from nerve
damage.”
Thanks for the reminder, Eddie! My
bad habit is holding a running rotary tool
while brushing sawdust away or
rearranging something. Dumb! I’m making
a real effort to catch myself and change
this, or I could end up typing with nine
fingers instead of two.
Christopher Singleton is an experienced
user and kindly jotted down some tips for
getting along with these useful gadgets.
“The following are based on my
experiences with working with rotary tools
as an architectural model builder 15 years
ago:
“Always wear safety glasses, and wear
a face shield when using cutoff disks.
Disks do indeed shatter if you apply
twisting force to the blade.
“Use a cutoff disk when cutting metal.
Unless you have fingers to spare, do not
use a toothed blade. A cutoff disk is a
miniature version of the same cutoff disks
used in the metal cutting industry. A cutoff
blade is a miniature circular saw, and some
manufacturers have stopped selling them
because of liability concerns.
“Rotary tools work great on wood,
metal, ceramics, and glass (etching).
However, even their lowest settings are
generally too fast for use on plastics
(styrene, acrylic, and polycarbonate).
“Typically if you try to use a 1/4-inchdiameter
or larger sanding drum on plastic
you will generally find that you are
melting the plastic. Smaller-diameter burrs
are generally okay, but light pressure is
needed.
“When possible use a collet rather than
a three jaw chuck, which has a tendency to
loosen, especially when under heavy load.
“Other than the above, I couldn’t live
without my two rotary tools.”
I agree with Christopher regarding
miniature saw-blade tools. They are
marvelously useful but require great care.
I’ve found that the better-quality blades are
well worth the cost compared to flimsy
bargain products.
Another seasoned power-tool man is
responsible for the teensy propeller bearing
in one of this month’s photos. Hugo
Yacoucci does beautiful work, and his
careful, methodical habits allowed him to
have a long career in machine-shop work
while retaining all of his fingers, not to
mention his keen eyesight.
I snapped a picture of CL flier Don Burke
at a local contest. He doesn’t have time to
waste with injuries, so he uses proper
“personal protection equipment” down to a
shade hat for the California sunshine. He’s
an excellent pilot too, which is why I was
taking pictures rather than competing.
Another picture shows the backs of
fascinated spectators at a hobby show. They
can get a close look at the newest RC
helicopters, thanks to a sturdy net barrier.
Those factory demonstration pilots are
among the most skilled in the world, but
they still understand the need for
precautions, just in case. That net pleased
the crowd and the insurance company.
Ken Scholz E-mailed his learning
experience to me for our benefit. His flying
site is a truly beautiful spot, but don’t let
that distract you from keeping an eye out!
“I’d like to relate one of my ‘lack of
good judgment’ experiences. Years ago I
was flying my first aerobatic slope glider at
Coyote Hills at the southern end of San
Francisco Bay. The sun was low in the sky,
reflecting off the bay, and limited me to
using only about half the slope. Everyone
else had gone home and the summer wind
was probably over 30kts.
“I tried to avoid the sun, but being new
to an airplane of this performance level,
mistakes were made and I found the
airplane flying right into it. I closed one
eye, waited, and in a few moments it
reappeared on the other side, and I resolved
more than ever to keep it on the half of the
slope that I could see.
“In a few minutes it happened again, and
again I confidently waited for it to
reappear—only this time I waited, and
waited, and waited. I had been flying high
and well out from the slope and after some
time it dawned on me that if the Coyote was
still flying it either had to be flying straight
away from me toward the bay or straight
toward me.
“I shaded my eyes for a closer look, saw
a shape, and ducked to the right as the nose
grazed my ear and the wing delivered a
blow to my shoulder like a hard punch. The
airplane probably was traveling over 60
mph and easily could have penetrated my
skull. How many mistakes can you identify
here?”
Ken’s close call is a lesson to all outdoor
fliers. As the fighter pilots used to say,
“Beware of the Hun in the sun”!
Remember that you don’t need E-mail to
contact me; real letters can be sent to Box
7081, Van Nuys CA 91409. Your
correspondence is always welcome, and
please don’t hesitate to let me know if I’m
wrong about something. I work under the
handicap of not knowing everything, so
your help is appreciated.
I received exactly two E-mails from
readers who took issue with my
condemnation of smoking in fueling areas.
Although I agree that model-airplane fuel is
fairly hard to ignite with a cigarette,
particularly when in sealed metal cans, I
maintain that there is no excuse for lighting
up in the pits when fuel is present. Why
take the chance when the risk is zero just a
few feet away?
Spilled gas, lit matches, leaky tanks, and
invisible fumes can and do come together,
and people get hurt. This is not an antitobacco
rant—just a safety rant.
I have been reminded of the continuing
need for education about Li-Poly batteries.
Again, these batteries are wonderfully light
and powerful, but they require much more
caution than Ni-Cds.
Do not charge them without being there
watching. A “crashed” pack is suspect and
may puff up and explode at a later moment.
Charging must not be done indoors or in a
vehicle; a clay pot or a bucket of sand is
the best place to put a pack while
charging.
Nearly everyone I know who has
upgraded to these cells has experienced a
damaged pack, and some have resulted in
structure and vehicle fires. Please don’t
take shortcuts!