As some of us engine collectors with low tension rotary magneto engines, get older, we enjoy easy-starting engines more and more. I talked with an older fellow with a bad shoulder who enjoyed making ice cream for birthday parties. Starting his loaded engine several times a day was becoming a burden. Starting on battery and coil certainly has an advantage, but the extra hardware and switching back and forth quickly reduce the appeal. We build a little box, with a three-position switch, that sits on your engine skid. When the switch is down the engine is on a self-contained battery and coil, when the switch is up the engine is on magneto, the switch in the middle position shuts the engine off. It’s not a very big box and therefor a small battery. The box is approximately 3 ¼ W, 3 ½ H, 5 ¼ D with a foot print of 3 ¼ X 6 ¼. For an engine like a John Deere that leaves the igniter shorted full time, this box should give you at least 15 battery and coil starts before recharging is necessary. Engines that leave the igniter open until shortly before trip should get 50 or more starts. Any battery charger or battery maintenance charger can be used to replenish the battery.