Sit on seat, let right hand drop down, feel starter button on a tin lid. Remove two screws and remove tin lid. Clean out any accumulation of leaves, dirt, mouse nests, clean contacts on starter button. If mower has been stored, check the engine shroud. Remove it, and check for mouse nests under it, and for a chewed off ignition cable to spark plug! How do i know this?? I just went out to start mine, and found exactly what i have described! I have a 1983 Snapper. It sat for a month in my old garage. Went to start it today. Didn't! Checked engine shroud, and found it stuffed with paper, etc. Haven't removed it-tomorrow will be the day!

I recently purchased some Weck canning jars. They are the small size, good for jelly/jam/juice. They have a similar clamp that goes over a rubber ring and used in BWB type preserving. It was my hope to do some juice preservation, but am running into issues concerning my citrus that I wanted to work with. We also have hard water which also would come into the thinking. I did one batch of cranberry/lime/mandarin but still not completely certain as to the safety features. What do you use the bottle (left side of picture) for. Is it a cannable container ? The clamps on the Weck jars were quite simple to use, although I wasn't sure beforehand, because of working with hot stuff, and trying to manipulate the clamps on - but it worked out OK. Our jars are quite uniform in size, without as much size to choose from. Mainly come in quarts, pints, and half pints, with a few smaller which I find useful for freezing peeled green peppers in citric acid and salt - for use in taco fillings, etc. Nice collection. Bejay

Oh yeah!...It's a granite ware melon mold( named for the shape) with a tin lid. Probably used for ice cream...but maybe for a steamed pudding. It has considerable value....can't tell you how much....check on eBay. And realize that the chips in the granite reduce the value. I think that's very nice! Lina C

My favorite is really obvious - an old diaper pin I stick through the hand towel to keep the kids from throwing it on the floor every time they wash their hands. So simple! Old spice jars lining my window sills rooting plants (too cheap to buy them (plants and jars).) Jars of every sort to store rice, beans, sugar, etc. Sheets with those cool clip-on rings as curtains all over the house - give a prize to the one who invented those! Vinyl table cloth on floor in my daughter's art area. Blanket/quilt the movers left behind (they didn't want to come and fetch it) used as dog bed. Two terra cotta pots with a door on them as a table. A pottery chip/dip dish set on a log as a bird bath. Shoe boxes covered with pretty wrapping paper for art supplies. Ditto for photos. A wooden toddler bed used as a window seat - I covered the mattress with an old velvet drape - looks pretty elegant! Old coffee table painted and used as a bench in my entry way. Old cookie sheets underneath used as boot trays. Clothesline and clothespins running down the hallway holding my daughter's paintings. Book shelf turned on its side and used as window seat/toy storage. Video display rack from Walgreen's they were throwing away, got plastic bins, and now a place for the rest of the toys that rolls away. An old rolling metal typing table, painted cute and used as a tea table. File cabinets used as night stands. My dining table is an old conference table. Weighs a ton but takes a beating and looks great. that's all I can think of for now.... Best wishes to all my fellow inventors! Amy