FINALLY got the hang of it!

Thanks for the suggestion. Using those suggestion (and a conversation with the helpful staff at Camden Hobby Stores) heres what I did:

Widened the diameter of the small hole to "snuggly fit" my spinner nut
(Ran the starter and used a file as a kind of lathe). After an afternoon of practise in the living room (wife is away!) I got the hang of it. Took it outside and using the tips mentioned earlier started the engine on my third attempt. After that the engine started reliably until I emptied the fuel tank

Interestingly on my third (and successful) attempt SLIGHTLY loosening the glow plug seemed to do the trick. I tightened it on subsquent starts

Thanks all

Now next week will begin tuning the little bear