I should have sent this to the whole list rather than just Dennis.  Thanks
everyone, now back to Vanagon content.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, May 17, 2014 at 8:30 AM
Subject: Re: Off topic Friday question on switches...
To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>

One question I would ask is "why does that switch keep breaking"?

  The switch has broken in the same way a couple of times.  It's a poor
design, plain and simple.   There is a cheezy little plastic post that
connects with the button and it spaces a metal plate on a spring to make
the actual contact  This post breaks.  It is too small to repair, though I
did get one of them fixed with epoxy for a little while...This plastic post
must pass through a hole and it connects direct to the "Start" button, and
around part of this post inside the switch there is a spring....also
surrounding the post...That spring has a close tolerance, precluding
actually being able to reinforce the thing with epoxy or something...

  I can make the machine turn on using a stick and poking at the broken
parts....another stick can turn it off, if I am really careful and make
contact with just the right little tabs inside the mechanism....In order to
do all that, the whole switch box cover must be removed, allowing all the
chips and shavings to get into the mechanism...plus moisture and possibly
fingers or tools........not to mention that I just don't like exposed hot
220 wires or terminals in my workshop...

  I've tried figuring out some better way to activate what remains of the
existing switch...but I conclude the only practical answer is to get rid of
the weak design. I refuse to keep tossing away $60 every few months...

   So thanks, All...Friday is done and gone and I have my answers..