KMoiarty wrote:

This seems similar to a challenge I had to get inside and repair a sealed
fan speed-control switch for my car (for which used parts are now rare and
new ones are unreasonably expensive, plus take ages to arrive after placing
in an order). In this case I carefully cut the plastic casing open with a
blade-shaped hot soldering iron tip. Then after fixing the insides, I
resealed the case by again using soldering iron (with a different tip) to
meld edges back together again. Didn't look very neat, but it's concealed
from view and it did the trick.


It's funny how our experiences mold our personalities. My Dad came of
age during the Great Depression, and it had a profound effect on him.
His mantra was repeated to me at least once a week during my formative
years. "Use it up, wear it out. Make it do, or do without."

Once he had a tire with a slow leak. I noticed the low tire, dragged
the air compressor out of the barn and filled the tire up for him.
"There, Dad, that should hold you 'til you can get to a service station
and get it fixed."
"Fixed?? There's nothing wrong with that tire. It just goes down."

Last summer, the computerized climate control quit working on his '92
Cadillac (barely broken in with 165,000 miles). Rather than pay to get
it fixed, he ran a wire from the AC compressor back to the base of the
windshield. Too much trouble to fish the wire through a hole in the
firewall (he's 82). So he just ran the wire outside around the "A"
pillar and back in through the open driver's door. The wire continues
to a residential light switch in a handi-box he mounted to the steering
column with zip ties. When it gets too hot, he turns the AC on. When
it gets too cold, he turns it off.

Growing up on a farm with him had a profound effect on me. I have
absolutely no tolerance for anything "rigged". Nothing at my place is
held together with baling wire or duct tape. I may not have all the
toys I want, but the ones I have are nice.

But I'll probably die broke instead of comfortable like him.

DonkeyHody
"We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom
that is in it - and stop there; lest we be like the cat that sits down
on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid
again---and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold
one anymore." - Mark Twain