MacGyver It

Guitarists have a propensity for tinkering with their instruments. They are wood, so modifying can be relativly easy. Not that it always ends well, but cutting a deeper channel to accomodate a larger switch is not beyond most guitarists.

We need to remember that attitiude when other pieces in our chain fail or break.
Last night I took home a 51 Squier. Set up, changed the strings and then decided it was time to try 'er out.
I powered up the amp and pedal board and then reached across to power up my recorder - a Fostex 16 HD.

I depress the switch, the lights come on, the switch makes a snapping noise ...the unit powers down (it never really powered up as you need to hold the switch for a good 15 seconds). The switch fell partially inside the recorder.
Sigh...look at the ceiling...sigh again.

Get out the tools and unhook the cables to the recorder...drag it into the kitchen - better lighting, more room.
Fifteen screws later,  a few twist tabs and one cable unplugged and the top and bottom separate for me.
Sigh...look at the ceiling...wipe my brow.

The two tabs on the right side had snapped. The long leg is to depress the actual power switch imbedded inside the chassis. I understand why Fostex engineering did this, but on a $400 peice of recording equipment it should be rated for millions of clicks - heck, my mouse is and I paid much less for the mouse. ;)
Sigh...look at the ceiling again.

I put on my Einstein beenie...went deep, deep into thought. And I came up with this inspired solution!

A Q-Tip jammed into the opening does the trick.
Naturally, I forgot several screws while reassmbling, so that made it a longer journey than necessary, but I got the bugger working!
Remember - some duct tape, a rubber band and thou.
This too, shall pass.

Sigh