repairing a starter button

[Kitchi]

As luck would have it, I jumped on my bike yesterday started it up and my starter button popped out when I took my thumb off it and landed on the ground beside my bike.

I picked it up and drove away thinking I was going to mount a remote switch somewhere else on the bike.

But then I got thinking how I can repair this without ordering new/used parts.

This is what I came up with.

All that is wrong is that the seat that the button sits on that prevents it from falling out has worn away.

So, I chucked the button in my drill. After truing the button up as best as I could I snugged the chuck up taking care not so much as to crush the button.

Then I proceeded to cut a small grove were the shoulder use to be with a file with the drill running.

After that I found a small paper clip and chose a drill bit slightly smaller around than the bottom of the grove I cut.

I straightened out the paper clip and tightly wrapped it around the shank of the drill bit.

Using a small pair of wire cutters, I cut though 2 over lapping sections of the paper clip. After a little straightening up the paper clip it snapped into place where the grove was cut.

My next hurdle was to think of something that would make the rounded paper clip adhere to the button.

I thought of many different glues including 2-part epoxy. I finally chose clear nail polish.

Now the reasons I chose the nail polish over the epoxy was it would flow better leaving no lumps or bumps and if it didn’t work it would be easy to remove.

I would love to hear any thoughts that anyone has on what you would have done different.

 

[CaptChrome]

I always like using my nail polish for repairs!
Great ingenuity.

 

[Kitchi]

Thank you
On the way to work today i was thinking instead of the paper clip a snap ring could be used instead.

 

[CaptChrome]

Maybe it's just me, but there is greater satisfaction in rolling your own (pun intended.) Half the fun of working on these is finagling something that will work when just buying a new bit isn't possible. Good work!

 

[Kitchi]

You are rite.
When i thought of this repair/hack(whatever you want to call it) I wanted to use what i had on hand. Just to see what i can come up with.

 

[JPaganel]

That's totally some Mad Max engineering.

Me, I went the lazy way. My first XS, I actually bought a fancy aluminum button. Last forever. Unfortunately that guy is out of business now...

 

[Kitchi]

Thank you for your comment.

I could have maid my own with my 3d printer or give it to a friend of mine make one on his lathe but i wanted to think of a way that it could be fixed with some basic tools that a person may have.