you mean the clutch coil on the compressor, right? which from the sounds of it, was OK to start with. And by cycle switch, you mean what?
It sounds offhand like the evaporator is freezing up, although long distance diagnoses are tough. One possibility is moisture in the system freezing in the evaporator. That might indicate a need for a re-charge and a new receiver-dryer. On a 10 year old car, that's a good place to start, too, if it's the original. Another is that the temperature sensor on the evaporator is somehow not reading the temperature, perhaps not attached to the evaporator (this happened to me on another car; sensor fell off, compressor never stopped running until circuit breaker tripped), and letting the compressor run too long so it just gets too cold and either freezes or trips some kind of safety. How long after you stop does it need to sit before things work normally? is it more of a problem on a cool day than a hot day? Have you measured the temperature of the cold air coming out of the vents? it should be a bit above freezing. Too cold can sometimes indicate too low charge; how do you know the charge is correct? When it's working, does the compressor cycle on and off, or just run continuously, which could indicate a problem with the temperature sensor or control system as well.
You might find another shop. $1500 for compressor and evaporator is steep, especially since those parts clearly work. I see that you're an island boy too, so good mechanics are scarce, but you're on O'ahu so you've got more to choose from that we do on the Big Island. Run, don't walk, from the $1500 bandits.