[CW] Vibroplex Presentation including Short History of Vibroplex.
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
Sun Jan 9 16:40:40 EST 2022
This is an interesting history. For some reason I never
noticed the change in the mounting of the axle (wrong word but
will do). I looked at a 1961 Original and, indeed, it has a set
screw to hold the axle to the pendulum. Not on earlier bugs. This
bug is also perfectly aligned. My older bugs are well aligned
because I aligned them. My 1961 Original is a plain Jane version
not a deluxe or presentation but does have red knobs.
On 1/8/2022 8:13 PM, Benny K5KV wrote:
> DR
>
> GOING TO THE LINK YOU PROVIDED ABOVE GAVE ME THE LINK BELOW WHICH
> SHOWS A 1963 PRESENTATION MADE AT 833 BROADWAY WITH THE LA HIFF
> ADJUSTABLE MAINSPRING.
>
> https://history.k4lrg.org/Projects/bugs.html
> <https://history.k4lrg.org/Projects/bugs.html>
>
> PAGE 36 OF THE VIBROPLEX CO BOOK BY HOLLY SHOWS A 1948
> PRESENTATION WITH THE LA HIFF ADJUSTABLE MAINSPRING.
>
> I OWN A 1954 PRESENTATION WITH THE ADJUSTABLE MAIN SPRING. OTHER
> SOURCES INDICATE THE LA HIFF ADJUSTABLE MAINSPRING WAS ON THE
> FIRST 1948 VINTAGE PRESENTATIONS. FRENCH IN THE VIBROPLEX
> COLLECTORS GUIDE INDICATES THE LA HIFF ADJUSTABLE MAINSPRING WAS
> DISCONTINUED ON THE PRESENTATION IN 1978. ALL PRESENTATIONS
> AFTER THAT DATE ARE JUST A DELUXE WITH A GOLD PLATED PLATE ON TOP
> OF THE BASE. THE GOLD PLATED BASE BUGS SIMPLY PLATED THE BASE
> WITH GOLD INSTEAD OF CHROME.
>
> 73
> BENNY K5KV
>
> On Sat, Jan 8, 2022 at 4:27 PM Richard Knoppow
> <1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com <mailto:1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>> wrote:
>
> Thank you for this comprehensive history of Vibroplex. The
> design of the Original and probably other models, seems to have
> been changed c.1946 to use rounded rather than square edged
> castings. I can't tell from the advertising available to me if
> the "delux" and "presentation" models ever came with the old
> style castings. I think they did not.
> A thought: Anyone who has moved knows that every time you
> move something gets lost. I think this is true when companies
> get
> sold. Evidently Vibroplex has lost a lot.
>
> On 1/8/2022 12:03 PM, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
> > Sorry, Joe, that's not completely correct. Peter Garsoe of
> > Portland, Maine discontinued all models of Vibroplex when he
> > bought Vibroplex from the Albright family who had owned
> Vibroplex
> > in New York City for decades. I know he reduced all the then
> > current models: Presentation, Original, Lightning Bug, and
> > Champion to just one model: Original. I don't know if he
> was the
> > one that came up with making multiple finishes for the
> Original.
> >
> > I do agree with you that the what you have, "Gold
> Original, that
> > is a gold plated bug and it does not have the La Hiff main
> > spring, is exactly that: a "Original with a gold plated top".
> > It's NOT a Presentation model because all Presentation models
> > (being a specific model of Vibroplex) had the LaHiff
> adjustable
> > mainspring. The later Gold Top plate and gold top plate
> and base
> > (all gold plate) models (as well as the Blue Racer 2000, and
> > Vibroplex Anniversary) were just Vibroplex Original models
> with
> > different base treatments.
> >
> > Vibroplex calls the key you are speaking of "Vibroplex
> Original
> > with Presentation finish" which Vibroplex now just simply
> calls
> > "Original Presentation" to differentiate it from the long
> running
> > but discontinued "Presentation" model.
> >
> > See
> >
> http://vibroplex.com/contents/en-us/d12_SEMI-AUTOMATIC__BUG__keys.html
> <http://vibroplex.com/contents/en-us/d12_SEMI-AUTOMATIC__BUG__keys.html>
>
> >
> <http://vibroplex.com/contents/en-us/d12_SEMI-AUTOMATIC__BUG__keys.html
> <http://vibroplex.com/contents/en-us/d12_SEMI-AUTOMATIC__BUG__keys.html>>
> >
> > Vibroplex has also recently introduced a "Original Standard
> > Upgraded" model with the jeweled bearings. Craziest thing
> is they
> > have left the top trunnion screw adjustable, just like
> when the
> > Deluxe keys were introduced in 1948, but later that design
> was
> > abandoned because of bearing damage by operators screwing
> down on
> > the original type of bearings, which may have been garnet
> which
> > is much softer than ruby. Rubies are 9 on the Mohs
> hardness scale
> > while garnets are 6.5 to 7.5. (See
> >
> https://indyfacets.com/blog/the-difference-between-garnets-and-rubies/
> <https://indyfacets.com/blog/the-difference-between-garnets-and-rubies/>
>
> >
> <https://indyfacets.com/blog/the-difference-between-garnets-and-rubies/
> <https://indyfacets.com/blog/the-difference-between-garnets-and-rubies/>>)
> >
> > So maybe the new jeweled bearings don't crack and the
> decorative
> > red piece will be discontinued in time.
> >
> > Peter Garsoe of Portland, Maine Vibroplex discontinued the
> > previous threaded red decorative piece because making an
> > investment casting for that part was (to him) prohibitively
> > expensive. He replaced it with a domed red plastic piece
> that was
> > glued in with Duco cement. Somewhere along the line, the
> stamp
> > for the Vibroplex name plate was list. But the good thing
> is that
> > these keys are still being made.
> >
> > The Original Deluxe first came out in 1940. The Presentation
> > model came out in 1948.
> >
> > Short history of Vibroplex from
> > https://history.k4lrg.org/Projects/Vibroplex_History.html
> <https://history.k4lrg.org/Projects/Vibroplex_History.html>
> > <https://history.k4lrg.org/Projects/Vibroplex_History.html
> <https://history.k4lrg.org/Projects/Vibroplex_History.html>>:
> >
> > Horace G. Martin, inventor of the Vibroplex, teamed up
> with J.E.
> > Albright in 1911. Albright was an entrepreneur who had been
> > selling typewriters since 1890, and he readily took on the
> task
> > of manufacturing and selling the Vibroplex instruments.
> Together,
> > Martin and Albright formed “The Vibroplex Company, Inc.”
> in 1915.
> >
> > Martin sold his interest in the company to
> Albright in
> > 1920. During the late 1930s, after all the original
> patents (now
> > owned by Albright) had expired, Martin began selling his own
> > versions of “Originals”, Lightning Bugs” and “Blue Racers” as
> > “Martin Flash Keys”. Less than 5,000 were ever built.
> Martin also
> > developed a “Rotoplex” in the early 1940s that featured a
> rotary
> > pivot mechanism, but that was his last known invention and
> only a
> > few were ever made.
> >
> > J. E. Albright and his family owned the Vibroplex Company
> until
> > sometime around 1965 when it was sold to John La Hiff, a
> > mechanical engineer and long-time company employee who was
> the
> > designer of the “assembled frame” instruments (the No. 6 or
> > “Lightning Bug”, the “Zephyr”, and the “Champion”) and
> probable
> > designer of the “Presentation.” La Hiff’s sons sold the
> company
> > to Peter Garsoe in 1979 and it was moved to Portland, ME.
> Peter
> > Garsoe sold the company to Felton “Mitch” Mitchell, W4OA,
> in 1994
> > and it was moved to Mobile, Alabama. Mitch, W4OA sold
> Vibroplex
> > in 2009 to Scott Robbins, W4PA, who moved Vibroplex to
> Knoxville,
> > TN. (See
> >
> https://web.archive.org/web/20091212094447/http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/07/11233/
> <https://web.archive.org/web/20091212094447/http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/07/11233/>
>
> >
> <https://web.archive.org/web/20091212094447/http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/07/11233/
> <https://web.archive.org/web/20091212094447/http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/07/11233/>>)
> >
> > Current keys have name tags of the manufacturer but no longer
> > have serial numbers.
> >
> > 73
> >
> > DR
> > N1EA
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Jan 8, 2022, 10:16 Joseph L. Pontek Sr.
> > <v31jp1957 at gmail.com <mailto:v31jp1957 at gmail.com>
> <mailto:v31jp1957 at gmail.com <mailto:v31jp1957 at gmail.com>>> wrote:
> > NO, I am talking about the La Hiff adjustable pendulum spring
> > was probably only made in Maine.
> >
> > I have here a Gold Original, that is a gold plated bug and
> it does
> > not have the La Hiff main spring.
> > On 1/8/2022 2:55 AM, D.J.J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
> > Joe,
> >
> > The Presentation model came out just after WWII. It was
> made in
> > Brooklyn. When Vibroplex was sold to Mr. Garsoe of Portland,
> > Maine, he stopped the production of Presentation, Blue Racer,
> > Lightning Bug and Champion models, leaving only the Original
> > model. I don't know if was Mr. Garsoe or, Shelley "Mitch"
> > Mitchell, W4OA who started up the various finishes of the
> > Original model: 1) Standard, 2) Deluxe 3) Blue Racer (blue
> base),
> > 4) Blue Racer (chrome base), and 5) Presentation models.
> Later
> > they added the 6) Presentation All Gold Plated model!
> >
> > The Presentation you're thinking of, Joe, is the Original
> > Presentation finish.
> >
> > All the top parts are Original model parts, no smaller scale
> > parts like on the first Blue Racer models.
> >
> > 73
> >
> > DR
> > --
> > Regards, Joe, K8JP/V31JP, Ronnie, Martin & Sidney Pontek
> > 175 Diamond Loch Rd., Apt. 5
> > Gilmer, TX 75644-9374
> > U.S.A.
> > 903-204-2318 (My TX cellular)
> >
> > Member FOC-1743 Feb 2001, QCWA-LM21894, OOTC-4607, A1OP, CFO
> > 1055, SKCC-3171T, NAQCC-5798, Flying Pig-2819,
> FISTS-7625CC951,
> > A1C-2299, SOC 1075, 10-10 22977, PG1915841, CW Rag chewers
> #21,
> > Facebook: Joe Pontek
> > ______________________________________________________________
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> --
> Richard Knoppow
> 1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com <mailto:1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com>
> WB6KBL
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Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL
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