[CW] Vibroplex Presentation including Short History of Vibroplex.

Mon Jan 10 23:11:23 EST 2022

Thanks for posting all the accurate info on the Presentation Vibroplex Dave!!!
I acquired my first Presentation Vibroplex in 1959-- and later in 1969-- I sold it to an FBI agent.
And then I used different types of keyers on the ham bands for many years.
But something to note about the Presentation is that the first production of them provided 2 screws to hold the main spring very securely in position..  but later in production, they only used one screw holding the main spring.  I prefer the early production models with 2 screws holding the main spring in position.   Although I would never consider sliding the main spring out in order to slow it down..  Having a longer main spring can cause the dot arm to flop around more on the damper wheel and increases the chances of the key producing dot stutter.    The early Presentations produce such perfect code.. thats it untold from machine generated!!  I consider it the best speed key ever made!!  About 25 yrs ago, I found a like new condition early Presentation for a reasonable cost.. and still use it today.     Frank W7IS
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From: cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net <cw-bounces at mailman.qth.net> on behalf of D.J.J. Ring, Jr. <n1ea at arrl.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 8, 2022 12:03 PM
To: CW Reflector <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [CW] Vibroplex Presentation including Short History of Vibroplex.

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

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/)

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:

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/)

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>> 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,
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