[CW] Vibroplex Presentation including Short History of Vibroplex.

[Richard Knoppow]

      Well, I did look again. I looked at 3AM, not so good. The 
knobs are the new style but are black, not red. The arbor is the 
standard type, no jewels. However, it is fixed with a set screw 
just behind the dash spring. Mine dates from 1961 from the serial 
number. Painted gray crystal. So, its an Original but not a 
Deluxe. I think I got this one at the TRW swap meet but am not 
sure. It looks brand new and is very smooth. I wish I had a case 
for it but hardly ever see cases and when I do they are quite 
expensive
    I have a ww-2 vintage Original, its the one that I have 
written about a couple of times because it was sloppily made. 
Serial number is from 1944. I was able to refit the damper, which 
was drilled off center and did some other alignment. It also 
feels very smooth (after being worked over). This one came in a 
case with someone's name on it but the writing has long worn off.
    On your comment about the ground return, the most obvious 
return is via the dot lever return spring. This is pretty well 
fixed and acts as a connection between the main lever and the 
frame. The spring on the Lightening Bug provides the same 
connection but is fixed on a thick wire so there is greater 
chance of poor connection. A flexible wire from the lever to the 
frame would certainly be a better contact. Presumably, the arbor 
and bearing was assumed to serve the same purpose, but of course, 
makes no contact where a jewel is interposed.

On 1/10/2022 8:43 PM, David J. J. Ring, Jr. wrote:
> Richard,
> 
> You might have a better look at that Original with the red knobs and see if it doesn't
> happen to have jeweled bearings, regular bearings on the top and bottom of the arbor (you
> called it an "axel" which it is quite similar to), the regular bearings end in points like a
> sharpened golf pencil, the jeweled bearing post at the end of the arbor pin is rounded like
> a person's elbow, it fits into a bowl like cup that's actually fitted with a synthetic ruby
> or garnet (earlier models I hear used the softer garnet stone). I have no idea if the garnet
> is synthetic but garnets are much less expensive than rubies!
> 
> You very well may have an "Old Stock" WWII Deluxe key that you don't know about, or you
> might have a regular Original that someone wanted to dress up with red finger pieces.  I
> would think the red would class with the black (or gray) base.
> 
> 73
> 
> DR
> 
> 
> 
> 
>    Richard Knoppow wrote:
> Sun, Jan 09, 2022 at 01:40:40PM -0800
> 
>>     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.
>>
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> =30=

-- 
Richard Knoppow
1oldlens1 at ix.netcom.com
WB6KBL