Monday, June 12, 2012 — It’s great to have my blog back up and running after it was victim to the success of one of my other websites. For nearly 7 years I have operated a local news website, using the same hosting account that I use for this site and some others.
The news website has grown substantially over the past year, and about noon last Thursday, the host company suspended my host account. When I contacted support, the issue was simple — my news site was getting too much traffic.
Admittedly, I knew the site’s traffic was growing, but never realized it was nearing a critical point with the host company. They recommended I move the site to a VPS (Virtual Private Server), which would allow for more traffic, bandwidth, etc. After checking into a VPS, I realized I was going to be in over my head; I called a friend of mine who owns an IT company in Henderson, and he agreed to confirm the stats from the hosting company and move the site if necessary.
The site was back up yesterday, Sunday, June 11, and I can blog once again.
KEYS OF INTEREST. As you know, I’m a sucker for a homely face (as in “code key”). When I saw this ugly old key on eBay, I knew I had to have it (providing the price was within my limited range).
The key pictured at right is an early 1905 Vibroplex that is in pretty sad condition. It is missing the nameplate, but appears fairly intact for a key that’s 107 years old. It is missing a set screw on the left lever travel screw, a dot contact slide and the weights. It is also missing the original circuit closer knob, which stood vertically on the early keys. It would be a kick to be able to restore this key to working condition … I have no clue what kind of gunk and corrosion is coating it now. I’m not sure the adjustments will ever break free … I’m interested to examine the key more closely.
The price was reasonable, but then again, its a basketcase, whadday expect?
Most of the “big dogs” of key collecting take a hands-off approach and leave their keys in “as-found” condition. I understand leaving an original condition key as it was acquired, but this one is different. If this one is gunked up and rusted beyond any semblance of usefulness, I don’t see the value of preserving it in its “as-found” basketcase condition. Perhaps if this was Horace Martin’s person key, but barring something really that historic, I’m not inclined to just let it sit around without doing something to it.
This is my second 1905 Vibroplex; my other one is missing the damper adjustment screw, so … I could rob the one from this key and make my other one “complete” … or maybe I can find a close duplicate of the original screw so they both can have “complete” 1905 dampers. Lots of choices, eh?
SPEAKING OF VIBROPLEX …. The lever-less 1988 Vibroplex Original DeLuxe I picked up recently on eBay arrived in just beautiful condition. It’s a Maine bug with the stick-on nameplate, but its still “stuck” fine. The chrome is in mint condition, I just need a lever for the jeweled pivots in order to make the key complete. Got the key for about $37, which is less than the cost of a new replacement pivot frame from Vibroplex. I don’t plan to part the key out, but to pick up a lever, either from a donor key or new.
There’s work to do, so I better quit babbling about keys and get going. 73!
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