Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2013, 1:45 a.m. — I have to get up early and take my son to school, so I’ll be brief (well, relatively). I’m in the middle of finals week on my master’s degree classes, so I have lots on my plate until Friday, but I can always steal some time to write about keys (life has to have a purpose, n’est ce pas?).
My latest acquisition is a key I didn’t need (which probably accounts for a great many of my collection, but I digress), but I couldn’t help myself — I picked up a Bunnell Gold Bug.
I don’t have good pics to post yet … but the key isn’t perfect, nor is it complete. It seems to be missing the circuit closer lever and the adjustable weight. It’s ironic that I buy a key that is missing the weight since I had a request from another Gold Bug owner for the dimensions of the factory weight. Thankfully I still have the drawings I made!
The key appears to have been an early one without the Gold Bug label or it had it and it was removed. The photos on the listing were small, but I think I could see the holes in the base to mount the Gold Bug label.
The Gold Bug I’ll be getting is the early type with the fixed round finger piece. I think I can live without the circuit closer, though one wouldn’t be too difficult to fabricate. I’ll need to see what I can do to fabricate a weight, though I’m tempted to make two — one to match the original, and one heavier. My other Gold Bug has a pretty fast action, and admittedly, I haven’t spend much time behind the business end of a key lately. Note to self: Get some time on the air this weekend!
I need to recover some speed in time for Straight Key Night … I also have my relatively unreviewed (and unused) Martin Rotoplex awaiting for my operating position. I’m at the point where I think I could operate an 8-hour shift for the Associated Press circuit and still wouldn’t have enough time to use all my keys in a year’s time. Maybe I exaggerate, lol.
The Gold Bug should arrive by the weekend, by then I’ll have time to clean it up a bit and maybe see how it operates. I have my other Gold Bug to fall back on for SKN if needed, lol.
I’m not really in the market for additional keys (did I just write that??), but I’ll keep my eyes open. I would still consider buying a Knoxville 100th Anniversary Original with jeweled pivots; at this particular time — right before Christmas — I’m not ready to spend money on a key.
Time for bed, more to come. C’mon Mr. Mailman! Bring me my Gold Bug!!
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