Author Topic: Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!  (Read 1993 times)

Offline gunug

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« on: October 03, 2016, 09:43:39 AM »

One of the highlights of going to the gas station used (for me anyway) was watching the Nixie-tubes in the old style gas pumps.  Nixie-tubes
are those vacuum tube that have numeric or alphanumeric grids inside. This was something you saw in the science-fiction movie rocket ships.
Anyway this guy (German I think) decided he couldn't find the one's he wanted so he has spent two years learning how to make them from scratch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxL4ElboiuA

This is a more than a half-hour spent in showing every detail in the construction of these things!
"If there really is no beer in heaven then maybe at least the
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2016, 06:42:22 PM »
This is the best DIY project I have ever seen! Better than all the "How It's Made" programs combined! Thanks for killing 37 minutes of my time! thumbup.gif cheer.gif
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes:

Offline jchuzi

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« Reply #2 on: October 03, 2016, 07:45:11 PM »
QUOTE(Xairbusdriver @ Oct 3 2016, 07:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This is the best DIY project I have ever seen! Better than all the "How It's Made" programs combined! Thanks for killing 37 minutes of my time! thumbup.gif cheer.gif

I bet that it wasn't as difficult or as complicated as your dryer handle, not to mention that the handle is really high tech.  whistling.gif
Jon

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Offline gunug

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2016, 10:29:33 AM »
They were both labors of love; the guy with the Nixies is a compulsive detail oriented type person though!  Thinking.gif

While I wouldn't spend all of that time doing the Nixies I do like them and have a badly functioning Heathkit Nixie meter in the basement
that I'd like to turn into a badly functioning clock!  rolleyes.gif
"If there really is no beer in heaven then maybe at least the
computers will work all of the time!"

Offline eric j

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2016, 03:18:38 PM »
Beautiful precision hand work, almost like a ballet.
As a mechanical engineer myself who has spent many hours among production teams, I was lost in admiration for the person who is behind the project.
This kind of dedication to production is found in Switzerland, where I was employed in an engineering firm for 25 years.
Just imagine the years of effort in finding the raw materials, developing the the production process, selecting all the production equipment and training the skilled hand workers.
Having watched the many process steps involved, I suspect that the cost of each tube is going to be high - but they seem to have sufficient customers to support the business.

Many thanks for posting the video.

eric j

Offline gunug

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« Reply #5 on: October 05, 2016, 07:33:07 AM »
I was taking another look at the Nixie clock I posted in illustration and it kind of looks like they're using blue LED's in the base of each Nixie; isn't that cheating? rolleyes.gif
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Offline Xairbusdriver

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Nixie Tubes; old school technology rebuilt from scratch!
« Reply #6 on: October 05, 2016, 10:29:50 AM »
I think that may just be in the application where they are being used. The more 'electronic' colors the better, right?! It helps to have a dark background, also. thumbup.gif wink.gif
THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF COUNTRIES
Those that use metric = #1 Measurement system
And the United States = The Banana system
CAUTION! Childhood vaccinations cause adults! :yes: