Wanted Non Working Vacuum Tubes - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2016, 11:15:34 pm
content: So i build props, and i would be happy to pay shipping from US residents, on any burned or non working vacuum tubes you have not thrown out. you can send it ultra slow mail for cheapest ship rate too...I do not need thousands of them, but 40-50 of asorted sizes would be cool..i just do not want to pay for working ones..becasue they would not be utilized for there intended purpose.hopefully not cracked or broken glass..but just checking if there was anyone who would be willing to donate me a few...cause they are hard to come by cheap...if they are working..and i dont find them that often. unless they are cleaning out a bunker filled with 50 year old electronics..off the miltary base i work on.let me know and thank you for your time.and since i have a tendency to build stuff then just give it away..if you choose to donate to me, ill build some retro item, and probally send that to you. its the building part that i like the most..not having all this stuff gathering dust around my house..if you want to see pics of things i build. check out my photobucket password fluxcapacitor84 or look in general for the pics i put up of things i make.

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2016, 12:14:33 am
content: i figured ill be waiting a bit to get an answer to this..then again, one time i found a old tv full of vacuum tubes in a dump deep in the woods..they still worked after probally sitting out there for 40 years..so i figure finding burned out ones wont be so easy as these suckers seem to outlast most mondern day stuff.i might expand my search of burned out ones to overseas..depending on how costly the shipping is..becasue customs on certain things are wonky..

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2016, 12:57:16 am
content: Try posting on craigslist. I have a box of them somewhere that i inherited from my grandfather.

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2016, 01:49:21 pm
content: i went there. some people had several, and to many went price hunting.one guy was selling some rare ones from 2500 and 800 dollars each..no ty.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2016, 02:11:45 pm
content: I would post you some, PM me an address and I will put a small parcel together, probably next week after I am back at work. Assorted ones I have in a box that I am not going to use ever. Going to use a lot of bubble wrap on them as well, and will probably enclose a genuine antique lamp in there as well, if i get to that box.

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 19, 2016, 04:24:32 pm
content: One possible source to explore is your local recycling dumps. Probably the smaller the city the better. In my city, there is this dump where people take construction demos, old furniture, old white appliances, TVs... There is a fee for dropping old TVs, and they pile them up on the side until they have enough to move it through. May be you could visit yours with an screwdriver and a $20 bill in your pocket and make friends with the guys to let you open/close a few TVs. I really doubt the recycling process can do anything with old tubes.Just an idea...

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2016, 01:28:56 am
content: i went to a few thift marts recently. Saw some really old non working tube radios. They also wanted my left arm, my legs, and anything im my wallet for them. and probally my vehicle as well. 900 dollars plus price tag. they did not even work. i did not insult them with a offer for far less.

author: Back2Volts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 21, 2016, 04:23:14 am
content: I mean dumps, not flea markets, and I am talking about 70s TVs, not antique radios. Obviously it also depends on what kind of tubes you want. If you want the really old looking ones, somehow pear shaped, then probably, it is another matter. But regular cylindrical 2.5" or so tubes, then old TVs at the dump should have them.

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2016, 05:00:22 am
content: If you cant find anything, give me a week.

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 21, 2016, 06:49:20 pm
content: Quote from: Back2Volts on March 21, 2016, 04:23:14 amit make no diffrence to me..after i modify them, they give me the retro look i need. sad thing is normally after i modify them. they do not work as intended ever again. lol

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2016, 04:49:57 am
content: Were you ever able to find any tubes?

author: djhack
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 02, 2016, 05:00:11 pm
content: Quote from: Shadetreeprops on March 14, 2016, 11:15:34 pmI have a box or two of old tubes. Some of them may work, but they are all of types I am not interested in, or interesting in sorting out. I build tube audio equipment for fun and I have more that I need to last me the rest of my life probably. Figure out how to get them to you and they are yours. I tend to ship USPS priority mail flat rate boxes.DJ...

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2016, 08:09:31 pm
content: I see what i can do about getting them to me on this. Maybe some kind of COD if possible. been real busy working on my other projects, as well as my home business, and much more. so i have not been able to check in for a while.

author: Shadetreeprops
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2016, 08:10:47 pm
content: Quote from: Vgkid on March 31, 2016, 04:49:57 amno have not gotten any as of yet, but i have been busy with a few of my projects and a few more, and having to work on my home business, as well as work longer hours at the day job, has kept me from coming here to check and see what has been going on for a few.

author: Melt-O-Tronic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 07, 2016, 08:47:45 pm
content: Find a hamfest near you. There's a VERY high probability of scoring what you want for next to nothing. It's not unusual to see some of the bigger, more interesting non-functional tubes for sale as novelties for around $1.