Video: The Art of Making a Nixie Tube - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 05:10:43 am
content: This cropped up via twitter a moment ago. Looks interesting.Quote

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 06:00:42 am
content: Someone on another forum said he is selling them for $145. Watch the video, there is no automation in the production, except maybe the metal parts (those appear magically). The glass is blown by hand and all assembly is done by hand. In addition, it looks like he has some pretty expensive equipment for getting a good vacuum and gas filling. I couldn't see where they could be ordered on his site, though. I found this video two days ago on a completely non-technical site, someone just thought they looked cool and posted them. Hackaday provided a link today, and now here. I bet even at his price he will have problems filling orders because of his production method, hopefully he can make some money on this, people who want these tubes might be waiting for a bit.The site.http://www.daliborfarny.com/Found the page with the tubes:http://www.daliborfarny.com/r-z568m-nixie-tube/He says leadtime of 4 weeks but who knows if that takes into account all the views he has gotten over the last 6 days since he put up that video.Another page has a fully assembled clock he is selling. For first run he says he will produce ten in total. All ten are sold now. $1685 each. Very nice. Very expensive.http://www.daliborfarny.com/zen-nixie-clock/And he did this one for an art competition. Holy cow, this thing is a beauty.

author: ZeTeX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 09:19:12 am
content: One day I will build a clock using thoseso beautiful!

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 09:33:11 am
content: Excellent! So much fun to watch.But _surely_ that can be automated a bit more? And what about chemical cleaning _after_ manual bending operations, as opposed to before?7:34 - No tweezers?I like those Ikea strainers.18:27 - his jigs are 3D printed! Cool.35:54 - hmm, wires to surface solder joints with no strain relief. He's going to have some failures there.What's the definition of geek sadism? Nixies in comic sans font.

author: daqq
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 10:06:20 am
content: QuoteWhat the hell is wrong with you?!

author: AlfBaz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 02:57:27 pm
content: That was just such a pleasure to watch. Thank you

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 08:07:12 pm
content: Just beautiful. I know what's just made my Christmas list

author: raptor1956
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 08:58:22 pm
content: I know that in our community Nixie Tubes are like nerd gold, but I guess I must be the odd man out as I've never much enjoyed them. Perhaps it was because I actually worked with them back in the late 70's and early 80's when I was an Avionics Tech in the USAF. We had test equipment that used Nixie tubes and I wasn't a big fan of them.OK, you may now burn me at the stake for heresy...Brian

author: CJay
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 09:13:08 pm
content: Quote from: raptor1956 on October 05, 2016, 08:58:22 pmEach to their own, I love to look of nixies but dislike tubes/valves in general, despite the 'warm glow' they leave me cold. I do appreciate the skill and engineering that goes into the nixies in the video though, they're astonishing.

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 05, 2016, 10:22:13 pm
content: Quote from: CJay on October 05, 2016, 09:13:08 pmVoltamort will happily fry you both with a valve driven tesla coil!

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 07:25:00 am
content: The guy's spent quite a lot of effort and time getting this far. Given his requirement to motorise all his cupboard doors I imagine he'll be automating as much as he can.Very cool to watch though. Some interesting stuff I hadn't found before in the recommended links too.

author: hollensted
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 07:43:20 am
content: Gotta love nixie's

author: Kalvin
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 07:49:44 am
content: Here is another fine video showing manufacturing of the hand-made vacuum tubes.

author: AntiProtonBoy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 08:05:28 am
content: Man, I find engineering and scientific glass work super interesting. One day I'm gonna give it a crack myself.I was very impressed by the quality of this guy's work. I just hope he makes more videos, specifically detailing methodology, tips and tricks, etc.Also, check out glasslinger youtube channel if your are into this stuff.

author: HP-ILnerd
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 08:17:05 am
content: I just saw this one pop up on my YouTube recommended list. Fascinating to watch this.Considering all the delicate labor, I'm not at all surprised they cost so much.He had a lot of funky machines around his shop, too. That includes the cutest little spot-welder. Wouldn't mind one of those.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 08:17:44 am
content: Quote from: AntiProtonBoy on October 06, 2016, 08:05:28 amYea, I'd love to as well. I was put off by the unobtainiumness of most of the required gear in these parts. Didn't stop that fellow though!

author: JoeN
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 06:01:15 pm
content: Quote from: HP-ILnerd on October 06, 2016, 08:17:05 amI like the induction heater. Is that handmade or can you buy them like that? Any idea?

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2016, 06:25:28 pm
content: You can buy it or make it, look for neon tube supplies, which will give you a neon tube induction heater, used to activate the neon tube cathodes for use after you are finished with the manufacture, and are pumping it down prior to filling with gas and sealing. There you can also get the spot welder in all likelihood.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2016, 06:59:52 am
content: Years ago a small scientific glassware manufacturer near where I live closed down. They had a big glassware lathe like the one in that video. They offered it to me very cheaply, but I turned it down because I had no space to put it.Heartbreaking.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 07, 2016, 08:56:36 pm
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on October 07, 2016, 06:59:52 amLife lesson. Where were your priorities?

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 09, 2016, 06:13:38 am
content: Quote from: JoeN on October 06, 2016, 06:01:15 pmThere are number of them in various designs on eBay. They are rather low in frequency for tube use, but I have one and it works fine for my tubes. Traditionally in tube manufacturer people would use 400 kHz units. Very standard at that time. Lepel made some nice units. Nowadays with power mosfets and IGBT's, what once was the size of a bookcase can be hand held. There is actually a typical schematic in the back of the RCA transmitting tube manual using a 833, but to be honest, unless you already had knowledge of how that unit is supposed to be physically built you really can't build one from just that schematic. 833 was the most common tube used early on, then Lepel used their own variant of the 810 tube into the 80's with thyratron rectifiers for power level control. Later the ceramic triodes took over. at M.U. we have many homebuilt units the owners dad built from all of the various eras. they all still work.