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Tube Clock Anyone?

post #1 of 19
6/4/09 at 11:13am
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I'd so totally get one if it weren't $275!

I wonder what happens if you try tube rolling with this.
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post #2 of 19
6/4/09 at 12:32pm
The wonderful Nixie tube clock!



Not a photo of mine, but I have this exact model. I also have an old HP frequency counter with a Nixie tube display.

Tube rolling isn't quite possible, since there's a lot of variety in pinouts and filament voltages.

However, you don't have to pay $275 for one. There are various kits out there where you can get the clock boards and other bits and parts. Then you can supply the Nixie tubes of your choice (there's a variety out there, and (IIRC) some are still produced in Russia) and wire them up with the correct sockets, filament voltage, etc.
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post #3 of 19
6/4/09 at 2:16pm
That is just awesome. That could be a fantastic project.
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post #4 of 19
6/4/09 at 2:38pm
I already totally built one.



FWIW they don't really have filaments. But they do have specific anode voltages. These are not vacuum tubes - they are neon cathode discharge tubes. Most are in the neighborhood of 90vdc.

One of my friends tells me that if you feed them with AC at about 2mhz, they'll glow green instead of orange. I have not tried this.
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post #5 of 19
6/4/09 at 7:17pm
I have two desk calculators with nixie displays (one misplaced) but no clock. The clocks are way cool.
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post #6 of 19
6/4/09 at 7:55pm
$275! A bit high for a gimmicky clock...
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post #7 of 19
6/4/09 at 8:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by SleepyOne View Post
$275! A bit high for a gimmicky clock...
It's hand made in small batches. Some of the parts haven't been manufactured in 30 years and are becoming scarse (especially the big ZM81 tubes).

It cost me over $120 to build mine, using cheap russian top-read nixies (you can tell because the 5 is an up-side-down 2 -- the russians were always cutting corners), and it's still in the temporary enclosure shown in the picture.

I'd like to mount it in a cylinder of dark 'smoke' colored acrylic. I've also seen some good builds where the tubes are behind a 50% mirror.
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post #8 of 19
6/4/09 at 8:07pm
Tube clock-fi, anyone?
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post #9 of 19
6/5/09 at 2:45am
I wanted to build a Nixie clock a couple years ago. Still do..
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post #10 of 19
6/5/09 at 4:37am
I prefer the tube wrist watch

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post #11 of 19
6/5/09 at 5:33am
new Nixie's got a GPS.

why?
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post #12 of 19
6/5/09 at 6:06am
Only a dollar at the Apple store.

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post #13 of 19
6/5/09 at 6:51am
I've been wanting to build one too for a while now. I just haven't had the time really.

Also, the circuit boards of finished clocks look pretty complex. Is there anyone here that has built one that can comment on the degree of difficulty of the build? Would a beginner DIYer be able to pull one off?
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post #14 of 19
6/5/09 at 10:20am
.
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post #15 of 19
6/5/09 at 10:23am
Reported. Pointless posts in the Livewires thread (under 2 usernames in this instance, same person, i'm sure), one in the high school head fi'er thread, and one here... One somewhere else also.
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