Tube Weirdness, Nixies, Clocks and other ephemera

[EWBrown]

As suggested by Gregg, the Tube Weirdness, Nixie Clocks and other non-audio tube weirdness thread.





/ed B in NC

[TomMcNally]

Here's a device using the big B-7971 14 segment Nixie tubes, called Four Letter Word. Just sits and displays clean and dirty words all day.

[TomMcNally]

Here's a one digit clock that flashes the time sequentially 24 times a minute. Designed by me, uses a Parallax BASIC Stamp 2 as a controller. Not very cost effective, but fun ...

[TomMcNally]

I didn't buy one (yet) but this Nixie clock is all transistor, no integrated circuits.



available at http://kabtronics.com

[TomMcNally]

After Nixies and before LED's were Numitrons ... a little 7 segment incandescent display by RCA. They go in a 9 pin tube socket.
I've built a bunch of clocks with them in the cool translucent blue Hammond box. This pic was taken outside in bright sunlight.
Numitrons were used for many years in gas pumps because they could be seen. They are much brighter inside.

[TomMcNally]

No tubes here ... but a Nixie clock board driving 43 precision selected resistors to drive these cheap little surplus metal detector meters to tell the time. Strange. A lot of work.

[TomMcNally]

Here's a Cathode Corner "Scope Clock" I built into an old RCA oscilloscope box.

[TomMcNally]

IEE Nimo Miniature 1" CRT display. These displays very rare - I found one on eBay. This is an actual cathode ray tube with ten cut masks with the digits 0 through 9. Each one is beamed to the phospor coated screen and displays a green glowing character.





The black module on the left is a 6000 Volt DC power supply which supplies high voltage to the anode pin on the top of the tube. The supply voltage is variable by means of a knob on the side, so it also serves as a brightness control. The tube wants 1500 - 2500 volts. The filament is 1.1 volts. Time is kept using a PIC that is programmed as a single digit clock.

[TomMcNally]

IEE Rear Projection displays. These have 11 small 5 volt incandescent bulbs that project through pieces of film with the digit on them.
It looks like a black and white movie.


The timekeeping section is a piece of a Nixie board, running at low voltage. The 43 2N2222 transistors drive the display at 5 volts from the regulator.

[Geek]

I have some VFD numeric tubes for use in a clock. Can't wait to get started

[Cubdriver]

Thanks, Tom - you just cost me $264!

-Pat

[EWBrown]

One can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish

Speaking of tuning, National Radio still has a remnant on line. Eclectic assortment of parts, kits, test equipment.

National was one of the big players in radio manufacturing, back in the 1950s and 1960s.



http://www.nationalrf.com/index.htm

/ed B

[Geek]

RF goodies, hmmmmm

[Sal Brisindi]

A couple of my clocks....

My original 6 digit LED alarm clock I built in 1974 using a MK50250 clock chip is still plugged in and working 39 years straight, the only problem I had was the MK50250 started flipping out about 6 years ago so I replaced it, thankfully I have a small stock of them. The LED display is dimmer now but still going strong! I don't have a picture of it...

I also have a nice stock of NOS USA and European Nixie tubes, unfortunately I don't have time to build any clocks lately. My next clock I want to build is using the Burroughs B-7971 nixie tubes like Tom showed above.

Regards,
Sal

[hilldweller]

One can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish

Speaking of tuning, National Radio still has a remnant on line. Eclectic assortment of parts, kits, test equipment.

National was one of the big players in radio manufacturing, back in the 1950s and 1960s.



http://www.nationalrf.com/index.htm

/ed B

See here too! https://www.fairradio.com/