Nixie tube sockets - 3D printer!

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Nicholas Stock

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Apr 22, 2014, 10:19:52 PM4/22/14
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Hello all! I was recently looking for a 'Magnal' socket for a CRT and it happened to be the same as an IN-1 tube socket....these aren't that easy to find and during my searches I came across the following..


Someone decided to 3D print their own....and it looks pretty cool! Presumably you could 3D print any number of sockets for our old tubes etc....

Thought I'd share...

Cheers,

Nick

threeneurons

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Apr 23, 2014, 3:05:32 PM4/23/14
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I own a 3D printer. Its a Chinese knock off, and we're still learning how to draw things effectively. Printed a bunch of stuff, but the only thing we've done of any utility, are cup holders. I was at the CES show, just a couple of months ago, and some company is suppose to start selling them for $500, this month.

If I tried to make a socket, the first would be for a A101 dekatron. Since Molex socket pins do mate with the ins on that tube, I'd make the socket holes, the same as those on Molex housings. That way the pins would just lock in. 

Nicholas Stock

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Apr 23, 2014, 3:36:17 PM4/23/14
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This one popped up on Kickstarter,,,


300 dollars. Looks legit. I may buy one myself...

Nick


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Tidak Ada

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Apr 23, 2014, 4:00:22 PM4/23/14
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I am still looking to make good sockets for my EZ10B dekatrons....
 
I have found some very nice contacts of unknown make at the closing Cathode Ray Technology (former Philips Heerlen). Seems very good to make sockets with a 3D printer, however, will the plastic withstand soldering the contacts...?
 
eric

From: neoni...@googlegroups.com [mailto:neoni...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of threeneurons
Sent: woensdag 23 april 2014 21:06
To: neoni...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube sockets - 3D printer!

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Nicholas Stock

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Apr 23, 2014, 4:11:35 PM4/23/14
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If you use ABS, then should be OK, but I've never tried it. Tape a socket to a piece of Lego and give it a try...;-)

Nick


greg...@hotmail.com

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Apr 23, 2014, 4:50:13 PM4/23/14
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For A-101's I use 0.093" crimp-style connector socket pins (they cost about $0.10 US from digikey, part #A14097-ND). After soldering wire to the crimp-pin, I cover with heat-shrink tubing. It's very solid. Also works for IN-1's, though I advise using a better tube.

threeneurons

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Apr 24, 2014, 11:58:53 AM4/24/14
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Yes, and that's what I currently do:

Its just that when I get my lazy butt around to it, I can build a housing for those Molex pins, so they can accommodate a A101 tube.

I have some IN-1 tubes. Could make socket housings for them, too. A clock using those got put on hold, a long time ago, after my experience with non-mercury IN-4s. But that doesn't mean these tubes have no use. Just use them on projects that are only lit up intermittently: meters, games, or clocks that only turn on the display when someone is present.

Jan Rychter

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May 7, 2014, 5:38:41 AM5/7/14
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> For A-101's I use 0.093" crimp-style connector socket pins (they cost about $0.10 US from digikey, part #A14097-ND). After soldering wire to the crimp-pin, I cover with heat-shrink tubing. It's very solid. Also works for IN-1's, though I advise using a better tube.

On a related note, does anybody have part numbers for pins that can be used to mount nixies like IN-12 and IN-18? I mean the through-hole kind, so if you solder them into your PCB, the other ends form a kind of a socket.

These sometimes appear on eBay, but in small quantities and with uncomfortably high prices. I tried looking around, but navigating the world of through-hole pins is an excercise in frustration.

--J.

Dalibor Farný

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May 7, 2014, 6:15:41 AM5/7/14
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Hi Jan,

You can use this socket for tubes with 1mm diameter pins:
http://uk.farnell.com/harwin/h3161-01/socket-pcb-tin-knurled-1mm/dp/149318

it is not cheap, but works really well and it is easy to solder it.
There is 1.93 mounting hole in specs, but use 2mm hole for it, the
melted solder will make the hole smaller during manufacture of the
PCB.

Dalibor
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Tidak Ada

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May 7, 2014, 11:06:06 AM5/7/14
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May be you can look for wirewrap pins with bushings.
What offers Augat?

eric

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