Looking for DOLAM LL-555, LL-556, LC-511, LC-631 with getter and more rare Polish tubes

190 views
Skip to first unread message

Tomasz Kowalczyk

unread,
Feb 6, 2025, 4:52:56 AM2/6/25
to neonixie-l
Hi, I am fairly close to completing my collection of Polish made nixie tubes. I am lacking 4 tubes which are known to exist to complete it. But to design and build a display for them all I need to chase the last 4 unicorns...

I am looking to buy:
LL-555
LL-556
LC-511
LC-631 with a getter

Also looking for tubes which were mentioned in catalogs and datasheets, but I am not sure they were ever produced in reality:
LL-1 - a symbol tube matching LC-1 in dimensions, but considering the datasheet suggests whole alphabet being present inside I highly doubt it ever existed in any form. If it exists, it was most likely made by PIE rather than DOLAM
LC-541 - biquinary tube with noval base
LC-531 F - red filter coated, difference between homebrewn solutions and the real deal is the F at the end. Some other tubes were suggested to exist in catalogs with the red filter and F in the name - I am interested in those too

And:
LL-661 with a getter - considering I have seen a grand total of 4 getterless tubes in the internet at all, I doubt a version with getter exists at all

Also looking for ELW1 - Polish made copy of E1T tube.

I am interested in any rare Polish made nixie tube, so if you own something you consider rare, don't hesistate to send me a message or reply in this thread. I collect various strange production mistakes or temporary versions of products too. For example, an LC-516 with two anode grids stacked instead of one, or an LC-531 tube with LC-7 digit stack order and pinout - such tubes are interesting to me as well.

Adam Piórko

unread,
Feb 6, 2025, 8:35:51 AM2/6/25
to neonixie-l
Hi,
I have the LL-556 and LC-511 tubes.

Adam Piórko

Tomasz Kowalczyk

unread,
Feb 6, 2025, 12:37:20 PM2/6/25
to neonixie-l
Hi, I've sent you a direct e-mail, please check your inbox

Tomasz Kowalczyk

unread,
Feb 25, 2025, 1:48:50 AM2/25/25
to neonixie-l
Update:
I have purchased one of two LC-511 variants, so I am now looking only for the type with sides of anode cage consisting of eight straight pieces of metal, rather than four quartercylinders. 
I have also purchased a set of LC-631 tubes with getters. They costed an arm and a leg, but at least they are in my possession :)

I also managed to find two interesting variants of LC-516. First one looks like an early tube meant to be closer in dimensions to IN-1, as the glass dome is 30 mm in diameter, rather than what is found in later tubes (just an LC-513 thrown into the plastic base). The style of interior construction - with shiny sides of the anodes, and stripes of cathode metal extending down to pins rather than spot welded pieces of wire - suggest it's an early variant made before DOLAM has settled on one style. The size of the internal structure is rather bizarre - it is taller than in all front view Polish nixies I own, so it had to be made in separate process, but the diameter of it is the same - so the extra room in the glass is unused. 

And finally, I have found a factory defect of little consequence, LC-516 with two anode grids inserted into the stack. 

I am looking for such unusual variants, factory defects and tubes which are remarkable for any reason, so if you think you have some tube non standard in any way, do not hestitate contacting me, please.

Tomasz Kowalczyk

unread,
Jul 1, 2025, 11:09:12 AM7/1/25
to neonixie-l
I am still looking for LL-555 and LL-556 to "complete" my collection. 
It might turn out I am missing more tubes than those two - only recently I have seen a tube variant for the first time! It has no clear part number marking, but is clearly a prototype of LC-511 or LC-513. It has the decimal point of these tubes, but is done in the old Dolam method - sides of anode cage are shiny, and the digits are not connected to the base pins using a piece of wire, but rather were etched with a long flat piece extending beyond the digit, which is then used as the connection wire.

20250627_185633.jpg20250627_185623.jpg20250627_185628.jpg
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages