Re: [neonixie-l] Another progress in making nixies

[Dalibor Farný]

Hi guys,

I am posting some info about the process of re-inventing the nixie tubes.. I made first test assembly from etched stainless steel. Making a real nixie tube is difficult task, but I think there is nothing what could not be solved!

You will find brief description here: http://dalibor.farny.cz/first-nixie-digits-assembly/

Thanks!

--
Dalibor Farny
http://dalibor.farny.cz

[Alek onet]

Good work! I think that you need only time to be perfect.

Best regards from Luxemburg
Alek Z.

[Nicholas Stock]

When are you taking orders? ;-)

Looks great!

Regards,

Nick

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[Dennis]

---

Yes, this is looking really good. Nice work!
Dennis
 
 

[Dalibor Farný]

Hello guys,

thanks to all for support!

Dalibor

2013/6/4 Dennis <daddyv...@yahoo.com>

---

Yes, this is looking really good. Nice work!
Dennis
 
 

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[Dalibor Farný]

Hi folks,

regular update ;-)

More here: http://dalibor.farny.cz/assembly-test-no-2/

Thanks!

Dalibor

2013/6/7 Dalibor Farný <dal...@farny.cz>

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Beautiful work!

[Jon D.]

Beautiful work!  Having no idea how to do what you're doing, is the fabrication process in brass the same as it would be in the final material (I assume that's why you went with brass)?  Too bad you can't use brass in vacuum...that would be a beautiful and amazing look in a clear glass envelope -- imagine 6 or 8 brass Nixies making up a Nixie clock.

"Another" Jon

[Marcin Adamski]

Well.... AFAIK you may use copper. At least for the anode mesh. Still
would look stunning.

[John Rehwinkel]

> regular update ;-)

Oh, that is very nice looking. I did not know you could cut mica with ordinary scissors. In mass production, a punch is used, but a very hard metal must be used to punch mica. Where did you get your ceramic beads?

- John

[Jon]

 

Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing this.

 

Jon.

[Dekatron42]

Absolutely wonderful!

 

Did you put the figure 6 in backwards?

 

/Martin

[Dalibor Farný]

Hello!

Yes, I put it accidentally backwards, I thought nobody would notice it :-)

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 25.6.2013 8:39 "Dekatron42" <martin....@gmail.com> napsal(a):

Absolutely wonderful!

 

Did you put the figure 6 in backwards?

 

/Martin

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[Mich...@aol.com]

Martin is like that.

 

DEEtails!

[Michel]

Beautiful work Dalibor!
What is the size of it? Looks like IN-18 size?
Can't wait to see them light up, you too I guess :-)

The brass really looks stunning and stands out between any other nixie tube, it's a pity that you can't make them like that. Would 9k gold work, or gold plated stainless steel?

Michel


On Tuesday, June 4, 2013 6:20:28 AM UTC+10, Dalibor wrote:

Hi guys,

I am posting some info about the process of re-inventing the nixie tubes.. I made first test assembly from etched stainless steel. Making a real nixie tube is difficult task, but I think there is nothing what could not be solved!

You will find brief description here: http://dalibor.farny.cz/first-nixie-digits-assembly/

[Dalibor Farný]

Hi Michel,

You are right, I am also eager to it glow. As soon as the shed is built, I will move all the stuff there and start with it.

It should be a replica or copy of z568m, so the size of the numbers is 5cm. I actually dont have any z568m, so other dimensions are measured from z566m and scaled. Isnt there anyone who has faulty z568m to cut it open? ;-)

With the gold plated stainless steel - You actually jumped ahead, I have this idea with the anode electrode (grid), that will be possible. The numbers must be made of steel as all other metals sputters a lot more and the life of the tube would be short. It would be possible to make it also from brass, but the pumping time would be many times longer than with steel because it would be done with low temperature - I guess 100C instead of 450C. Once the tube is filled with gas, the brass should not relieve zinc as the vapour pressure of zinc is small enough. Zinc starts to cover the glass envelope at pressure of 10-6 torr and temperature of 200C, conditions during the bakeout process.

bye!

2013/6/26 Michel <mic...@xiac.com>

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[Alek onet]

Hi Dalibor,

Are you calculated cost of manufacture of tubes?

Best regards from Barcelona

Alek Z.

W dniu 2013-06-26 08:55, Dalibor Farný pisze:

To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CA%2BnkT5qX93r7Xg8BztORfXPAf26EA8Kerm%2B-zCQrY%2BC%3DMkMtTA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Dennis]

Wow! That's really nice and can't wait to see it glowing.

---

[Dalibor Farný]

Hello Alek,

I still dont know what form will have the stem, this could change price significantly. Materials are not much expensive, but it takes a lot of time to assemble the tube, pump it, fill it and so.. I am still in a phase of making prototypes, far from real production. But if everything will be ok, I guess the price of the z568m-like tube will be under $200.

Bye!

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 26.6.2013 19:53 "Alek onet" <aleksand...@poczta.onet.pl> napsal(a):

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[Nick]

I guess that in order to get a decent tube life comparable with later nixies you'll have to add getters & Hg doping,,,

The mercury bit could present a H&S issue for you...

Nick

[Dalibor Farný]

Hi Nick,

I will start with evaporable getter (from audio tubes), this will be
for testing purposes. Once I have working prototype, I will use a
non-evaporable getter pill, just like normal nixie tubes - I have a
few hundreds brand new pcs now. Getter is not a problem.

About the mercury, I will use probably mercury dispensing pill or
combined getter and mercury dispenser. I guess this also doesnt
present big problem, but I didnt inquired these parts yet..

New update coming tonight!

Dalibor


2013/7/3 Nick <ni...@desmith.net>:

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[MrNixie (UK)]

Hello - that construction is a thing of beauty, already! I will follow your progress with interest...

Laurence Wilkins
WWW.MrNixie.com

[Dalibor Farný]

Hello, thank You! I will start with experiments soon, I am just
finishing the garden shed where I plan to move all the stuff (vacuum
system, torches, glass lathe and many more ;-)..

Current state of the shed attached ;-)

Dalibor

2013/7/4 MrNixie (UK) <Laurence...@dsl.pipex.com>:

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[Matthew Cameron]

The neat thing is that if nixie tube production becomes continuous again, we will not need the long life that mercury provides.
Maybe I am being too hopeful, but I think that smaller groups manufacturing their own stuff will become easier in the coming
decades, not harder.

[Nick]

On Thursday, 4 July 2013 21:50:43 UTC+1, Matthew Cameron wrote:

The neat thing is that if nixie tube production becomes continuous again, we will not need the long life that mercury provides.  
Maybe I am being too hopeful, but I think that smaller groups manufacturing their own stuff will become easier in the coming
decades, not harder.

Without Hg doping, a tube's life is very short. As these tubes are essentially individually hand built and not mass-produced, the estimated per-piece price is well over USD 100. The process is complex and labour-intensive.

Nobody is going to be very happy at paying that sort of money for a tube to use in a clock that has to be replaced every year.

Realistically, Hg doping is the way forward (as it was in the past as well...)

Nick

[Dalibor Farný]

Just as Nick said.. Hg doping extends the life of the tube approx. 40
times (5.000 vs 200.000 hours). But the lifetime is not exactly
determined, the glass envelope is gradually covered by sputtered metal
thus limiting the brightness and making it look bad. Hg doping is not
diffucult and is definitely worth of the time spend with it..

Dalibor

2013/7/5 Nick <ni...@desmith.net>:

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[Dalibor Farný]

Hello guys,

I think I can call this first my first nixie tube ;-)

More on my blog: http://dalibor.farny.cz/big-progress-lab-sample-no-3/

Dalibor

[Dylan Distasio]

Truly amazing work! Nice job!

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[Benoit Bleau]

This is amazing!  First new nixie since the 90s?

Benoit.

On Mon, Sep 9, 2013 at 4:30 PM, Dalibor Farný <dal...@farny.cz> wrote:

[Quixotic Nixotic]

> Hello guys,
>
> I think I can call this first my first nixie tube ;-)

Well done, a beautiful job.

Best wishes, John S

[Nicholas Stock]

Well done sir! You must have been very pleased when that lit up...I know I would have been!

[Smiffy]

On Tuesday, June 4, 2013 5:50:28 AM UTC+9:30, Dalibor wrote:

I am posting some info about the process of re-inventing the nixie tubes.. I made first test assembly from etched stainless steel. Making a real nixie tube is difficult task, but I think there is nothing what could not be solved!

 

That is amazing. What I really like about it is the blown shape, rather

than a "boring" straight tube - certainly a better aesthetic, in my opinion!


Cheers

M

[Dan Harboe Burer]

Wow! Good work! Congratulations!

[Michel]

Wow, that is amazing! I actually like the envelope shape :-). Maybe it's a bit too big for a 6 digit clock, but it would look brilliant for a single tube nixie clock!

Well done!

Michel

[JohnK]

Dalibor.... I posted a copy of this at the Tube Collectors Association group - hope you are OK with that.

Congratulations on the work - I have followed your posts and said little. I am very envious.

John Kaesehagen

Australia

----- Original Message -----

From: Dalibor Farný

To: neoni...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 6:00 AM

Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Another progress in making nixies

Hello guys,

I think I can call this first my first nixie tube ;-)

...clip...

[NeonJohn]

Yes indeed, a very nice job. I'm impressed

John

On 09/09/2013 11:26 PM, Michel wrote:
> Wow, that is amazing! I actually like the envelope shape :-). Maybe it's a
> bit too big for a 6 digit clock, but it would look brilliant for a single
> tube nixie clock!
>
> Well done!

--
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Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
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[Dalibor Farný]

Thank You all guys for nice words!

I will let You know soon again with another progress!

Dalibor

2013/9/10 JohnK <yen...@internode.on.net>:

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[Dennis]

Fantastic work. Congratulations! Look at it glow. Production soon? Ha ha.

---

From: Dalibor Farný <dal...@farny.cz>
To: neoni...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Monday, September 9, 2013 1:30 PM

Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Another progress in making nixies

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[AlexTsekenis]

Marvelous results Dalibor! You have crossed the threshold of what most of us would consider a nixie tube. Well done!

Alex