Stressing IN18 pins

[Alex Rubli]

My cat tipped my nixiechron to the floor. Only one tube got broken, but other 3 has severly bent pins. What is the best way to get them streight again ?
Regards

Alex

[Instrument Resources of America]

Here's how I straighten pins. First of all I NEVER hold on to the glass
of a tube while straightening pins. I use a small pair, of smooth jaw,
duck bill pliers, by placing them on the pin in the area of the bend and
then squeeze the handles gently. Move around, and up and down on the pin
to several different locations if necessary, until the pin is as
straight as it's going to get. Do NOT hold the glass part of the tube
and bend the pin against the glass as it could very well crack the
glass. If the bend is far enough away from the glass, you MAY be able
to use a second pair of 'small' nose pliers to hold onto the pin, as
close to the glass as possible, and then use the duck bill pliers to
accomplish the straightening. Other folks here may have better, and or
different ideas, so WAIT until other folks here respond to you as well.
Pick the ideas that you think will work best. I'd hate to be the one
responsible for the breaking of a Nixie tube. The above process that I
outlined above has worked well for me for many years. Ira.

[Nicholas Stock]

For any bent tube pins I've encountered, I have used some angled needle nosed pliers and very gently straightened them by gently squeezing the pin flat in the jaws of the pliers. I always avoid doing this too close to the glass envelope as you'll risk cracking it. The pins on the IN-18's tend to be a little less forgiving than say B7971's or Z568's in my experience, so emphasis on gently and take your time...should be OK, I've yet to break a tube doing it this way. However, I've broken a few tubes inserting them into sockets too hard..;-(

Nick

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[Terry Kennedy]

On Friday, January 24, 2014 10:17:49 AM UTC-5, I wrote:

Other folks here may have better, and or
different ideas, so WAIT until other folks here respond to you as well.
Pick the ideas that you think will work best. I'd hate to be the one
responsible for the breaking of a Nixie tube.

 

Agreed. I wrote a detailed series of instructions in my manual for the MOD-SIX Nixie Clock. I'd paste them here, but there are pictures included, so just take a look at http://www.tmk.com/transient/mod-6-generic.pdf - the instructions for straightening B-7971 pins start on PDF page 15 (section 2-2).

[Jim_Z]