Nixie clock design process

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Hi guys,

Decided to design a nixie clock, I'm industrial designer, so why not? I want to share the process with you

For now I'm in very early stages.

I plan to divide my work to 4 main stages.

1. Form ideas, proportions and details.

2. Form prototype and electronics fitting.

3. Improvements.

4. Final prototype in real materials.

Materials which I want to use in final product: ceramic, wood, metal.

Now I'm in the first stage. Working with pencil and paper.

Researching form, proportions and details.

Daniil,

*sorry for my English :)

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Legs shape design.

[kay486]

Really nice concepts! What tubes are you planing to use with it? I really like the blue part of dd5.jpg on right, too bad its cut off. I can see the curves of Atari and Commodore in there!

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

kay 486 >>Really nice concepts! What tubes are you planing to use with it? I really like the blue part of dd5.jpg on right, too bad its cut off. I can see the curves of Atari and Commodore in there!

Thanks.

About tubes, don't decided yet, I don't have an electronic circuit design capabilities so I'm planning to use a kit. For first form prototype model I have pvelectronics IN-8 kit.

I will start with what I have and will see how it goes (and after I will decide about specific kit.)

[John Rehwinkel]

I like the "V" design, like the old Cadillac logo (2nd from right, about center vertically in dd4.jpg). I also like the "bridge" design (bottom row, 2nd from right in 3.jpg). The rocky faceted one is also appealing, giving the feel of the round finished tubes arising from rough-hewn rock (dd4.jpg, far left, 3rd row from top).

- John

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Thanks for the feedback, for now bridge design is winning ... but only for now maybe better things will come.

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

legs design process update.

[John Rehwinkel]

> legs design process update.

I had a thought on the evolving design. With the open legs illustrated, you could put the controls inside the opening of the legs, which would make them invisible from the front, which might be aesthetically appealing.

- John

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

John good idea, thanks.

[kay486]

I am not that big fan of the bridge design, because most nixie clock i saw just seem to be too tall. Having the base taller than the tubes themselves just does not seem right to me. Thats why i also like your designs where the middle of the case is recessed down, like in the 2.jpg It would make a really nice and original design.

One more thing, for the finished product, PLEASE do not use any of the russian tubes, they are not worth it. If you have amazing case, do not ruin it with cheap ugly tubes. The IN-8 are best looking russian tubes, yet they are ugly compared to like common Z570M. If you plan to go with pvelectronics kit, be sure to talk to Pete about the board, i have really good experience with him, he is always helpful and what do you know, he might adjust his board specificly for this project. Also, i know that he has some amazing tubes in stock like ZM1210 or ZM1177. Those tube together with your finished design could make an exclusive clock! Make sure to talk about your project with him!
cheers

On Monday, 1 July 2013 16:51:21 UTC+1, AndrakondrA (Daniil) wrote:

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

kay486>> I am not that big fan of the bridge design, because most nixie clock i saw just seem to be too tall. Having the base taller than the tubes themselves just does not seem right to me. Thats why i also like your designs where the middle of the case is recessed down, like in the 2.jpg It would make a really nice and original design.

I'm going to work on both designs bridge and block.

In block design when the base is thick is very difficult to achieve visual balance. Nixies is very dominant element and very detailed, the base should be a elegant second priority element, which should support, not steal the show, and it's difficult to achieve.

kay486>>One more thing, for the finished product, PLEASE do not use any of the russian tubes, they are not worth it. If you have amazing case, do not ruin it with cheap ugly tubes. 

Still don't know which kit I will use, for now what I have for the tests is pvelectronics, I'm open for other options. Any recommendations?

kay486>> If you plan to go with pvelectronics kit, be sure to talk to Pete about the board.

I will talk to him for sure, after I have something to show, some sort of prototype...

Thanks for advises.

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Little update, some sketches and first 3d model render (bridge design test).

[Dalibor Farný]

great! The ceramic body is really impressing!

2013/7/4 AndrakondrA (Daniil) <andra...@gmail.com>

Little update, some sketches and first 3d model render (bridge design test).

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[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Dalibor >> great! The ceramic body is really impressing!

Thank you, work in progress.

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Testing in render different variations and details.

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Modeling.

Don't have printer at home, so from Solidworks directly to old school work! And I like it!

[Spencer W]

What material are you using? Looks nice!

Sent from my iPhone

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[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

On Sunday, July 14, 2013 5:14:49 AM UTC+2, Spencer wrote:

What material are you using? Looks nice!

​

T

​hanks.

Material is soft cardboard, I don't know exact name in English (passe-partout board, mounting board ?), this board is used for making scaled architectural and design models and for passe-partout. Great material for prototyping!

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]

Form prototype is almost complete.

 The visual proportion in the model came out quite good. Overall feel - lightness and floating, but I still have to tweak a few design details, such as size of the chamfer and holes for the blinking bulbs, add a chamfer in the bottom of the body,  decide what size and shape side mount holes would be (not presented in current model), etc...

[AndrakondrA (Daniil)]