poll: a socket layout

[Dalibor Farný]

Hello guys,

as I was making the clock for the contest, I found that struggling
with 11 wires going from every nixie tube is pretty impractical. I
would like to develop a base that I will use for my tubes. Because I
am making tubes with "pinch" and not a flat glass bottom, it will look
like this: http://www.jb-electronics.de/html/elektronik/nixies/n_gr414.htm.
I will make a PCB that will be attached to the bottom of the aluminum
or plastic socket, pins soldered into it..

There are two ways:

- a common nixie layout like B13B. It looks authentically, would fit
into existing clocks/kits, but designing a board for it is not easy
and also finding right pins for making a socket takes some time..

- a 2x6 header pin that would fit into a standard 1/10 inch grid -
easy to get a female connectors to PCB, there is also a possibility to
fit the tube socket with some ICs (7442) so that only 6 pins would be
necessary to make. However this solution doesnt look much "vintage",
it is not authentical..

What way would You personally go?

Thanks!

PS: for those who havent seen the clock yet:
http://dalibor.farny.cz/introducing-shanghaitime-nixie-clock/


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

[John Rehwinkel]

On Nov 7, 2013, at 2:15 AM, Dalibor Farný wrote:

> Hello guys,
>
> as I was making the clock for the contest, I found that struggling
> with 11 wires going from every nixie tube is pretty impractical. I
> would like to develop a base that I will use for my tubes.
>

> - a common nixie layout like B13B.

> - a 2x6 header pin that would fit into a standard 1/10 inch grid -
>

> What way would You personally go?

I would go with the 2x6 header, but instead of having it all together, I
would add some mechanical stability by having two 1x6 headers
with a little space between them. I would have the viewing direction
parallel to the headers, so tubes could be mounted side by side on
a narrow board.

- John

[M.J.Sangster]

I like the 2 x 6 header pin idea.

[Jonathan Peakall]

I'd say option two. Less authentic but more DIY friendly.

Amazing work. Very impressed. The tubes look astounding.

Jonathan

[Nicholas Stock]

A true work of Art Dalibor, well done.

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to neonixie-l+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send an email to neoni...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/527BB636.9050102%40madlabs.info.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

[Nick]

2 x 6 is good

0.3" between the rows and 0.1" between the pins on the rows and then you can use a standard IC socket...

I agree with others re: mechanical stability - for larger tubes you need some way to anchor them down.

Nick

[AlexTsekenis]

+1 to John.

I'm leaning towards no decoding or serial comms as that would limit applications more than solving a real problem.

Use oversized eyelets in the interface PCB at the tube's base to take the mechanical stress.

Alex

[marta_kson]

The 2x6 pins will be fine. With a 0.3 or 0.6 distance a shortened IC-socket can be used. Even wider for large tubes for use with separate headers. As the clock will be standing in a living room environment slim and beautiful sockets are important. They does not need stablilty to withstand military needs or a space launch.

No integrated prehistoric drivers. Today MCU's rules. No need for power hungry dinosaurs burning more power than the tubes itself does.

Keep up the good work. An excellent achivement to have picked up nixie fabrication.

[kay486]

Wait, are we talking about sockets like these? http://goo.gl/UuHDhC if so, they are way too small for a tube the size of Z568M

[Dalibor Farný]

Hi guys, thanks for suggestions. I agree that two separate rows of
6pin header are the best.. Easy to make and it would provide good
stability to tubes. Common DIP package is too small to fix quite heavy
tube on a place, but it would be elegant solution!

Dalibor

2013/11/8 kay486 <luck...@gmail.com>:

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> "neonixie-l" group.
> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an

> email to neonixie-l+...@googlegroups.com.

> To post to this group, send an email to neoni...@googlegroups.com.
> To view this discussion on the web, visit

> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/7fc54ff2-be16-49de-b141-7abb505ce6ce%40googlegroups.com.

>
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.