Nixie Tube clock project - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

JStrider · 02-25-2005, 02:13 PM

so a buddy sent me to a link about someone using some old Nixie tubes to make a clock... and it looks like a really cool project...

if ya dont know a nixie tube is an old vacume tube from the 50s and 60s that was used to display numbers...
here are some pictures of em http://www.neonixie.com/in-12/index.html

anyways ive looked around a bit... and a lot of the kits are pretty expensive and complex... one of the more simple ones and cheaper ones is here
http://www.neonixie.com/nixie-tube-clock-kit-z57xm4d/
but its still $150

so im basically just wondering if anyone else has done a similar project or had some good info or sources on this kinda thing...

RonRyan85 · 03-03-2005, 08:47 PM

Years ago HEATH Company sold a clock that featured a solid state
clock kit with numbers that appeared on 4 small panels. I built one
and it worked fine until it was stolen. This Nixie kit looks like a fun
project.

Craven Morehead · 03-03-2005, 09:09 PM

Nixies are cool. Saw a clock made out of them in the early 70's. Was waaaay futuristic then. Now, retro cool. I remember using a terminal that displayed approximately 1/4 of a normal display (in today's world) and it was made up of nixies. Probably 80 in each row, maybe 10 or 12 rows. Had to cycle through all the pages in memory to see the entire display. I'd love to have one of those now.

supafly · 03-04-2005, 02:15 AM

I havent't build one, but I found a DIY site wich includes a schematic and a pcb design.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/electri.../nixclock.html

JStrider · 03-04-2005, 09:22 AM

well after much staring at my bank accounts info and doing some figuring with how much i'll be bringing in from selling plasma i went ahead and bought that kit...

yah ive seen that page before supafly
looks like a pretty good one... just a bunch more complex... and i dont have any experience with etching my own circuit boards and whatnot...

maybe if this one goes well i'll try with that one...
this will be my biggest project like this ever... ive done a bit of console/computer modding and some other smaller things with some buddies... but nothin this big... so we'll see and i'll take lots of pictures

02-25-2005, 02:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
JStrider Poo-tee-weet? Location: The Woodlands, TX	Nixie Tube clock project so a buddy sent me to a link about someone using some old Nixie tubes to make a clock... and it looks like a really cool project... if ya dont know a nixie tube is an old vacume tube from the 50s and 60s that was used to display numbers... here are some pictures of em http://www.neonixie.com/in-12/index.html anyways ive looked around a bit... and a lot of the kits are pretty expensive and complex... one of the more simple ones and cheaper ones is here http://www.neonixie.com/nixie-tube-clock-kit-z57xm4d/ but its still $150 so im basically just wondering if anyone else has done a similar project or had some good info or sources on this kinda thing... __________________ -=JStrider=- ~Clatto Verata Nicto

03-04-2005, 02:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
supafly Psycho Location: Rotterdam	I havent't build one, but I found a DIY site wich includes a schematic and a pcb design. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/electri.../nixclock.html __________________ Thumbs up

03-04-2005, 09:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
JStrider Poo-tee-weet? Location: The Woodlands, TX	well after much staring at my bank accounts info and doing some figuring with how much i'll be bringing in from selling plasma i went ahead and bought that kit... yah ive seen that page before supafly looks like a pretty good one... just a bunch more complex... and i dont have any experience with etching my own circuit boards and whatnot... maybe if this one goes well i'll try with that one... this will be my biggest project like this ever... ive done a bit of console/computer modding and some other smaller things with some buddies... but nothin this big... so we'll see and i'll take lots of pictures __________________ -=JStrider=- ~Clatto Verata Nicto

03-03-2005, 08:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
RonRyan85 Insane Location: Lone Star State,USA	Years ago HEATH Company sold a clock that featured a solid state clock kit with numbers that appeared on 4 small panels. I built one and it worked fine until it was stolen. This Nixie kit looks like a fun project.

03-03-2005, 09:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
Craven Morehead Custom User Title	Nixies are cool. Saw a clock made out of them in the early 70's. Was waaaay futuristic then. Now, retro cool. I remember using a terminal that displayed approximately 1/4 of a normal display (in today's world) and it was made up of nixies. Probably 80 in each row, maybe 10 or 12 rows. Had to cycle through all the pages in memory to see the entire display. I'd love to have one of those now.