Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-30 Thread Dalibor Farný
Hello Dylan,

Do You have any tips for seed beads thin enough? It should be 1mm, I found
some 2mm, but this would make a potencial in the nixie different, so the
breakdown voltage could be different for each digit. I read in a
Weston:cold cathode glow discharge tubes that it should be 1mm.

As John wrote, I found a supplier in Germany with nice 1mm alumina spacers,
but one piece would cost around 3 EUR :-) little expensive..

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
Dne 30.9.2012 4:33 dylan roelofs doktorb...@gmail.com napsal(a):

 Hey again John,
 Just get some little 'seed' beads from the bead store for spacers.
  If you've got ultrasound, I recommend it- there can be a little
 refractory sludge in 'em from the production.
  I made a few 'crackle' tubes using black seed beads and neon about 10
 years back...really cool effect.

 -Dylan



 On Friday, September 28, 2012 7:09:57 AM UTC-7, jrehwin wrote:

  it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant
 to achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You
 will have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher
 current..

 While this is true, it isn't an absolute.  Existing nixies have different
 currents for different digits (particularlay 1).  Since they're
 more-or-less constant
 voltage devices, the anode resistor tends to even out the different
 current draws.  Running nixies from higher voltages with larger anode
 resistors
 helps with this (at the cost of efficiency).  Some designs actually use
 current regulation instead of anode resistors, and these will tend to
 overdrive
 the smaller digits slightly.

 That said, it would be simple enough to write code to adjust the digit
 stroke thicknesses to achieve matching total areas.  Note that in some
 nixies,
 the 1 digit is made with a double stroke to help with this.

  And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-)

 That is a perfectly valid reason.  If I were going to clone a nixie, I'd
 choose the CD-66 with its particularly nice digit shapes.

 However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them
 visibly distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I
 can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want
 a nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make
 my own.

 There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more
 rigid and stable, and should survive longer.  However,
 this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width.

  Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play
 and change things inside..

 Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult
 problem in making nixies.

  Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?

 Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard
 from someone who's making custom variable
 capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter.

 I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit
 separators, and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking
 of glass and mica as alternatives.

 - John

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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-30 Thread Dalibor Farný
 However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them
visibly distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I
 can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want
a nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make
 my own.

Thats it, I plan (faaar far future :-) to come up with a small series of
nixie tubes, once this will be possible I want them to be unique, so I am
considering also changing the digits.. I had thought about some art-deco
look, I love that :-)


 There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more
rigid and stable, and should survive longer.  However,
 this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width.

This is one thing I am afraid of - bending or the thin digits, mine are
only 0.4mm thick, so it is not easy to make them flat. More rigid digits
would be better..


  Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play
and change things inside..

 Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult
problem in making nixies.

  Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?

 Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard
from someone who's making custom variable
 capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter.

 I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit
separators, and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking
 of glass and mica as alternatives.

 - John

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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-30 Thread John Rehwinkel
 Just get some little 'seed' beads from the bead store for spacers.

Ooh, good idea!

  If you've got ultrasound, I recommend it- there can be a little 
 refractory sludge in 'em from the production.
  I made a few 'crackle' tubes using black seed beads and neon about 10 
 years back...really cool effect.

I made a crackle tube with glass beads a while back too - they were a little 
larger than the seed beads, but
they were clear, and worked reasonably well.  I tried it with an electronic 
transformer, but didn't get the
crackle effect - I eventually went to a 30mA magnetic one, which did the trick.

- John

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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-29 Thread Dalibor Farný
Wooow!

Alek, this is really outstanding result! Could I ask You what etching
chemical did You use? FeCl3? And how did You agitated the etching process,
I just immersed the metal into etching solution.. some kind of spray tank
is the best way.. did You heat the etching solution?

So the photolitography devices are original pieces? Industry made nixie's
metal parts were made using this?

I will send You 0.1mm stanless steel sheet to do another test if You want,
just send me your address to my email.

Could You please send a photo of assembled device?

Sorry for so many demands :-)

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
Dne 28.9.2012 22:06 Alek onet aleksander_zaw...@poczta.onet.pl
napsal(a):

 accelerated by Dalibor I tried my photolitography devices. It's very
 good, even using first time! It isn't simple technology but I'm
 very glad. In the second picture you have anode of nixie tube prepared
 from template of polish tube type LC513. Unfortunatelly I had old
 photosensitive lacquer and thick metal plate (0.2 mm).

 www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/**lc1d/fotolito.jpghttp://www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lc1d/fotolito.jpg
 www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/**lc1d/fotolito1.jpghttp://www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lc1d/fotolito1.jpg

 Best regards
 Alek

  it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant to
 achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You
 will have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher
 current..

 While this is true, it isn't an absolute.  Existing nixies have different
 currents for different digits (particularlay 1).  Since they're
 more-or-less constant
 voltage devices, the anode resistor tends to even out the different
 current draws.  Running nixies from higher voltages with larger anode
 resistors
 helps with this (at the cost of efficiency).  Some designs actually use
 current regulation instead of anode resistors, and these will tend to
 overdrive
 the smaller digits slightly.

 That said, it would be simple enough to write code to adjust the digit
 stroke thicknesses to achieve matching total areas.  Note that in some
 nixies,
 the 1 digit is made with a double stroke to help with this.

  And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-)

 That is a perfectly valid reason.  If I were going to clone a nixie, I'd
 choose the CD-66 with its particularly nice digit shapes.

 However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them
 visibly distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I
 can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want
 a nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make
 my own.

 There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more
 rigid and stable, and should survive longer.  However,
 this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width.

  Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play
 and change things inside..

 Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult
 problem in making nixies.

  Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?

 Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard
 from someone who's making custom variable
 capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter.

 I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit
 separators, and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking
 of glass and mica as alternatives.

 - John


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RE: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-29 Thread Dalibor Farny
Hello Alek,

Thanks for info!

Take your time,

Dalibor Farny
http://dalibor.farny.cz

Sent from my HTC

-Original Message-
From: Alek onet aleksander_zaw...@poczta.onet.pl
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 11:48
To: neonixie-l@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

Dear Dalibor,

 Photolitography devices are original pieces. It was used for polish industrial 
nixies, but rather for laboratory scale. When prototypes were good, 
manufacturing go to Dolam, Wroclaw. I suppose that there were similiar devices, 
but bigger.
 I used hydrochloric acid with perhydrol H2O2 and pure water. I'm going to try 
with molybdenum foil and cupric foil for another parts, not for nixies.

  I'm very tired now. That's why I must go to sleep. I promise you answer good 
as quick as possible.

 Alek

 W dniu 2012-09-29 09:56, Dalibor Farný pisze:
Wooow!
Alek, this is really outstanding result! Could I ask You what etching chemical 
did You use? FeCl3? And how did You agitated the etching process, I just 
immersed the metal into etching solution.. some kind of spray tank is the best 
way.. did You heat the etching solution?
So the photolitography devices are original pieces? Industry made nixie's metal 
parts were made using this?
I will send You 0.1mm stanless steel sheet to do another test if You want, just 
send me your address to my email.
Could You please send a photo of assembled device?
Sorry for so many demands :-)
Dalibor Farný
 http://dalibor.farny.cz
sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
Dne 28.9.2012 22:06 Alek onet aleksander_zaw...@poczta.onet.pl napsal(a):
 
accelerated by Dalibor I tried my photolitography devices. It's very good, 
even using first time! It isn't simple technology but I'm
 very glad. In the second picture you have anode of nixie tube prepared from 
template of polish tube type LC513. Unfortunatelly I had old
 photosensitive lacquer and thick metal plate (0.2 mm).

www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lc1d/fotolito.jpg
www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lc1d/fotolito1.jpg

 Best regards
 Alek

it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant to 
achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You will 
have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher current..
While this is true, it isn't an absolute.  Existing nixies have different 
currents for different digits (particularlay 1).  Since they're more-or-less 
constant
 voltage devices, the anode resistor tends to even out the different current 
draws.  Running nixies from higher voltages with larger anode resistors
 helps with this (at the cost of efficiency).  Some designs actually use 
current regulation instead of anode resistors, and these will tend to overdrive
 the smaller digits slightly.

 That said, it would be simple enough to write code to adjust the digit stroke 
thicknesses to achieve matching total areas.  Note that in some nixies,
 the 1 digit is made with a double stroke to help with this.

And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-)
That is a perfectly valid reason.  If I were going to clone a nixie, I'd choose 
the CD-66 with its particularly nice digit shapes.

 However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them visibly 
distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I
 can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want a 
nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make
 my own.

 There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more rigid 
and stable, and should survive longer.  However,
 this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width.

Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play and 
change things inside..
Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult 
problem in making nixies.

Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?
Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard from 
someone who's making custom variable
 capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter.

 I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit 
separators, and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking
 of glass and mica as alternatives.

 - John


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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-29 Thread dylan roelofs
Hey again John, 
Just get some little 'seed' beads from the bead store for spacers.
 If you've got ultrasound, I recommend it- there can be a little 
refractory sludge in 'em from the production.
 I made a few 'crackle' tubes using black seed beads and neon about 10 
years back...really cool effect.

-Dylan



On Friday, September 28, 2012 7:09:57 AM UTC-7, jrehwin wrote:

  it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant to 
 achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You 
 will have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher 
 current.. 

 While this is true, it isn't an absolute.  Existing nixies have different 
 currents for different digits (particularlay 1).  Since they're 
 more-or-less constant 
 voltage devices, the anode resistor tends to even out the different 
 current draws.  Running nixies from higher voltages with larger anode 
 resistors 
 helps with this (at the cost of efficiency).  Some designs actually use 
 current regulation instead of anode resistors, and these will tend to 
 overdrive 
 the smaller digits slightly. 

 That said, it would be simple enough to write code to adjust the digit 
 stroke thicknesses to achieve matching total areas.  Note that in some 
 nixies, 
 the 1 digit is made with a double stroke to help with this. 

  And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-) 

 That is a perfectly valid reason.  If I were going to clone a nixie, I'd 
 choose the CD-66 with its particularly nice digit shapes. 

 However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them 
 visibly distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I 
 can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want a 
 nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make 
 my own. 

 There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more 
 rigid and stable, and should survive longer.  However, 
 this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width. 

  Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play 
 and change things inside.. 

 Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult 
 problem in making nixies. 

  Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics? 

 Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard 
 from someone who's making custom variable 
 capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter. 

 I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit 
 separators, and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking 
 of glass and mica as alternatives. 

 - John 



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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread John Rehwinkel
 I also want to try to make evacuation pipe in stem, but there will be too 
 many wires, how do You solve the problem of wires on the place of the pipe? I 
 cant see that detail on your photo..

I'm curious too - that's a lot of wires for a pinch seal.

 Do You think that original industry made nixies used photo-etched numbers and 
 anode mesh? Or it was stamped? You found a layouts or finished 5 and 7? This 
 is a part of mosaic what I still miss :-)

Instead of starting with existing nixies, I've been playing with generating 
cathode graphics using computer fonts.  This one is just a test, I'd probably 
want to use
a lighter typeface for real nixie cathodes:

http://www.vitriol.com/images/tech/nixies/cathodes.gif

- John

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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread Dalibor Farný
 Instead of starting with existing nixies, I've been playing with
generating cathode graphics using computer fonts.  This one is just a test,
I'd probably want to use
a lighter typeface for real nixie cathodes:

it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant to
achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You
will have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher
current.. And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-) Once I have
working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play and change
things inside..

Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?

Dalibor


2012/9/28 John Rehwinkel jreh...@mac.com

  I also want to try to make evacuation pipe in stem, but there will be
 too many wires, how do You solve the problem of wires on the place of the
 pipe? I cant see that detail on your photo..

 I'm curious too - that's a lot of wires for a pinch seal.

  Do You think that original industry made nixies used photo-etched
 numbers and anode mesh? Or it was stamped? You found a layouts or finished
 5 and 7? This is a part of mosaic what I still miss :-)

 Instead of starting with existing nixies, I've been playing with
 generating cathode graphics using computer fonts.  This one is just a test,
 I'd probably want to use
 a lighter typeface for real nixie cathodes:

 http://www.vitriol.com/images/tech/nixies/cathodes.gif

 - John

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http://dalibor.farny.cz

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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread kay486
The thing is that im not aware of any font that would have as nice numbers 
as nixies have!

On Friday, 28 September 2012 14:23:40 UTC+1, jrehwin wrote:

  I also want to try to make evacuation pipe in stem, but there will be 
 too many wires, how do You solve the problem of wires on the place of the 
 pipe? I cant see that detail on your photo.. 

 I'm curious too - that's a lot of wires for a pinch seal. 

  Do You think that original industry made nixies used photo-etched 
 numbers and anode mesh? Or it was stamped? You found a layouts or finished 
 5 and 7? This is a part of mosaic what I still miss :-) 

 Instead of starting with existing nixies, I've been playing with 
 generating cathode graphics using computer fonts.  This one is just a test, 
 I'd probably want to use 
 a lighter typeface for real nixie cathodes: 

 http://www.vitriol.com/images/tech/nixies/cathodes.gif 

 - John 



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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread John Rehwinkel
 it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant to 
 achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You will 
 have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher 
 current..

While this is true, it isn't an absolute.  Existing nixies have different 
currents for different digits (particularlay 1).  Since they're more-or-less 
constant
voltage devices, the anode resistor tends to even out the different current 
draws.  Running nixies from higher voltages with larger anode resistors
helps with this (at the cost of efficiency).  Some designs actually use current 
regulation instead of anode resistors, and these will tend to overdrive
the smaller digits slightly.

That said, it would be simple enough to write code to adjust the digit stroke 
thicknesses to achieve matching total areas.  Note that in some nixies,
the 1 digit is made with a double stroke to help with this.

 And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-)

That is a perfectly valid reason.  If I were going to clone a nixie, I'd choose 
the CD-66 with its particularly nice digit shapes.

However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them visibly 
distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I
can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want a 
nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make
my own.

There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more rigid and 
stable, and should survive longer.  However,
this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width.

 Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play and 
 change things inside..

Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult 
problem in making nixies.

 Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?

Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard from 
someone who's making custom variable
capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter.

I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit separators, 
and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking
of glass and mica as alternatives.

- John

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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread kay486
Ah i see, are you going to break any tubes for the bigger digits (because i 
hope not!)? Did you get my reply? :D

On Thursday, 27 September 2012 21:01:50 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

 Hello,

 Thanks, I scanned numbers from z566m, so 30mm. I plan to start on 40mm 
 numbers, and then go higher :-)

 Have You received my email in czech yesterday?

 Dalibor Farný
 http://dalibor.farny.cz

 sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
 Dne 27.9.2012 12:37 kay486 luck...@gmail.com javascript: napsal(a):

 Oh wow! Now thats some promissing progress. Cant wait to see some of your 
 tubes! By the way, how big are those etched numbers?

 On Thursday, 27 September 2012 08:06:12 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

 Hello!

 Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am spending 
 all my free time making nixies, not much time to write about it on blog.. I 
 am now in phase of building glass lathe again, the previous one was of bad 
 design.. 

 I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a lead-in-wires with 
 tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them on helium leak detector and 
 some of them are ok! :-) So now I need the lathe to make the envelopes and 
 seal it..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-**content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_**8088.jpghttp://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

 I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers from thin 
 stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching proces will have to be 
 made more even and much much faster to prevent under-etching..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-**content/uploads/2012/08/**
 20120804_120302.jpghttp://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

 I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor discharge 
 welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be adjusted, tungsten-steel 
 welds are now really easy :-)

 Dalibor Farný
 http://dalibor.farny.cz

 sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
 Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics webm...@jb-electronics.de 
 napsal(a):

 Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before I get 
 a real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

 Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly, it is 
 quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will break loose. But 
 I 
 could use this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.

 But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would probably 
 yield much better results.

 Jens


  Nice work Jens!

 Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp colons or
 something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
 probably because it is a prototype.

 Michel




 On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
 wrote:

 Hi folks,

 finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third try, 
 therefore
 I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See two 
 pictures
 here:

 http://www.jb-electronics.de/**t**mp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.**jb-**
 electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_**2.**jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

 It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The gas filling is
 normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

 I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will switch to a
 hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though (when I have
 enough time and money).

 I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will be able to 
 do
 something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months lead time for 
 a
 silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube making 
 content
 prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but there is still
 much to do.

 Best regards
 Jens


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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread jb-electronics

Hi folks,

just a small follow-up on my first glow lamp post: I have managed to 
make a pinch seal using the 9mm tubing with four electrodes. The next 
aim is five.


It is quite easy: all you need is very small glass tubing. Just stretch 
9mm tubing, and if you do it fast enough (and carefully, of course) you 
get very nice small tubes with diameters below 1mm. Then I just cut 
these to pieces of 20mm and insert a Dumet wire each and heat it up with 
a small handheld torch. Then I align four of these wires and use a small 
portion of glass to glue them together. Then comes the pinching process 
which is not so critical if you have ensured all the four wires stick 
together good. Will document that on my website soon.


So now I have a glow lamp with four more or less parallel wires... Could 
you call that a Nixie tube? ;-)


Jens


I also want to try to make evacuation pipe in stem, but there will be too many 
wires, how do You solve the problem of wires on the place of the pipe? I cant 
see that detail on your photo..

I'm curious too - that's a lot of wires for a pinch seal.


Do You think that original industry made nixies used photo-etched numbers and 
anode mesh? Or it was stamped? You found a layouts or finished 5 and 7? This is 
a part of mosaic what I still miss :-)

Instead of starting with existing nixies, I've been playing with generating 
cathode graphics using computer fonts.  This one is just a test, I'd probably 
want to use
a lighter typeface for real nixie cathodes:

http://www.vitriol.com/images/tech/nixies/cathodes.gif

- John



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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread Alek onet
accelerated by Dalibor I tried my photolitography devices. It's very 
good, even using first time! It isn't simple technology but I'm
very glad. In the second picture you have anode of nixie tube prepared 
from template of polish tube type LC513. Unfortunatelly I had old

photosensitive lacquer and thick metal plate (0.2 mm).

www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lc1d/fotolito.jpg
www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lc1d/fotolito1.jpg

Best regards
Alek


it is not so easy, the total surface of each digit should be constant to 
achieve constant current and constant brightness of each digit (else You will 
have to struggle with resistors on cathodes..). Bigger number = higher current..

While this is true, it isn't an absolute.  Existing nixies have different currents for 
different digits (particularlay 1).  Since they're more-or-less constant
voltage devices, the anode resistor tends to even out the different current 
draws.  Running nixies from higher voltages with larger anode resistors
helps with this (at the cost of efficiency).  Some designs actually use current 
regulation instead of anode resistors, and these will tend to overdrive
the smaller digits slightly.

That said, it would be simple enough to write code to adjust the digit stroke 
thicknesses to achieve matching total areas.  Note that in some nixies,
the 1 digit is made with a double stroke to help with this.


And I also like the retro look of original digits ;-)

That is a perfectly valid reason.  If I were going to clone a nixie, I'd choose 
the CD-66 with its particularly nice digit shapes.

However, if I'm making my own nixies, I'd be interested in making them visibly 
distinct from existing ones.  If I want a CD-66, I
can just go buy one (unless I want a CD-66 with 30mm digits).  If I want a 
nixie with Böcklin or Klingon digits, I'll have to make
my own.

There's also a mechanical consideration - thicker digits will be more rigid and 
stable, and should survive longer.  However,
this thickness can be in material thickness or stroke width.


Once I have working tube (as close as possible to original) I can play and 
change things inside..

Absolutely.  Coming up with digit shapes is likely not the most difficult 
problem in making nixies.


Have You made something working with mentioned digit graphics?

Not as of yet.  My original plan was to photoetch them, but I just heard from 
someone who's making custom variable
capacitor plates, and has access to a water jet cutter.

I've been pricing the little ceramic rings used as insulating digit separators, 
and they're expensive, so now I'm thinking
of glass and mica as alternatives.

- John



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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-28 Thread jb-electronics

Here are the pictures:

http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-6_1.jpg
http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-6_2.jpg

Jens



Hi folks,

just a small follow-up on my first glow lamp post: I have managed to 
make a pinch seal using the 9mm tubing with four electrodes. The next 
aim is five.


It is quite easy: all you need is very small glass tubing. Just 
stretch 9mm tubing, and if you do it fast enough (and carefully, of 
course) you get very nice small tubes with diameters below 1mm. Then I 
just cut these to pieces of 20mm and insert a Dumet wire each and heat 
it up with a small handheld torch. Then I align four of these wires 
and use a small portion of glass to glue them together. Then comes the 
pinching process which is not so critical if you have ensured all the 
four wires stick together good. Will document that on my website soon.


So now I have a glow lamp with four more or less parallel wires... 
Could you call that a Nixie tube? ;-)


Jens

I also want to try to make evacuation pipe in stem, but there will 
be too many wires, how do You solve the problem of wires on the 
place of the pipe? I cant see that detail on your photo..

I'm curious too - that's a lot of wires for a pinch seal.

Do You think that original industry made nixies used photo-etched 
numbers and anode mesh? Or it was stamped? You found a layouts or 
finished 5 and 7? This is a part of mosaic what I still miss :-)
Instead of starting with existing nixies, I've been playing with 
generating cathode graphics using computer fonts.  This one is just a 
test, I'd probably want to use

a lighter typeface for real nixie cathodes:

http://www.vitriol.com/images/tech/nixies/cathodes.gif

- John





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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Dalibor Farný
Hello!

Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am spending all
my free time making nixies, not much time to write about it on blog.. I am
now in phase of building glass lathe again, the previous one was of bad
design..

I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a lead-in-wires with
tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them on helium leak detector and
some of them are ok! :-) So now I need the lathe to make the envelopes and
seal it..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers from thin
stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching proces will have to be
made more even and much much faster to prevent under-etching..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor discharge
welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be adjusted, tungsten-steel
welds are now really easy :-)

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de napsal(a):

 Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before I get a
 real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

 Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly, it is
 quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will break loose. But I
 could use this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.

 But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would probably
 yield much better results.

 Jens


  Nice work Jens!

 Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp colons or
 something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
 probably because it is a prototype.

 Michel




 On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
 wrote:

 Hi folks,

 finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third try, therefore
 I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See two pictures
 here:

 http://www.jb-electronics.de/**tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.**
 jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_**2.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

 It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The gas filling is
 normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

 I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will switch to a
 hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though (when I have
 enough time and money).

 I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will be able to do
 something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months lead time for a
 silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube making content
 prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but there is still
 much to do.

 Best regards
 Jens


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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread kay486
Oh wow! Now thats some promissing progress. Cant wait to see some of your 
tubes! By the way, how big are those etched numbers?

On Thursday, 27 September 2012 08:06:12 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

 Hello!

 Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am spending 
 all my free time making nixies, not much time to write about it on blog.. I 
 am now in phase of building glass lathe again, the previous one was of bad 
 design.. 

 I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a lead-in-wires with 
 tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them on helium leak detector and 
 some of them are ok! :-) So now I need the lathe to make the envelopes and 
 seal it..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

 I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers from thin 
 stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching proces will have to be 
 made more even and much much faster to prevent under-etching..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

 I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor discharge 
 welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be adjusted, tungsten-steel 
 welds are now really easy :-)

 Dalibor Farný
 http://dalibor.farny.cz

 sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
 Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics webm...@jb-electronics.dejavascript: 
 napsal(a):

 Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before I get a 
 real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

 Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly, it is 
 quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will break loose. But I 
 could use this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.

 But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would probably 
 yield much better results.

 Jens


  Nice work Jens!

 Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp colons or
 something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
 probably because it is a prototype.

 Michel




 On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
 wrote:

 Hi folks,

 finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third try, therefore
 I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See two pictures
 here:

 http://www.jb-electronics.de/**tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.**
 jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_**2.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

 It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The gas filling is
 normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

 I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will switch to a
 hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though (when I have
 enough time and money).

 I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will be able to do
 something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months lead time for a
 silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube making content
 prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but there is still
 much to do.

 Best regards
 Jens


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 To post to this group, send an email to 
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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread jb-electronics

Hi,

wow, that looks good. I am trying to make smaller steps because I am not 
so good with the mechanics. I will build small tubes out of test tubes 
first; a glass lathe is nice but for now it is too much for me.


Jens


Hello!

Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am 
spending all my free time making nixies, not much time to write about 
it on blog.. I am now in phase of building glass lathe again, the 
previous one was of bad design..


I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a lead-in-wires 
with tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them on helium leak 
detector and some of them are ok! :-) So now I need the lathe to make 
the envelopes and seal it..


http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers from thin 
stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching proces will have to 
be made more even and much much faster to prevent under-etching..


http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor 
discharge welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be adjusted, 
tungsten-steel welds are now really easy :-)


Dalibor Farnı
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de 
mailto:webmas...@jb-electronics.de napsal(a):


Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before
I get a real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly,
it is quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will
break loose. But I could use this insulator to prevent parts of
wires to glow.

But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would
probably yield much better results.

Jens


Nice work Jens!

Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp
colons or
something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
probably because it is a prototype.

Michel




On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics
webmas...@jb-electronics.de mailto:webmas...@jb-electronics.de
wrote:

Hi folks,

finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third
try, therefore
I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See
two pictures
here:


http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The
gas filling is
normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will
switch to a
hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though
(when I have
enough time and money).

I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will
be able to do
something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months
lead time for a
silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube
making content
prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but
there is still
much to do.

Best regards
Jens


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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Dalibor Farný
Hello,

Thanks, I scanned numbers from z566m, so 30mm. I plan to start on 40mm
numbers, and then go higher :-)

Have You received my email in czech yesterday?

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
Dne 27.9.2012 12:37 kay486 luckyl...@gmail.com napsal(a):

 Oh wow! Now thats some promissing progress. Cant wait to see some of your
 tubes! By the way, how big are those etched numbers?

 On Thursday, 27 September 2012 08:06:12 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

 Hello!

 Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am spending
 all my free time making nixies, not much time to write about it on blog.. I
 am now in phase of building glass lathe again, the previous one was of bad
 design..

 I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a lead-in-wires with
 tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them on helium leak detector and
 some of them are ok! :-) So now I need the lathe to make the envelopes and
 seal it..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-**content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_**8088.jpghttp://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

 I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers from thin
 stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching proces will have to be
 made more even and much much faster to prevent under-etching..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-**content/uploads/2012/08/**
 20120804_120302.jpghttp://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

 I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor discharge
 welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be adjusted, tungsten-steel
 welds are now really easy :-)

 Dalibor Farný
 http://dalibor.farny.cz

 sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
 Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics webm...@jb-electronics.de
 napsal(a):

 Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before I get
 a real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

 Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly, it is
 quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will break loose. But I
 could use this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.

 But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would probably
 yield much better results.

 Jens


  Nice work Jens!

 Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp colons or
 something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
 probably because it is a prototype.

 Michel




 On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
 wrote:

 Hi folks,

 finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third try,
 therefore
 I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See two pictures
 here:

 http://www.jb-electronics.de/**t**mp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.**jb-**
 electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_**2.**jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

 It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The gas filling is
 normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

 I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will switch to a
 hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though (when I have
 enough time and money).

 I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will be able to
 do
 something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months lead time for a
 silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube making
 content
 prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but there is still
 much to do.

 Best regards
 Jens


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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Dalibor Farný
Hello,

I also spent some time with glow tubes.. good practise. You mentioned that
air is much dimmer than neon - argon is not better :-( but argon is inert
and You could make glow tubes with much higher lifetime..

Go for oxy-gas torch, You will be surprised how thoroughly is possible to
heat the seals :-) I bought a cheap ($25) acetylene-oxy torch, I am using
it with gas-oxy, it works well!

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
Dne 27.9.2012 13:28 jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
napsal(a):

  Hi,

 wow, that looks good. I am trying to make smaller steps because I am not
 so good with the mechanics. I will build small tubes out of test tubes
 first; a glass lathe is nice but for now it is too much for me.

 Jens

  Hello!

 Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am spending
 all my free time making nixies, not much time to write about it on blog.. I
 am now in phase of building glass lathe again, the previous one was of bad
 design..

 I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a lead-in-wires with
 tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them on helium leak detector and
 some of them are ok! :-) So now I need the lathe to make the envelopes and
 seal it..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

 I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers from thin
 stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching proces will have to be
 made more even and much much faster to prevent under-etching..

 http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

 I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor discharge
 welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be adjusted, tungsten-steel
 welds are now really easy :-)

 Dalibor Farný
 http://dalibor.farny.cz

 sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad
 Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
 napsal(a):

 Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before I get a
 real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

 Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly, it is
 quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will break loose. But I
 could use this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.

 But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would probably
 yield much better results.

 Jens


  Nice work Jens!

 Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp colons or
 something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
 probably because it is a prototype.

 Michel




 On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
 wrote:

 Hi folks,

 finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third try, therefore
 I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See two pictures
 here:


 http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

 It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The gas filling is
 normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

 I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will switch to a
 hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though (when I have
 enough time and money).

 I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will be able to do
 something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months lead time for a
 silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube making content
 prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but there is still
 much to do.

 Best regards
 Jens


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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Alek onet

Dalibor,
good job!

I just started preparing glass wafers with pumping pipe:

http://tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/splaszcz/splaszcz30.jpg

Yesterday I found devices for nixies (photolitography process for LC513 
tubes). Unfortunatelly I have only 5 and 7 and grid templates.

I wonder about photosensitive emulssion. Any suggestions?


W dniu 2012-09-27 22:01, Dalibor Farný pisze:


Hello,

Thanks, I scanned numbers from z566m, so 30mm. I plan to start on 40mm 
numbers, and then go higher :-)


Have You received my email in czech yesterday?

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 12:37 kay486 luckyl...@gmail.com 
mailto:luckyl...@gmail.com napsal(a):


Oh wow! Now thats some promissing progress. Cant wait to see some
of your tubes! By the way, how big are those etched numbers?

On Thursday, 27 September 2012 08:06:12 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

Hello!

Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am
spending all my free time making nixies, not much time to
write about it on blog.. I am now in phase of building glass
lathe again, the previous one was of bad design..

I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a
lead-in-wires with tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them
on helium leak detector and some of them are ok! :-) So now I
need the lathe to make the envelopes and seal it..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers
from thin stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching
proces will have to be made more even and much much faster to
prevent under-etching..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor
discharge welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be
adjusted, tungsten-steel welds are now really easy :-)

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics
webm...@jb-electronics.de napsal(a):

Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps
before I get a real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator.
Sadly, it is quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too
hard it will break loose. But I could use this insulator
to prevent parts of wires to glow.

But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon
would probably yield much better results.

Jens


Nice work Jens!

Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with
glow lamp colons or
something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon
but that is
probably because it is a prototype.

Michel




On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics
webmas...@jb-electronics.de
wrote:

Hi folks,

finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is
the third try, therefore
I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab
sample 3. See two pictures
here:


http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet
wire. The gas filling is
normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly
550V DC.

I used a simple propane torch for the glass work.
Will switch to a
hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months
though (when I have
enough time and money).

I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so,
then I will be able to do
something with neon. Believe it or not: over two
months lead time for a
silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have
the tube making content
prepared for my website by then. It is piling up,
but there is still
much to do.

Best regards
Jens


-- 
You received this message because you are subscribed to

the Google Groups neonixie-l group.
To post to this group, send an email to
neoni...@googlegroups.com.
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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Alek onet

W dniu 2012-09-27 22:01, Dalibor Farný pisze:


Hello,

Thanks, I scanned numbers from z566m, so 30mm. I plan to start on 40mm 
numbers, and then go higher :-)


Have You received my email in czech yesterday?

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 12:37 kay486 luckyl...@gmail.com 
mailto:luckyl...@gmail.com napsal(a):


Oh wow! Now thats some promissing progress. Cant wait to see some
of your tubes! By the way, how big are those etched numbers?

On Thursday, 27 September 2012 08:06:12 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

Hello!

Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I am
spending all my free time making nixies, not much time to
write about it on blog.. I am now in phase of building glass
lathe again, the previous one was of bad design..

I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a
lead-in-wires with tungsten middle sealing part. I tested them
on helium leak detector and some of them are ok! :-) So now I
need the lathe to make the envelopes and seal it..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers
from thin stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching
proces will have to be made more even and much much faster to
prevent under-etching..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the capacitor
discharge welder waswaste of time :-( the new one can be
adjusted, tungsten-steel welds are now really easy :-)

Dalibor Farný
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics
webm...@jb-electronics.de napsal(a):

Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps
before I get a real torch, a real colon display would be nice.

Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator.
Sadly, it is quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too
hard it will break loose. But I could use this insulator
to prevent parts of wires to glow.

But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon
would probably yield much better results.

Jens


Nice work Jens!

Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with
glow lamp colons or
something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon
but that is
probably because it is a prototype.

Michel




On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics
webmas...@jb-electronics.de
wrote:

Hi folks,

finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is
the third try, therefore
I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab
sample 3. See two pictures
here:


http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet
wire. The gas filling is
normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly
550V DC.

I used a simple propane torch for the glass work.
Will switch to a
hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months
though (when I have
enough time and money).

I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so,
then I will be able to do
something with neon. Believe it or not: over two
months lead time for a
silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have
the tube making content
prepared for my website by then. It is piling up,
but there is still
much to do.

Best regards
Jens




-- 






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neonixie-l group.
To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com.
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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Alek onet

Dear Dalibor,
good job!

I just started preparing glass wafers with pumping pipe:

http://tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/splaszcz/splaszcz30.jpg

Yesterday I found devices for nixies (photolitography process for polish 
LC513 tubes). Unfortunatelly I have only 5 and 7 and grid templates.

I wonder about photosensitive emulssion. Any suggestions?


Hello,

Thanks, I scanned numbers from z566m, so 30mm. I plan to start on 
40mm numbers, and then go higher :-)


Have You received my email in czech yesterday?

Dalibor Farnı
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 12:37 kay486 luckyl...@gmail.com 
mailto:luckyl...@gmail.com napsal(a):


Oh wow! Now thats some promissing progress. Cant wait to see some
of your tubes! By the way, how big are those etched numbers?

On Thursday, 27 September 2012 08:06:12 UTC+1, Dalibor wrote:

Hello!

Nice, I am glad You are really working on it, so do I :-) I
am spending all my free time making nixies, not much time to
write about it on blog.. I am now in phase of building glass
lathe again, the previous one was of bad design..

I made several stems from Simax (boro) glass using a
lead-in-wires with tungsten middle sealing part. I tested
them on helium leak detector and some of them are ok! :-) So
now I need the lathe to make the envelopes and seal it..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/IMG_8088.jpg

I also did simple experiment with photo-etching of numbers
from thin stainless steel sheet. It works, but the etching
proces will have to be made more even and much much faster to
prevent under-etching..

http://dalibor.farny.cz/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/20120804_120302.jpg

I also had to build new transformer spot welder, the
capacitor discharge welder waswaste of time :-( the new one
can be adjusted, tungsten-steel welds are now really easy :-)

Dalibor Farnı
http://dalibor.farny.cz

sent from Samsung Galaxy Pad

Dne 27.9.2012 5:17 jb-electronics
webm...@jb-electronics.de napsal(a):

Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow
lamps before I get a real torch, a real colon display
would be nice.

Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide
insulator. Sadly, it is quite brittle, so if you shake
the tube too hard it will break loose. But I could use
this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.

But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon
would probably yield much better results.

Jens


Nice work Jens!

Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with
glow lamp colons or
something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as
neon but that is
probably because it is a prototype.

Michel




On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics
webmas...@jb-electronics.de
wrote:

Hi folks,

finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is
the third try, therefore
I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab
sample 3. See two pictures
here:


http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet
wire. The gas filling is
normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly
550V DC.

I used a simple propane torch for the glass work.
Will switch to a
hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months
though (when I have
enough time and money).

I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so,
then I will be able to do
something with neon. Believe it or not: over two
months lead time for a
silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have
the tube making content
prepared for my website by then. It is piling up,
but there is still
much to do.

Best regards
Jens




-- 






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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-27 Thread Alek onet

Dear Dalibor,
good job!

I just started preparing glass wafers with pumping pipe:

http://tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/splaszcz/splaszcz30.jpg

Yesterday I found devices for nixies (photolitography process for polish 
LC513 tubes). Unfortunatelly I have only 5 and 7 and grid templates.

I wonder about photosensitive emulssion. Any suggestions?

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
neonixie-l group.
To post to this group, send an email to neonixie-l@googlegroups.com.
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Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Nixie tube making: first glow lamp up and running

2012-09-26 Thread jb-electronics
Thanks Michel, I am planning to do all kinds of glow lamps before I get 
a real torch, a real colon display would be nice.


Next, I will experiment with the aluminum oxide insulator. Sadly, it is 
quite brittle, so if you shake the tube too hard it will break loose. 
But I could use this insulator to prevent parts of wires to glow.


But I doubt that air is going to get any brighter, Argon would probably 
yield much better results.


Jens



Nice work Jens!

Would be a good combination, nixie tube clock with glow lamp colons or
something like that. It doesn't seem as bright as neon but that is
probably because it is a prototype.

Michel




On Sep 27, 7:10 am, jb-electronics webmas...@jb-electronics.de
wrote:

Hi folks,

finally I got my first glow lamp working. It is the third try, therefore
I call it GL-LS-3, short for glow lamp lab sample 3. See two pictures
here:

http://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_1.jpghttp://www.jb-electronics.de/tmp/gl-ls-3_2.jpg

It consists of 9mm soda lime tubing and Dumet wire. The gas filling is
normal air at 9mbar. It ignites nicely at roughly 550V DC.

I used a simple propane torch for the glass work. Will switch to a
hand-held oxygen-propane torch in a few months though (when I have
enough time and money).

I will get my needle valve in two weeks or so, then I will be able to do
something with neon. Believe it or not: over two months lead time for a
silly needle valve... Anyway, I hope I will have the tube making content
prepared for my website by then. It is piling up, but there is still
much to do.

Best regards
Jens


--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups 
neonixie-l group.
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