chrisr's nixie and electronic barrying thread

[chris r]

Minutes work

 

https://youtu.be/Ibdq6SD21gU

 

Voltage reg is getting warm but hasn't hit thermal cut off yet. will do a test at work all day and see how it goes. Will probably put a bigger heat sink on/use the ammo tin as a heat sink when I eventually put it in there. I still have to figure out why the '1' of the 10 hour(s) doesn't change over. And I'll have to test/figure out why there is no switching going on in the transistors for the voltage doubler. Then I can work out what I'll be doing with the set buttons and mounting of the dekatron

 

 

[MichaelJFox]

God damn this is rad.

 

Well done

[chris r]

Thanks. I've got a few more tubes so will see what else I can make up. Next thing will probably be with a micro. I wanted this to be period correct hence all stuff on the board

[chris r]

Here is more of my collection. I also have some small hitachi ones. I would like to make a thermometer with the bar graph one. still working out what else to make with the rest

 

[flyingbrick]

Make a vacuum gauge for one of your vehicles

Edit.

Or a digital dash based around these things.

[Ghostchips]

i kind of wanted to make a nixietube digital dash, it's the only era correct digital dash for pre '70s cars!

[chris r]

I have been pondering that. I don't know if the nixie like vibration much

[kempy]

The smaller ones are fairly robust, and cheap

[chris r]

hmmm  Looks like I'll have to learn how to program micros. Yes its cheating a bit buy looks easier than figuring out TTL stuff

 

someone has beaten me to it - 

[Lord Gruntfuttock]

Can anyone read russian data sheets?

Still need this done? Our IT bloke is Russian...

[chris r]

I have found some English info on the nixies, but thanks for the offer.

Ran this overnight and all seemed well , apart from the known issues. Will have another look this weekend

 

I've Got some more nixies on the way from russia. Will look into micro controllers/arduino and learn how to program them. Just need a suitable vehicle to put them in haha

[Nominal]

Seen this?

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/lasermad/time-flies-levitating-nixie-clock

[chris r]

Sat down and spent some more hours on it. The tens weren't working properly. We thought that the transistors weren't turning off. Tested everything a few times and it was all doing everything it needs to. We ended up putting a transistor on a broad and figured that the pin out was completely different to all the data sheets we found. Sorted that and it works properly now. 

TLDR: the transistors didn't match their datasheet and to we had to bend the legs to get them in the correct place

 

 

[chris r]

I was checking everything today and found another couple of transistors that needed their legs bent. Did that and everything works! Even the dekatron! Pics/video tomorrow. Now to put it all in a case

[chris r]

It takes a long time to do anything at the moment. Now that everything works I can start mounting it all. I've made up some switches for setting the time, not going to use the push buttons as there isn't enough space.

 

 

 

 

[chris r]

I single handedly butchered a piece of ali today. Tried to make some faketina - probably should of left it brushed but got carried away. I attacked it a few times with a wire wheel in a drill to get it pitted, chucked some black on it went and found the heat gun and got the paint semi hard then wet sanded it for a bit and hit it with some clear. I'll wait to the clear has set and see how it looks tomorrow. I tested my shitty crimps on the plugs for the settings and the detatron and everything works. Tomorrow I'll attack the ammo tin and start mounting stuff. I have no idea how I'll hold a screw and get a nut on the end in a box with one hand but thats tomorrows problem. I really need a better phone/camera

I

 

[chris r]

I made a bracket to hold the dekatron. Started screwing everything into the box. Fuse holder power socket and tranny are in. It was a bit of mucking around with a file for the dekatron as I lost the locking tab for the base.

I'll sort out the pics when I get home

[chris r]

Only the finest metal butchery will do. My excuse for the shitness is I'm doing it with my left hand

 

Done made some purdy crimps

 

Dekatron base mount I had to clearance it so it'd clear the tranny.

I started filling the box, My (distant) English heritage came through with so many un captive nuts. Right about now I'd love a rivnut tool/set. It would of saved hours of time. I think it took me 2 or 3 hours of mucking around to get it to this stage. I quite like the hex head cap screws for some reason

.

 

[chris r]

All boxed up and mostly done. The switch plate needs tweaking and mounting. Oh and I've got some edging on its way to go around the dekatron. I even guestimated the dekatron orientation correctly too

[felixx]

Looks really really cool