Clocks and yet more clocks..!?

What it is with the clocks, I’m into making clock kits at the moment… VFD, NIXIE, LED… Why? Do you people just find yourselves collecting random electronics? Who else here is into clocks? How is lockdown affecting you?

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I like these Nixie tubes. Is this a kit you got?

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Yeh, thank goodness the post is still working or I’d go mad. 3D printed the case yesterday.

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LOL you’re a horologist now!

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Heh… at least it’s not another illness! Which is a big plus!

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well depending on how obsessed you are with collecting it could be considered an illness [ hobbies as I like to call them ]. its not an illness its a hobby dear …

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those tube clock things are neat as hell!

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I have that kit, yet to mount it ( I have a stripped out old wooden mantle clock for it :wink: ).

When i got the kit I built it all up, powered it on and found the tubesnot responding correctly… was just about to get a refund from the tube guy when I notices all the mounting pins for the tubes were on the wrong side of the board… I think the controls on this board are a bit finikey…

I have ordred (twice) the remote controled 6 tube board, but still waiting for it to arrive.

I have a bunch of IV-6’s but the only clock kit is £40 and seems a little steep…

Also played arroud with VFD’s from old tech :slight_smile:

I just like shiny litghty things :slight_smile:
Rob

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Well said! I like to understand the things that I collect, it adds to the hobby…

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That’s a disappointment, having it not work correctly. The tubes were mounted on the wrong side of the board? Those IV-6 tubes look great, have ordered a spare set for the kit I bought. Always have at least 1 complete spare set of valves for all my valve gear.

I like those little IN-12 tubes.

There is a useful little power board I posted on another thread, but here it is. Someone said the open source Nixie power boards were not available any more.

https://www.kosbo.com/clocks/nixie-power-module.html

Just found this for IV VFD tubes… Spent ages looking last month and did not find this.

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Isn’t the Arduino just such an awesome little thing! Like that it’s through hole and got lots of reasonable sized passives in there. I’m doing some design work for an alternative digital display, most of it will be 3D printed with some relays and a little logic. Watch this space!

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If you are looking for new ones, have a look at this guy’s site daliborfarny. He decided to make his own tubes.

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Thanks for the link, I’m going to be working on a completely different principle… however, having a source of new tubes is always welcome. Although, that looks like a case of, “If you have to ask the price, you can’t afford one.”.

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If it’s the same tubes then yes… the cost is not in the ballpark of a hobbyist…

I was looking at some of the nice Burrows tubes… Until I saw the cost per tube!!!

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The two 6-digit kits arrived yesterday :slight_smile:

Done the basic work of connectig the flyign leads to the sockets I also bought. :slight_smile:

Rob

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Cool, I got a couple of VFD clocks on the way, and a 6 & 4 digit Nixie too. Post is being slow, so not turned up yet. I read that Nixie tubes don’t always light up in really dark conditions. I guess the same would go for the VFD’s also. Both being cold cathode type displays…

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Would love a HEATHKIT Model GC-1107… those can run 110v or 220v… What’s with the clock thing? I think I’m going a bit nutty… :nerd_face: Have been isolating for 6 weeks, as I started a bit early coz the graphs were looking a bit nasty.

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One VFD kit came today, just built it. Worked first time, it’s one of the more basic clocks. Not mysterious multi button presses to set, and no alarm to accidentally go off at 4am.

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Some more fun things you can do with tubes:

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