I wanted to get the community’s feedback on a problem that nearly every tube collector & Nixie clock owner must address: Do you use your tubes or do you keep them in storage?
As I see it, there are two basic risks that one encounters. The first is physical damage - leaving your collection on display increases the odds of the glass envelope breaking. The second, and greater threat, is wearing out the tube and Cathode Poisoning. As you use the tube, the brightness will diminish with time. If the digits are not properly exercised, dark spots can form on the less-used digits. (And if it is an incandescent display like a Numitron, the filaments can burn out as well.)
For common display types, like the IN-12, it seems to make sense to use them, let them fade, and then replace them. Since there does not appear to be any impending shortage of tubes and they are cheap, it seems to make sense to actually use them.
But what about increasingly rare tubes? For example, what about an IN-18 or B7971 or something that is steadily increasing in price (and presumably increasing in rarity?) It seems wasteful to not display these tubes but at the same time, simply using them causes harm.
Chuck Palahniuk put it well when he said "On a long enough time line. The survival rate for everyone drops to zero." The same is true for any type of vacuum tube. They will break. They will wear out. They will gas out. Do you use them and enjoy them? Do you use them sparingly? Do you only keep them in storage? Please let me know in the comments!
Photo by L. Marie on Flickr / CC Use
I wanted to post a few quick updates from Turbo Hobby. First up - he has a new clock design that will be going on sale soon. It is a single digit VFD clock that comes in either a top view VFD (YS30) or an end view VFD (YS18) design and will be available as either a kit or fully assembled. There will be a matching acrylic case for these designs soon. One thing to note: this design does not include the 4 led's to display HHMM like the Nixie clock version does. (I'm pretty sure that I am going to have to get the end-view VFD design once it is out!)
Second, he has released an acrylic case for his existing single digit SZ-8 Nixie clock. I've been a big fan of his design and am looking forward to the enclosure.
Presumably, once his design is completed, it will be available here: http://myworld.ebay.com/turbo_hobby/
Video review number three is online! I'm starting to get the hang of this. Bob C. from the Facebook page shared a short tutorial which was helpful. The big take away for me is that I really need to get a better microphone to help with the sound. I'm also searching for CC licensed music to help spice up the videos...but that might take some time.
Back on topic: this review is for the NixiChron by Jeff Thomas. Several people suggested that I review this clock...so I did!
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Video URL: http://vimeo.com/12521787
tl;dr - This was my first nixie clock and if it broke, I would buy it again!
Welcome to part two of my video review experiment. In this post, I will review the Nocrotec Numiclock x2000 Numitron Clock. I actually purchased this clock without tubes and added 6x IEE DA 2000 numitron tubes to complete the clock. Nocrotec sells the clock without tubes, with flat top tube and with rounded top tubes. As of the time this post was published, all three were still for sale on their website.
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Video URL: http://vimeo.com/12503532
