Another failure of the leak detector
My leak detector suffered another defect. I was just doing some tests of the filling manifold while the filament was suddenly turned off and the needle of the [...]
Should have been first nixie tube :-(
I decided to build a tube what would use the technologie like original nixie tubes. I made a mica sheets, used a glass spacers, build an enclosure for [...]
The oven for baking out the nixie tubes
I almost finished the oven for baking out nixie tubes.. I had to replace the heating element because the previous one melted :-D The only thing I had [...]
First sample "nixie tube"
So, there is my first nixie tube. I was really eager to make anything sealed, so I didn’t pay much attention to details and lifetime of the tube. [...]
A Milestone: first neon glow!
Finally! I saw a neon glowing today, first time in my system! I filled the tube first on 1 torr with argon, then to 32 torr with neon, [...]
Neon bottle connector
The last thing I had to make was a connector to neon bottle. This is a low pressure (12 bar) disposable aluminum bottle used in neon sign making. [...]
Homemade vacuum needle valve
I have been looking for reliable vacuum needle valve for a long time. It should not be to expensive, it should allow me to control the flow fine [...]
Baratron controller
The last part of the manifold was the pressure gauge, I had the 0-100 torr baratron, but no controller. The baratron needs supply of +15V and -15V. It [...]
Test of the new manifold
Just a short test.. The digit height is around 6 cm, voltage 400V, current limiting resistor 8kΩ. The needle valve is very very fine, it is possible to increase [...]
New gas filling manifold
I finally made a progress in making my new gas filling manifold. I finally made it modular instead of brazing it together. I had really big problems with [...]
Test of the glow tube
I have just made first test with the glow tube I made yesterday.. It works, all seals seems to be vacuum tight, or at least good for my [...]
Test tube
Finally! Something more like a nixie tube ;-) I made a test tube what will be possible to pump and fill with gas and than isolate by a [...]
Leak detector update
I spent some time on the leak detector recently. There are two fans, AC 230V, one for the diffusion pump, one for cooling the electronic box. Both started [...]
Gas filling manifold
I started to build gas filling manifold, the previous solutions were not satisfactory :-( This manifold should have these features: all parts brazed together (by AlSi compound) kf-25 [...]
First chuck finally complete!
I have just finished first chuck for the glass lathe. The last part – worm holder – turned out to be much more easier than I had originally [...]
More sofisticated glow tube :-)
I started training glassblowing, the glass tube mounted in my metal lathe. It is not so easy as I had thought! Right flame, right temperature, right pressure on [...]
A valve for filling the tubes with argon
The high pressure valves from eBay finally arrived yesterday. The seller dailyappliance2010, item number #290804664389. It is not intentionally a vacuum valve, but as Ron reffered, this valves [...]
The oven update
I am waiting for some stuff to come from US before I can continue building the inert gas manifold.. So I brushed up the parts of the oven [...]
Finally moved..
I have been moving to new house recently, November was really busy month, almost no time for nixie research.. But there are also good news, I have more [...]
Some other photos of the lathe..
The chuck is now mounted on the spindle, also the worm gears are now ready.. I wait for the jaws to be cut on the laser.. […]