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nixie clock box

Project by Nate Noe posted 133 days ago 520 views 2 times favorited 21 comments Add to Favorites
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Nate Noe

32 posts in 189 days


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clock box modern

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nixie clock box nixie clock box nixie clock box Click the pictures to enlarge them

This is a lacewood and acrylic box that I built for my nixie (tube) clock. It’s old technology so I wanted to compliment it with a simple modern look that wouldn’t distract too much from the clock itself. The box had to be removeable and also protective (apparently these things put out lethal doses of electricity).

-- Nate, denver CO


21 comments so far

View ChicoWoodnut's profile

ChicoWoodnut

433 posts in 221 days


posted 133 days ago

That’s pretty sweet. Now it needs an acrylic cover.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

View Woodshopfreak's profile

Woodshopfreak

320 posts in 148 days


posted 133 days ago

How does it work??

-- Tyler, Illinois

View Hawgnutz's profile

Hawgnutz

480 posts in 482 days


posted 133 days ago

Boy, does that bring back memories from my chidhood. I still remember the tube testers at Hesteds and woolworth stores. I remember waiting 5 minutes for the TV set’s tubes to warm up.

You are right. These things put out a lethal amount of electricity, so make sure it is well covered, yet open for the required airflow trhese tubes need for cooling. I have no idea where you would find a replacement for them.

Thanks for the blast from the past.

God Bless,
Hawg

-- Saving barnwood from the scrapyards

View Robb's profile

Robb

309 posts in 340 days


posted 133 days ago

Cool cover for a unique project! I really like the lacewood.

-- Robb

View Scott Bryan's profile

Scott Bryan

8049 posts in 228 days


posted 133 days ago

Nate,

This is a very unique project. I like the aluminum inlay. This is a signature piece from you and it adds a nice detail to the piece.

Thanks for the post.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

View cpt_hammer's profile

cpt_hammer

70 posts in 218 days


posted 133 days ago

I’m wondering were you found a kit for the clock or the parts? I would really like to make something similar.

View DannyBoy's profile

DannyBoy

201 posts in 271 days


posted 132 days ago

Very Cool.

-- Happy Ripping!!!

View GaryK's profile

GaryK

8274 posts in 394 days


posted 132 days ago

Great job! I haven’t seen one of those tubes in a looong time.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

View Damian Penney's profile

Damian Penney

593 posts in 397 days


posted 132 days ago

I love Nixie clocks, nice case.

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

View FritzM's profile

FritzM

80 posts in 218 days


posted 132 days ago

very cool Nate! I’ve been eyeing those Nixie kits for some time now. Was t hard to assemble?

-- Fritz Oakland, Ca http://www.muegenburg.com (dedicated to my other hobby)

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1430 posts in 396 days


posted 132 days ago

I remember these from my High Skool Electronics classes. The unique thing about these tubes is that each individual number (0-9) is inside the tube, unlike LED’s which use 7 separate segments. There was one common ground pin and each number had it’s own pin. So changing numbers meant just applying the voltage to a different pin. Cool huh?

I’d also bet this baby would fetch a few bucks at Ebay too. Here’s a link you’ll like: http://www.nixieclock.net/

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View Lakey's profile

Lakey

100 posts in 178 days


posted 132 days ago

Wow – that is, as we say in Maine, wicked cool. I love the acrylic/wood mix.

-- "No Board Left Behind"

View ratchet's profile

ratchet

71 posts in 193 days


posted 132 days ago

Excellent looking clock! Very unique with your box. I’d really like to make one ofthese but choke on the current kit prices for these clocks.

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

632 posts in 363 days


posted 132 days ago

I too, sadly remember tubes and tube testers. I remember the TV repair man coming to the house and his truck was a sea of tubes and spare parts, and they almost always had to take it back to the shop! That clock is cool and the base you made is really nice! I’m afraid, thanks to your post and Dadoos link that I am now officially obsessed with getting a Nixie clock.

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

View NDwoodworker's profile

NDwoodworker

48 posts in 140 days


posted 132 days ago

I like the modern aspect of the acrylic insert, what did you use to bond it to the wood. Also where can you get a nixie (tube) clock, I’ve never seen one before?

-- Stuart, North Dakota

View Brad_Nailor's profile

Brad_Nailor

632 posts in 363 days


posted 132 days ago

OK, like I said…I am now officially obsessed! Here is a link to a great place where you can buy an assembled nixie 6 tube clock with no base. This guy sells allot of them and stands behind his products with service and replacement parts. http://www.tubeclock.com/index.htm I am going to order the assembled clock guts with 6 NI 14 tubes! I am planning my base as we speak!

-- Women love me.....trees fear me

View closetguy's profile

closetguy

56 posts in 298 days


posted 132 days ago

My gosh, I haven’t seen nixie tubes since the ‘70s.

-- Dennis... www.closetdreams.com

View clieb91's profile

clieb91

279 posts in 341 days


posted 132 days ago

Nate, A very nice case for a very cool clock. I actually took two years of TV/VCR repair in high school and we had several cabinets of tubes. Needless to say in this day tv/vcr repair is not exactly a thriving field.

David, thanks for the link. Darn now I may have to think about building one of these for my shop.

CtL

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

View Nate Noe's profile

Nate Noe

32 posts in 189 days


posted 132 days ago

I’m definitely not an electronics guy so I didn’t put it together. I just thought these clocks were really cool so I bought a kit from http://tubehobby.com/ for and cajoled my friend with techno skills into putting it together for me. It came with instructions and he said soldering it together was fairly straight forward. I guess there is a special gas in the tube that allows each number filament to glow when electricity is passed through it. I really wanted the big IN-18 tubes, but they were ridiculously expensive.

-- Nate, denver CO

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5291 posts in 472 days


posted 132 days ago

Nice project. I like the wood and those tubes bring back plenty of memories. That baby should also put a lot of heat out too.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

6700 posts in 280 days


posted 132 days ago

I don’t remember ever seeing a clock like this, although I certainly remember tubes. I still have them in a couple of guitar amps. Nice clock.

-- Maplewood, MN

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