| Project by Nate Noe | posted 627 days ago | 997 views | 3 times favorited | 21 comments | ![]() |
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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
ChicoWoodnut
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895 posts in 715 days
posted 627 days ago
That’s pretty sweet. Now it needs an acrylic cover.
-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net
Woodshopfreak
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390 posts in 642 days
posted 627 days ago
How does it work??
-- Tyler, Illinois
Hawgnutz
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522 posts in 976 days
posted 627 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
Robb
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356 posts in 834 days
posted 626 days ago
Cool cover for a unique project! I really like the lacewood.
-- Robb
Scott Bryan
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20807 posts in 722 days
posted 626 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.
cpt_hammer
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129 posts in 712 days
posted 626 days ago
I’m wondering were you found a kit for the clock or the parts? I would really like to make something similar.
DannyBoy
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448 posts in 765 days
posted 626 days ago
Very Cool.
-- He said wood...http://hickbyassociation.blogspot.com/
GaryK
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9555 posts in 888 days
posted 626 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.
Damian Penney
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1030 posts in 891 days
posted 626 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
FritzM
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106 posts in 712 days
posted 626 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)
Dadoo
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1723 posts in 890 days
posted 626 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!
Lakey
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99 posts in 672 days
posted 626 days ago
Wow – that is, as we say in Maine, wicked cool. I love the acrylic/wood mix.
-- "No Board Left Behind"
ratchet
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301 posts in 687 days
posted 626 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.
Brad_Nailor
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1231 posts in 857 days
posted 626 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.
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
NDwoodworker
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48 posts in 634 days
posted 626 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
Brad_Nailor
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1231 posts in 857 days
posted 626 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!
-- David, South Windsor, CT "I love the smell of sawdust in the morning"
closetguy
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310 posts in 792 days
posted 626 days ago
My gosh, I haven’t seen nixie tubes since the ‘70s.
-- I don't make mistakes, only design changes....www.dgmwoodworks.com
clieb91
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682 posts in 835 days
posted 626 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."
Nate Noe
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32 posts in 683 days
posted 626 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
cajunpen
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5968 posts in 966 days
posted 625 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/
rikkor
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11335 posts in 774 days
posted 625 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.