Warming up with another project

[T-Bone]

I plan to build a bottlehead kit this year, but I haven't soldered anything in a very, very long time.  I've read a lot of posts and feel confident that with basic skills and patience I can build a kit.
....but first - I want to practice on something I think will be a bit simpler - a Nixie Clock build.

I know it's kind of weird to make my first post on the bottlehead forum talking about a tube clock - but I feel like I need something to practice on before tackling an amp or pre-amp kit. 

 

[bjorgens]

not weird at all...  I did the same exact thing last year and gave it to my wife as a valentines day gift.  Oddly enough, she totally loved it 

 

[JamieMcC]

Where did you find the kit?

 

[bjorgens]

Ramsey Electronics
http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/b/6313961011

not cheap per se, but was fun and easy build, and I still enjoy watching the thing.  Nixie tubes are really pretty neat.

bryan

 

[Paul Birkeland]

I think the best practice projects are cables.  If you totally screw them up, you just cut some off the wire and try again!

(The Nixie clock is pretty cool though)

 

[Doc B]

I like this one - nixie VU meter

 

[fullheadofnothing]

What kit are you planning on building? A Nixie clock would be a lot more complicated than some of the BH offerings...

 

[Natural Sound]

I like this one - nixie VU meter

That's cool!

 

[JamieMcC]

Ohh just looking around and found scope clocks who would have thought ! Must admit I rather fancy one of those vu meters.

http://www.die-wuestens.de/eindex.htm

 

[mcandmar]

Here is another source for nixie clocks, http://www.nixieclock.org/?p=357 i have been watching his ebay listings for ages but doesn't have anything up at the moment.  From memory they were close to $300.

I really like the VU meter, tempting at that price.  The scope clock is wonderful too, but you have to wonder what kind of person looks at an old sillyscope CRT tube and thinks "i know, i'll make a clock out of it"

 

[JamieMcC]

you have to wonder what kind of person looks at an old sillyscope CRT tube and thinks "i know, i'll make a clock out of it"

I had exactly the same thought. lol

 

[Mmaxed]

PB had a good suggestion with the cable building.  What I did before I build a kit on a circuit board is take apart a electronic device, get some desoldering braid and went to work removing components.  Then I put them back.  Turns out I needed both talents to get the project done.  A $2 anything from the thrift store will work to practice on. 

My last major project was a BH Reduction.  The soldering was mostly very easy, even though I can shake quite a bit sometimes.  Oh and if you look in the Reduction forum you can read about the one soldering error that caused a little grief.  Still fun and I have a great sounding phono pre that I can say I built.

Bottom line is just go for it.  You'll have fun learning along the way. 

 

[mcandmar]

I plan to build a bottlehead kit this year, but I haven't soldered anything in a very, very long time.  I've read a lot of posts and feel confident that with basic skills and patience I can build a kit.
....but first - I want to practice on something I think will be a bit simpler - a Nixie Clock build.

I know it's kind of weird to make my first post on the bottlehead forum talking about a tube clock - but I feel like I need something to practice on before tackling an amp or pre-amp kit. 

Hey T-Bone,

I spent the last hour looking at various nixie tube kits and decided the kit you posted is the best bang for the buck, they have tons of features and run off 5v USB power which is great. http://www.nixiekits.eu/.

I always wanted one with the classic style tubes which are expensive. The kit you listed is the "Jenny reloaded" at €160 including tubes, and the one i posted below is the (Sven reloaded) at €119 without tubes + another €109 for the tubes. However i found a bunch of eBay sellers in eastern Europe selling tested sets of six IN-8-2 tubes for ~€40 plus a bit of shipping so it works out almost exactly the same price.  The sven can take three different types of tubes but i like these ones with the proper 5 digit, the other two types are cheaper though.

That got me thinking if i ditched the gawdy LED's and added a nice custom chassis i'd have one sexy nixie tube alarm clock for a reasonable price. Basically you just cost me €160, thanks buddy

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RUSSIAN-IN-8-2-NIXIE-TUBES-Lot-of-6-NEW-FULLY-TESTED-/321342510054?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item4ad18193e6

 

[Kris]

Haha.... mcandmar, it makes at last two of us that spent last hour browsing the net for nixie tubes clock.
I found this: http://tubehobby.com/store.php?cat=1 .
Don't know anything about seller but the price is really tempting. No enclosures though.

Kris

 

[mcandmar]

Ha ha. I found that site too via the tube section, was very useful to see what they actually look like when working.  I originally wanted the large IN-18 variety but they are very expensive at $50 each, vs the medium size IN-8-2 which i got for ~$9 each on eBay.

I gave up looking for one with an enclosure i liked, i'll just make my own..

 

[mpeg2]

Baking pans make nice enclosures for nixie clocks. I can't quite recall where I got this kit from, but it was fun building it (once I fixed the transistor inserted backwards)...

  Rich

 

[Grainger49]

When I saw the picture I thought it would be Alonzo.  He likes baking pans too.

 

[Koda]

Not a Nixie, but here is a reasonably priced "tube clock kit"...
http://learn.adafruit.com/ice-tube-clock-kit/