Guys, I'm looking or nixie tube letters, like on the image below. Do you know where could I buy them?
I know that Nexxo has been trying to do a project with nixies so he might also know where you might be able to get some from!
Did somebody call? Yes indeedy! Basically you have two types of nixie tubes: those with numbers, and those with symbols (often paired with number nixies to indicate what units of measurement those numbers refer to). These symbols can be letters such as A (amps), V (volts), F (Fahrenheit), W (Watts), H, S, T, h, P, m or other obscure units, but also the degree C symbol, Hz (Hertz), +,-, a sinus wave, the mu (micro) symbol, the Ohm symbol, % or some other such thing. Of course a symbol nixie will only carry a particular selection or combination of these, and you certainly won't find all the letters of the alphabet represented. Because symbol nixies are meant to be uses in combination with number nixies, you'll find that some number nixies come with a matching symbol counterpart. IN-14 number nixies have IN-19a, IN-19b and IN-19c symbol counterparts (each carrying a different set of symbols), and IN-12 nixies have IN-15a and IN-15b counterparts. The top picture in the OP seems to show alphanumeric nixies. This later (and fairly rare) addition was a nixie tube that carried a 16-segment filament display that allowed making up numbers or letters. Nixie tubes are sold on eBay, usually as surplus stock, by Eastern European sellers (who are legit, don't worry). You can also Google for nixie tube web stores, usually American, which offer a good range but are also more expensive.
Thanks. Oh, look - you summoned Nexxo Thanks for explanation. Does it mean that first photo might be 3D rendered, cause like you said I won't get all letters? What I want to achieve is a word CHIMERA made of those tubes. I noticed there are those vertical ones were they are soldered at the bottom, but also I saw some more round or those rectangle ones like on top photo that are mounted/soldered in the back. Is that correct? I'm after medium sized, like 3-4cm tall ones.
Depends. They could be Burroughs B5971 tubes. They are soldered at the back, as it were, and 26mm high. The ones that are soldered at the bottom are fore instance Burroughs B7971 tubes. They are bigger: 127mm high, and much more costly. You can of course use conventional nixies, but only if they conveniently happen to cover the letters you need.
Those small ones look nice. How much do those cost and is it hard to install them to display wanted letters? What else would I need to use them in PC?
Prices vary according to supply --I can't find any at the moment. They are rare and like all nixies, not made anymore. You then need some electronics: a nixie tube power supply that converts 12V to the high voltage they need, and a circuit to drive them, say an Arduino via a set of transistors to handle the high voltage lines (conventional nixies had a special IC designed for that in the USSR, which kept using them well into the age of silicon chips, but otherwise, you won't find any. Nixie tubes are from the technological age of valves and transistors. ICs came later). Unless you literally just want them to display the one word, in which case you just hardwire the relevant pins.
Yes, just one word all the time, hardwired and that's it. Now, there is a dimensions factor - I guess I would need those "sockets" for them to mount it somehow etc, that psu, that Arduino thingy with transistors etc - would you be able to say roughly how big is this gonna be? Tubes should be around 17mm wide each, 7 letters gives around ~14cm. How about depth, I'm trying to figure out if I would have space for it. This is just a general idea of using those, I love the look of it and would fantastically blend in my new project. However the case will have only 18cm wide and I won't have lots of space behind those tubes for all the electronics - I could try and squeeze it in, if you know what I mean. I saw this clock and if I could get it a little bit smaller then it would fit ok, it has 7 tubes with even more spaces and it is driven via USB. I would plug it to PSU, either 5V or 12V. Second factor is price - I saw some websites last night when lurking around after you explained me all about it Looks like they can be pretty pricey. If this is going to cost me like £100 then I'll pass. Some used ones went for $5 each, but unused ones can go up to $10-20. Then how much would be all that electronics necessary for it to run? Sorry, I do not know anything about electronics, I would also need help installing it too I love the look of those big ones with letters and symbols, on 3rd photo, but those would be too big, I would need to install them on top of the case (which would still look awesome), but those are expensive and don't come with alphanumeric characters, so wouldn't be able to cover full name. That is why Burroughs B5971 would be the choice - they look so cute! Plus, if I wanted to get this blue light effect too, I could simply add some leds along the tubes. But I cannot find any for sale anywhere on internet, like said.
Basically you have to fit the case around the tubes. There is not much choice in tubes, and they come in the size they come --you cannot pick and choose. The B5971 spec sheet says it is 1.02" or 25.9mm high, 0.79" or 21mm wide and 0.96" or 24.4mm deep (including pins). The nixie power supply is a small PCB that can be bought off eBay (look it up for price). If they are just hardwired, there are no other electronics required, just a PCB to mount the tubes on with he relevant pins connected to the power supply. To get the blue light effect, just mount a blue led behind each tube.
Cool, so all I need is tubes, pcb to mount them on and PSU... I registered on http://www.tubeclockdb.com and posted on their forum wanted thread... Do you know any other good places where I should be checking out for those tubes?
Sorry, not off the top of my head. But I would Google for American sites that specialise in tubes and valves.
Good luck with B5971s. The last time I saw them pop-up, they went for $75 per tube in 2011. http://www.tubeclockdb.com/forum/Buy-Sell-Trade/2040-FS-Alphanumeric-B5971-(like-7971s-but-smaller).html Tubeclock is a good place to check as well as neonixie-l@googlegroups.com. If you source them, checkout TaylorEdge.com, Arduinix, or OgiLumen for driver/psu kits. As an alternate, since you're going to display the same letters, I'd try edge lit acrylic, laser cut acrylic, masking the letters using vinyl on top of el tape, or 0.9 mm el wire. The edge lit acrylic overlaid with half sphere acrylic cabochons or hand shaped "domes" would be interesting http://www.tubeclockdb.com/forum/Builders-Forum/2956-Edgelit-Reloaded.html http://www.typographyserved.com/gallery/Nixie-Arc-Typeface/9661377 http://www.adafruit.com/blog/2011/08/09/new-product-electroluminescent-el-panel-aqua-plus-extras/
WOW! $75 each, that is the price I was after to pay for all 7! But you gave me an idea - etched acrylic and lit from the edge. Simple and cheap alternative for nixie...
This is a bit of necro, but I've been looking in to these as a display for a project I'm working on at the moment (arduino based WC pump/fan controller with temp monitoring). and have come across these: http://shop.pimoroni.com/products/retro-4-digit-led-display Which give a similar kind of look, but without the insane prices, heat and driving issues. I'm probably not goint to use them as it doesn't really fit the look I want, but someone else might find them useful.
Thanks for info. Yeah, I was more for amber look like those above, but maybe someone will find them useful
Those displays are tiny (2.7mm in height) but they are, admittedly, really cute... I may buy some just because. EDIT: argh, now my brain is suggesting a whole new PC mod around a 70's Atari theme. No! Must finish Ada first!
I didn't actually realise how big the real things were. Did you get a set of the real things? I can potentially see being able to get a similar (although admittedly not as neat) effect from 12 of these (although at 40mm your min would be an 80mm ish character aand you need 80V to drive them.) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1W-COB-LE...85?pt=UK_Light_Bulbs&var=&hash=item46281d2059 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-e_Wen-Oms&list=PLjzGSu1yGFjWcmLv3QzBkwYySqsk14Brw&index=18 With a bit of logic to add some random flicker/dimming I reckon it could look quite neat.
Resurrection time! I'm back on the subject - this time, digits! I need 2 or 4 QS30-1 Nixie modules and tubes for my project. Those chinese tubes look like this: I'm in love with these tubes... RGB led behind let you change to color so everything can be set up... Modules look like this (including tube): Now, these supposed to be built for Adruido, some kind of controller I believe? What I want to do with them is a simple 2 digit CPU temperature display. I hope there is someone who knows how to get these and how to build such a thingy? Please help!
