Roddy Scott

Hellboy,better late than never!I have a project clock in build that is mechanised with Z5660M tubes and is proving to be a real PIA! But persevering with it as it will be one of a kind when completed.

Hi Jack,the first clock I made was an addition to a Steam Punk lamp I made for my daughter. After that I got the bug for Nixies and have made quite a few since. Like you I have a mind that will not stay still and I have about 4 clocks in various stages of build. Some I have featured in Instructables and others I have not bothered to write up yet. I keep a photo log of the builds for future use and will probably write up as an Instructable. I just like the glow! I feature some of my stuff here - https://www.facebook.com/pg/noticksnotocks/posts/?ref=page_internaland participate at the Nixie Clocks Fan Page - here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/142414439207058/.I get weird ideas that are sometimes hard to make reality but love the challenge in trying to do it. The hardest thing is parti...

Hi Jack,the first clock I made was an addition to a Steam Punk lamp I made for my daughter. After that I got the bug for Nixies and have made quite a few since. Like you I have a mind that will not stay still and I have about 4 clocks in various stages of build. Some I have featured in Instructables and others I have not bothered to write up yet. I keep a photo log of the builds for future use and will probably write up as an Instructable. I just like the glow! I feature some of my stuff here - https://www.facebook.com/pg/noticksnotocks/posts/?ref=page_internaland participate at the Nixie Clocks Fan Page - here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/142414439207058/.I get weird ideas that are sometimes hard to make reality but love the challenge in trying to do it. The hardest thing is parting company with them! The SARA clock I am loathe to part with even though I have had a few offers for her. Others such as the Hands of Time and the Tesla Meets Edison I have repeated and parted with only to spend it on the next design!

Sorry to send such a late reply but I have not been attentive to my Instructables. You have done a great job in replicating my original and they look good.Well done!

Well executed project indeed.As you were going for minimal cost and achieving, it is on target. If you had opted to use sockets connected to the resistor sets you could have used patch leads to swap between voltage as with DIP switches there is always a chance of having two on at the same time if you do not check properly.Voted.

Well executed project indeed.As you were going for minimal cost and achieving, it is on target. If you had opted to use sockets connected to the resistor sets you could have used patch leads to swap between voltage as with DIP switches there is always a chance of having two on at the same time if you do not check properly, plus constant switching of budget types can lead to failure. More fun plugging in a lead than operating a switch!(had to edit as could not vote for it - should have looked closer!)On solder flux residue removal, IPA and a toothbrush produces excellent results and removes any possibility of on board capacitive issues from the flux paths. I learned this the hard way with one of my clocks having 'ghosting' on the numerals of the nixies due to flux residue which I thought...

Well executed project indeed.As you were going for minimal cost and achieving, it is on target. If you had opted to use sockets connected to the resistor sets you could have used patch leads to swap between voltage as with DIP switches there is always a chance of having two on at the same time if you do not check properly, plus constant switching of budget types can lead to failure. More fun plugging in a lead than operating a switch!(had to edit as could not vote for it - should have looked closer!)On solder flux residue removal, IPA and a toothbrush produces excellent results and removes any possibility of on board capacitive issues from the flux paths. I learned this the hard way with one of my clocks having 'ghosting' on the numerals of the nixies due to flux residue which I thought would not affect the circuit but did.

This is a masterpiece of engineering! It was your lantern clock that was one of the things that got me started in making Nixie clocks but nowhere near the complexity of your bulds.Excellent work and write up!

IsabelleJ1,if you go here - https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Tesla-Meets-Edison-Nixie-Clock/ - I show how to safely dismantle a light bulb for inserting anything you want.

Nobody should be ashamed at anything homemade, everything starts there and progresses from it.My prototypes were not exactly pretty or professional looking but as you progress you get better. Nobody starts out with perfection Liked your amplifier project, very original!

This is the first QTC kit I have used as normally I use the DINKs or Spectrums but the QTC is very adaptable too.You are welcome to use anything that you see here or in my previous clocks. People use and adapt ideas to suit their own projects and often can improve on the original by looking at it in a different light.Progress!

I hope that it did not get too damaged!Thanks for the compliment.

Hi Paul,recognised you from Neonixie posts!Lucky man to have ZM1177s! At the price of Nixies today it is getting harder to source good quality NOS & NIB tubes and the market prices are getting ridiculous considering that they were made in their millions at the time and folk are just sitting on stocks and letting them trickle out for high prices.I was going to build this with IN-14s but they do not compare with the GNP-7AHs let alone the ZM1177s. I got them from Joe English along with a few other sets as in Z566Ms, a set of inverted tubes and a few others to play with. I tend to avoid the Russian tubes these days unless someone wants a little FunKlock design. I have my sights on a set of Dalibor's tubes and a Zen clock system when I get time to rob a bank! That would definitely not b...

Hi Paul,recognised you from Neonixie posts!Lucky man to have ZM1177s! At the price of Nixies today it is getting harder to source good quality NOS & NIB tubes and the market prices are getting ridiculous considering that they were made in their millions at the time and folk are just sitting on stocks and letting them trickle out for high prices.I was going to build this with IN-14s but they do not compare with the GNP-7AHs let alone the ZM1177s. I got them from Joe English along with a few other sets as in Z566Ms, a set of inverted tubes and a few others to play with. I tend to avoid the Russian tubes these days unless someone wants a little FunKlock design. I have my sights on a set of Dalibor's tubes and a Zen clock system when I get time to rob a bank! That would definitely not be going into a case as his workmanship has to be admired at all times.BTW, you might like this from another contributor - [Upcycle It] Nixie Display #1 - Introduction

Thank you!A very time consuming build but worth it in the end.

Pity that I am in Ireland! Mind you, I could order them next time .Thanks for the info though.

To cap the comments on Tesla and AC.Tesla was probably one of the greatest minds when it came to inventing electrical equipment, just a pity he was not a good business man and had benefitted more from his ideas.AC vs DC has always been a bone of contention in the electrical world. Today we use so much AC converted into DC to power our laptops, phones, music devices, etc. The advent of HVDC is opening up the possibilities of DC powered buildings and where it would gain the most support is in server farms as the AC has to be converted to DC and the result is energy loss and heat production requiring air conditioning and cooling to combat it.HVDC is actually more efficient in transmission that AC as the losses are a lot less per unit transmitted. Maybe it will come of age but it will be a ...

To cap the comments on Tesla and AC.Tesla was probably one of the greatest minds when it came to inventing electrical equipment, just a pity he was not a good business man and had benefitted more from his ideas.AC vs DC has always been a bone of contention in the electrical world. Today we use so much AC converted into DC to power our laptops, phones, music devices, etc. The advent of HVDC is opening up the possibilities of DC powered buildings and where it would gain the most support is in server farms as the AC has to be converted to DC and the result is energy loss and heat production requiring air conditioning and cooling to combat it.HVDC is actually more efficient in transmission that AC as the losses are a lot less per unit transmitted. Maybe it will come of age but it will be a bit in the future before it does.Thanks to all who contributed to the comments on this.

Thanks!

Nice work and a well made Nixie clock.Originality is what sets these clocks apart from just building the kit and yours is very original.I like the idea of controlling the LEDs with a potentiometer. The DINK kit is ideal for designing your own clock as I have used a few myself in different Nixie clocks.Again, nice work!

Thank you for your comment in regards to the inventor of AC who was indeed Nikolai Tesla. I called Westinghouse the proponent of AC as he was the one who was promoting it as an electrical system after buying some of the patents from Tesla. Edison went to great lengths to prove the dangers of AC vs DC, the system he was promoting at the time, he went as far as electrocuting various animals including an elephant in what was known then as 'The War of Currents'.When Edison hired Tesla to try and improve the distribution capabilities of DC, Tesla told him that he would need to change his system to AC instead but Edison was adamant that his DC system was superior and ignored Tesla much to his misfortune when AC finally won the 'War of Currents'.

Reading some of the previous comments in regards to your excellent marking gauge I don't think that some people get the same satisfaction from making a tool for a specific purpose even though they can be bought commercially. I have made a lot of tools when I either could not get one for the purpose or the ones available were of inferior quality or over priced. One of the best I ever made was a former chisel from an old file, unfortunately someone else thought that it was a good tool too and it ended up 'walking'.The feeling that when you use a home made tool is that it just feels right and you have the satisfaction knowing that you made it yourself!

You know where they can stick their flat packs!Exceptional pieces of furniture and definitely worth the effort making them. Well done!

Neat idea! If I had room on my bench I would build one.

That was the original idea but it would have made for a difficult to read clock as it would have to have been the seconds in the top and bottom positions with the hours above the minutes.I went for practicality in the interpretation but have another idea brewing for a very complex dual clock design with a temperature readout too.A man needs a man cave. Just missing the beer fridge at the moment!

Tools that you make yourself are tools that you respect the most.Excellent Instructable!

I have been looking on the net for a decent guide to astrophotography and this will do nicely!Great photographs!