The Art of Making a Nixie Tube
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2016
- Link to my website: www.daliborfarny.com
Our newsletter: www.daliborfarny.com/newsletter/
The nixie tube is a vintage display device which had been used until 70s when it was replaced with LED displays. The complex knowledge of manufacture of nixie tubes literally died with tube factory's engineers, glassblowers and machine operators.
I discovered nixie tubes in 2011 and since then, I've devoted all my time to studies of nixie tubes and its manufacturing processes. After years of intensive work, with help of many people, I eventually succeeded and have revived the knowledge and equipment for production of nixie tubes.
Dalibor Farny
Read more on:
Our website: www.daliborfarny.com/
Facebook page: / daliborfarnycom
Thanks for attention! - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
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Dalibor; I am an electrical engineer - and I would simply like to say that this is NOT a tube! It is a masterpiece work of electrical knowledge, material science knowledge, glass-blowing skill, artistic ability, creativity, attention to process discipline, attention to process detail and craftsmanship in so many disciplines that just so happens to culminate in the form of a tube! Very well done! I can't convey just how impressive it is to watch your video!
Jerry you said it all, very well said and Dalibor needs such appreciation and encouragement. Thank you Sir.
Это лучший комментарий для этого восхитительного видео!
Cant add a single word... just wow
I can add a word or two... as an Industrial Engineer (with automated machine prototyping/fine-assembly experience), CNC Machinist/Programmer, Welder and Special Effects Technician in the Vancouver film industry.
I would like to recognize the scaling master-craft of the facilities and the production value put into the video quality and flow.
Damn I wish I was European sometimes. It sometimes feels like I live in the woods in Canada. All my great bosses of the past were Europeans/Asians that lived here.
All that just for it to probs break
No wonder the clock that tech moan reviewed was £1000 seems like a reasonable price now ...I admire your patience and work ethic 👍👍
Damn you, Dalibor! I bought a whole bunch of these figuring they'd hold value for my retirement! Now you are making more of them. Seriously, though, this took some perseverance. It's admirable.
This man had to begin from the ground up in order to find a way to produce these tubes after years of trying, and now thanks to this video if by any reason he ever stops production someone else will have the bases with clear steps and explanations of why things are done that way. Much respect, thank you for doing this.
Everything about this is beautiful, from the revival of the nixie tubes, to the pristine lab, to the nixie tubes themselves.
am i the only weirdo that just absolutely fell in love with that little spot welder? what a neat little tool
Nah it’s not just you man 😂☺️ I don’t even weld, and I need me one of those!!
I am a vacuum electronics technician by education. I understand every step, I know what and how you are doing. I could not even imagine that this knowledge would be in demand in the modern world. Thanks for sharing. It reminded me of years of study and practice at the plant. BTW greetings from Russia.
I take my 100 hats off for this guy. Incredible what he has achieved from the tiny shed to a super clean and fully fledged production lab. Even if I don’t use Nixie tubes myself, I truly wish he gets all of them sold . I wish him a prosperous future. And thanks for the great video.
37:26 the top left tube's #6 is dead
"I needed more room so I moved from the garden shed to a local castle." :) Now that is style...
Is it just me or does his website look FANTASTIC?
Hello I am watching this in 2024 so I hope you are still reading your comments as I would like to say that the skill, precision and knowledge you demonstrate is to be applauded. You have achieved a wonderful blend of art and engineering kind Regards Clare
This is really something special
Holy moly jay, it’s getting creepy.. you have commented on literally every single video I’m watching :D Guess we have the same interests or you’re just absurdly active on this platform :D
Hello
Wtf Jay, you here!?
A real craftsman! I respect a man who takes pride in his work. I grew up when everything used tubes. Now integrated circuits and transistors have taken over.
So you just decided to try and make them yourself and build a small business based on the production of the nixie tubes.
That Sir, is truly amazing!
This video showcases a good man and master craftsman of a lost art. My father and I built a seven-segment Nixie Tube clock in the 1970s which sat in a place of honor on top of the television set for at least 20 years. Our original TV was 100% vacuum tubes including the tuner and 3-electron gun shadow-mask cathode ray tube that was a marvel of vacuum technology at the time. In 1975 I worked in the Motorola television factory in Chicago where they were still using vacuum CRTs. By then, all else had been transistorized and the first integrated circuits were coming into use.
This guy has the knowledge of a scholar, talent of a sculptor and the patience a saint.....a true craftsman, nice work!
and the hands of a surgeon!
I had no idea it was this involved. I would have thought more of the process was automated. I guess there isn't' enough demand for a large nixie tube factory?
Nice to see you here! ;)
Now just Techmoan still has to stop by^^
Ah yes.... Techmoan
this man has worked his arse off ,and deserves all the success he gets :) i salute you
As a neon bender for 12 years I can fully appreciate the craftsmanship in the detailed processes that make this an art.
It is good to know that someone has revitalised these old techniques. When I was a child, every electronic device had vacuum valves - I remember looking through the vents of the portable record player, seeing the orange glow of the tube (for our US friends) heaters and wondering how the music came out. These were the days when tubes/valves were made in bulk - sadly most are gone now. I remember the small nixie tubes too - my school had a sixth form physics class build a clock with them. Silicon is great, but tubes have heart.
Guys, thank you very much for positive comments, this motivates me to come up with another videos in the future!
How it makes light?
+iosef 333 if I'm not mistaken, it's like the filament in a light bulb. the individual numbers become hot, producing a glow, and which one lights up varies depending on the voltage (or maybe some very clever circuitry systems). Either way it's pretty damn awesome.
I´m just happy to live in a world where a man can _move to a local castle and make Nixie Tubes_
I suspect this wasn't done for money. I think money was outweighed by curiosity passion and the tenacity of problem solving. And I'm simply amazed by the pursuit of near perfection for this one thing. Awesome achievement.
“I moved from the garden shed to a local castle” - how can I also move from my garden shed to a local castle? Also, most fascinating video I’ve watched in a long time.
I seen these tubes when I was a kid,back in 50-60 all the tv had them in, but I didn’t know it took so long to produce these tubes. Thanks you so much for keeping this old Art alive,very good work,lots of patient and a steady hand, Thanks again!!
I come back to watch this every now and then
hopefully this craft never dies...
Fascinating process to watch, thank you for sharing this. As an Engineer I can watch each step and know that there were a huge number of hours that went into developing each, seemingly simple, part of the process. You have obviously put a lot of effort into this and I wish you every success.
It is fascinating. The only thing I didn't understand is what those micrometers were for at the 29:48 mark.
Who else noticed the tube on the very top left of the testing rack is not displaying #6 ? But i must say, this is an amazing production video, i totally under estimated the complexity of make a Nixie tube. Incredible work!
I'm an specialist electronic technician formed at the 70's years. This is simply amazing forever and ever!
incroyable !
au début , avant de lancer la vidéo , je me suis dit "j'ai cette vieille calculatrice a tube nixie des années 60 qui est dans mon grenier... voyons comment ils ont fabriqués ces tubes! "
mais là je me suis vite rendu compte que c'est plus qu'un processus industriel c'est de l'artisanat un chef d'œuvre
bravo
Beautifully Done Video To Match The Beautiful Work.
Thank You For NO MUSIC
Just The Natural Sounds Of The Skilled Work Being Done.
10,000 thumbs up from me! If you want music, turn on your own!
One of the very rare videos, where I - a craftsman myself - experienced crafting proceedings that were completely new to me. I watched nearly breathlessly and with the highest respect for your outstanding skills. Thank you!
I used to wonder why these were so expensive. Now I wonder if the price is too low. 😉 Amazing work
Learned something new today! Absolutely mind blowing how much time and effort you have spent to learn all these production steps and to turn it into a business. Respect 👍🏻
There's only one man and a huge way from beginning. Hats off!
Only in Europe, can you hear someone say, I didn't have room in my garden shed so I moved to a castle.
Greetings from a retired pharmaceutical chemist/microbiologist in South Africa. Your laboratory and production equipment is to die for. Your attention to detail, consistency, craftsmanship and skill shines for all to see. You are a master alchemist/craftman/technician par excellence Dalibor!
RESPECT!!!!
Mr. Farny, as I watched this video of you making Nixie tubes, I sat absolutely spellbound. This is fascinating, incredible. The immense skill, the attention to detail, the nerves of steel, and the patience, oh the patience! Placing those numeric cathodes with such precision, shaping the glass envelopes with the skill of a true craftsman. This was awesome, and I thank you for sharing this with the world sir. Your Nixie tubes look fabulous, true works of art. Old technology perhaps, but so new. Best of success to you Mr. Farny.
soooo many haters unable to appreciate the old technology. sure expensive as hell but its still a nice thing to have as an art piece at the very least.
Done:
1. Laboratory in local castle
2. European accent
3. Lots of unknown scientific equipment
To do
1. Hire an Igor
2. Laugh maniacally now and then
3. World domination.
LOL
A genuine artform, exceptionally well executed. The craftsmanship and patience demonstrated for producing these is truly remarkable.
I am at a loss for words. As one who builds miniature engines and designs drones; all I can say is you sir have my utmost respect.
Greetings from Greece.
i have so much to do today but.... i had to watch this entire video, i couldn't help it once in started i couldn't stop.
To see this nostalgic yet key part of our electronics evolution is inspiring! Especially from some one so young. We must not forget where we came from. What technical feats of engineering spawned our current hi tech society. This clock will start many conversations about electron flow with ones who may have never been interested in electronics. Thank you for showing fortitude and endurance in make this a reality.. Nice work my friend.
Well, now I'm 40 minutes off schedule because I couldn't stop watching this video!! 🤣 Fascinating stuff!! I want one!!!
I agree, mesmerizing...
This is high art. I'm hoping in the time since the release of this video you've been able to procure more tooling to automate more of what is obviously a painstaking process to ensure a high quality product. As it stands, this was oddly emotional to watch-like some small resurrection of a forgotten elegance. Thank you for doing it.
That was the most impressive craftsmanship I have ever seen. WOW. As a machinist myself, I am super impressed. Thank you for your dedication to reviving a lost art form.
Utterly stunning. I was transfixed, not only by the intensive effort and artistry that went into creating these masterpieces but also by the incredible Cinematography. Every detail was clearly photographed, complex and tiny details lovingly illustrated. The lighting was expertly designed to be perfect in the details and in portraying the beauty and artistry of the process. In effect, the creation of this video, as well as the unspeakably brilliant execution of making the nixie tubes themselves is a performance art piece unto itself.
My congratulations!
you've really built a marvelous business. Creating a need for a long obsoleted technology... and done it with amazing artistic skill. Thanks for sharing this with us.
If making nixies by hand is this complicated, I wish I could see one of the old factories for them back when they were operating.
AWESOME... SIMPLY A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!!!!!!!
This "WAS" a lost ART, UNTIL NOW!!!
This brings back that "HI-TECH" look going back to the days of the Apollo Space Race Era from the 1950's - 60's!!!
It's as ARTISTIC as it is BEAUTIFUL to behold!!! THANK YOU FOR NOT LETTING THIS ART FORM PASS AWAY FROM US!!!
While I'll NEVER be able to afford one of these beautiful Nixie Clocks, I can ALWAYS admire all the work & EFFORT it took to make this WORK OF ART!!! Again, SIMPLY AWESOME!!!
I moved from garden shed to a local castle... Ok then that's a normal thing I guess
Welcome to czech republic it almost is normal here ;)
You can get one too, if you have the will and time to make it useful again, state will even sponsor a big portion of money needed for the renovation... (castle in every town and nobody is willing to put up with the upkeep)
37:25 the top left "6" is out.
Hopefully it was a solder issue and was fixed.
@@jackjohnson5123 Yeah. After watching this video I can imagine the devastation if it is an unfixable problem
You're quite possibly the only person living ready, willing, and able to manufacture nixie tubes, nice work, all too often knowledge is lost once the next generation of technology is introduced, I for one am glad that you decided to revive this lost art, and have taken on this substantial task.
Right at the beginning of the video, I thought "these tubes look rather 'new' (for the lack of a better word)...", seeing that you made them explains why. And makes it even more impressive.
I decided to nominate this video for the prize of the most award-winning mechanical labor.
One word: Craftsmanship
What an excellent craftmanship. Bravissimo!
THE NUMBERS, MASON!
glass lathing is now my favourite thing.
I've got a few comments to make. As a craftsman, it is easy to tell when someone is "next-level". You are certainly that! Also, I just watched a 37 minute video on TH-cam and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. Heck of a job, man. You should be very proud of your craft and talent. How in the world did you end up finding a client base that needs nixie tubes on a scale that can justify your operating costs and profit?! My mind is blown.
I purchased a PVElectronics clock featuring a Daliborfarny tub. The kit arrives tomorrow. I loved this video and can't wait to build it!
As a child I remember cash registers and calculators with Nixie tubes. They were commonplace then, but still would catch your eye.
Not only you are self tutored in this engineering feat, but the patience level and trial and error you must have gone through (breaking some of those tubes) is off the charts. The amount of work and specialised tools that go into this craft is beyond reason. Bravo, dude! Bra-vo! I also liked you didn't fill the clip with music or blabber. It's the kind of stuff that is best backed by the blow torch and electric motors and all the machinery working with you side by side to create this awesome piece of art. And it is, by any account, an art.
Holy shit, no wonder they're $145 each!! This is really complex!
Its a bargain!
That's amazing no hopefully we could drop the price on them I just didn't realize how much intensive work there were
Now I understand why they are so expensive.
they shouldn’t be though they used to be mass produced and now just because one guy makes it its all expensive
@@Txlogancmanifacturing vs mass production. Do you copy?
I've watched this 2 times previously throughout the years, but I watched it again for the 3rd time with the same enthusiasm.
I worked for EEV (English Electric Valve Company) for 17yrs as a stock controller and it always fascinated me how clever some of the technology and techniques were for making tubes. I used to Love watching the glass tube man turning glass on a lathe or the guys who used to grow carbon grids for the Klystrons that were as fine as a spiders web ! I think there was also a dept that made Nixie tubes of sorts, as well as the LCD screens. Clever people all of you :O)
This is artisanship at its finest. As someone who likes to make things and is a bit of a geek.... this is stunning. I take my hat off to you sir
The incredible level of consistency is amazing! What a labor intensive process! The end results are beautiful and impressive!
Not sure what is cooler. The Nixie tubes or the mini spot welder. I need both in my life.
I don't always need more room to work, but when I do, I just go to my local castle....
Hahahhhhahhaha it was mint
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Meme lords out there
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Despite being created by the U.S. based Burroughs Corporation in the 1960s, no one makes vacuum tubes better than the Russians. Thank you so much for keeping these wonders still alive.
Any evidence?
@@Mr11no1 You are right. Dalibor is czeck.
Thank you for this video and for keeping the art alive!
I only came here to find out what a nixie tube is, and I'm impressed.
This guy put a lot of hard work, research and money into this. What a cool and interesting way to burn your house down.
Lol, it's not his house, it's his castle.
I would have thought he would have burned fingers a few times touching the hot glass...
5yus5yeuytyu
LMAO
Вы сделали потрясающую работу👍 чтобы сделать подобное в домашних условиях, нужны хорошие знания и умелые руки, у Вас есть оба компонента. Спасибо за видео
Impressive video work and an even more impressive piece of craftmenship bringing back an "abandoned" piece of technology and building it better than ever one tube at a time. Bodes well for Czech manufacturing prowess.
Cool video, well done. Just shows how labour intensive it is. Also after all that hard work, it looks like you have a faulty 6 on the top left tube @ 37:26
Thanks TH-cam recommendations. See you in 10 years
Huge respect for sharing your manufacturing process!
I hope all types of glass-filled tubes will never die to cheap/nothing special transistors.
at 37:25 defect top left lamp with number - 6
This gets my vote for BEST content of any you tube video . I was absolutely enthralled and oblivious to anything going on around me for the duration . I am absolutely amazed at the craftsmanship and would skip the handshake and go immediately to the man hug brother ! Spectacular does not even begin to describe . Thank you.
best 37 minutes spent on youtube yet.
I’ve never been more impressed watching someone make something before. You literally do every single step of the process by yourself. Might as well go mine the ore for the metal while you’re at it, lol. After watching this I absolutely have to buy something from you. I’ll go check out your website now.
I know the number of iterations required to master all of these technologies to finally precisely adjust the parameters and really control this process. I would have liked to participate in this huge work ! Anyway, it's a superb job. Congratulation.
TH-cam: let's put this video in recommended for everyone 3 years later
6th number of the top left nixie tube at 37:21 : IGHT IMMA HAD OUT...
Me: that gorgeous glow coming from those tubes are warming my heart...
Amazing work. I love people who keep alive ancient technologies, keep it up :)
"I moved from a garden shed to a local castle". Talk about an UPGRADE!
It would be neat if when you crimp the glass onto the tungsten wire, that the tool would maybe have a symbol or something melted into the glass. This would show as being an original work of art! Great Job!
Must admit the hand work that goes into making one of these is great. Would love to buy one but a little out of my price range.
Beautiful, don’t let haters get to you
No worries, the positive responses is what matter ✌️
@@daliborfarny The workmanship here is amazing by itself. Add the respect and appreciation for old school tech and its really something special. Thanks for your work and effort.
"I moved to a local castle" - King Arthur
I WISH I COULD GO THERE AND DO EVERY STEP AND MAKE MY OWN SET BY HAND LIKE THIS!
Same
Imagine, the same way you can go to glass museum and get out with your own glass medal, but with extra steps
That was a real treat to watch. Thank you!
this video is 3 years old and I see comments from 3 hours ago
legendary and very good videos never die, and this is absolut masterpiece . dobrá práca dalibor
This is a great video of how beautiful things can be created with passionate work.
And thank you for NOT ADDING MUSIC! I enjoy the sound of tools, machines and materials. It's like ASMR to me.
Wow the dedication it must have taken to learn how to make these yourself must have been crazy
i love how everything is insanely clean
Acetone in tube manufacturing is your friend.