Homemade Vacuum Tube

[dhaen]

On this page is an attempt to make one from scratch. Great work!
He has many other interesting projects too.

 

[Trout]

Oh My, Interesting Stuff,
I Actually did .THIS PROJECT in the 60's as a science fair project in the 7th grade, Got to the state finals & honorable mention.

Our biggest problem was on the receiving end, The Photocell we used picked up to much light from the gymnasium lights and of course the dreaded 60cycle hum was very well amplified.

The following year we built a liquid laser! Mind you that lasers were in their infancy back then. Did I ever mention the effects of a 2 joule cap discharge on a human?

I probly shouldnt tell this story, (unless you all beg) But I will say that it is exactly why kids should NOT play with high voltage devices under the age of 16!

Trout

 

[rcavictim]

There are homemade vacuum tubes being made in Russia and China now that actually look like the real thing! Electroharmonix is one I can think of.

 

[Trout]

There are homemade vacuum tubes being made in Russia and China now that actually look like the real thing! Electroharmonix is one I can think of.

Nawwwwww Valve Art for sure

 

[rcavictim]

Nawwwwww Valve Art for sure

Do Valve Art also suffer from apparently poor bake out, (leading to) incandescent grid segments and short lifetime issues also?

I NEVER saw such a quality problem trend with NOS tubes from the majors back in the good old days or surviving stock I use today.

 

[Miles Prower]

Here's a better way. Unforch, it's in French.

 

[Geek]

Here's a better way. Unforch, it's in French.

Here's the "engrish" version

 

[AlekZ]

Hi,

I try to do glass triode. Tommorow I'm going to close bulb
So far I was testing this construction during vacuum pumps working.

There are my vacuum instrumensts:

http://www.trioda.com/php/forum/download.php?id=5355
http://www.trioda.com/php/forum/download.php?id=5353

The pressure is ca. 1*10^-6 Torr (due to diffusion pump).

Triode parameters:

http://www.trioda.com/php/forum/download.php?id=5368

 

[AlekZ]

Lucky, my tube still alive


http://www.trioda.com/php/forum/download.php?id=5398

I'd like to invite you to my page

http://www.trioda.com/alek/index_e.htm

so far there is poor english version, but I'm going to change it.

 

[adhoc]

AlekZ,

There is some very cool work on your pages - good job!

 

[corbato]

Super stuff AlekZ !

http://www.trioda.com/php/forum/download.php?id=5353

Is that a laser gun to zap people walking outside your window?

 

[AlekZ]

Haha

It's vacuum valve to close or open pipe with high vacuum
Under it's old polish oil diffusion pump PDO100

 

[ray_moth]

Here's the "engrish" version

Thanks, that's clear. Do you have a similar article for a home-made MOSFET?

 

[AlekZ]

I will have to try oxide cathode. It's harder than tungsten cathode, but filament power would be less.

 

[Alastair E]

Oxide Cathodes

Apparently, its possible to use a cathode recovered from a standard tube.....

BUT you must keep it above 120 deg C as its moisture in the air that degrades it when exposed to air.

It may be a little difficult to arrange this, but at least its possible to use the original heater to keep it warm....

You could try Carburised Tungsten if you can get hold of acetylene gas...

Bake the filament in atmosphere of acetylene under low-pressure to generate tungsten-carbide coating

 

[AlekZ]

Lucky, I know somebody, who could prepare mixture for oxide cathodes (barium carbonate, strontium carbonate, calcium carbonate etc.) .

 

[Gold_xyz]

Lucky, my tube still alive


http://www.trioda.com/php/forum/download.php?id=5398

I'd like to invite you to my page

http://www.trioda.com/alek/index_e.htm

so far there is poor english version, but I'm going to change it.

Beautifullll !
After many attempts I have found this fantastic thread.
My bigger problem is the workmanship of the glass
and my "neon maker" (can i say this for indicate the person
that build a cold neon signs ?) have say to me that i do
use a methane flame for melt the glass.

Experiments in progress !

 

[AlekZ]

New tubes from my laboratory:

globe triode:

http://tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/lampy_globowe/lampy_globowe.htm

maltese cross tube:

http://tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/krzyz_maltanski/krzyz.htm

And another:

http://www.tubedevices.com/alek/pwl/pwl_e.htm

Best regards

Alek

 

[w5jag]

I recall reading a QST article from the early to mid 60's that described in some detail how a South American ham was building his own transmitting and receiving tubes, and had some pictures of his apparatus and description of his techniques.

I guess building your own tubes is the ultimate DIY.

Win W5JAG

 

[GRollins]

McGraw-Hill Electrical and Electronic Engineering Series:
Vacuum Tubes
Karl R. Spangenberg

Covers sundry topics such as selection of glass type, methods for achieving hard vacuum, metals, etc. etc. etc. Not a bad choice for those who want to know how they made tubes back when they still knew how to do it right.

McGraw-Hill Electrical and Electronic Engineering Series:
Fundamentals of Vacuum Tubes
Austin V. Eastman

A quick browse revealed a few tidbits that might be useful.

For that matter, most any of the old McGraw-Hill texts would be worthy reads for those who want to learn about tubes. They went into serious depth about the topic.

Grey