Nixie Tubes?

[jumbodrawn]

Hi!

I'm new to this, but I was just wondering why the heck nobody has started manufacturing Nixie Tubes?? I think it would be a great business selling them for super cheap!!

[studiot]

Super why?

[John Cuthber]

If I could sell gold jewellery super cheap it would be a great business except that it's expensive to make it.

[jumbodrawn]

If I could sell gold jewellery super cheap it would be a great business except that it's expensive to make it.

But people still manufacture gold jewelry!! There is literally nobody that manufactures Nixies. The price keeps going up because there is a finite supply that will run out. My question is why does nobody make them anymore?

[Klaynos]

The market isn't really that big? Led segment displays are much easier and cheaper (to manufacture, work with and run) so any professional product will use them.

 

The maker market just isn't big enough for such a technology.

[John Cuthber]

There is a market; but it's essentially for works of art, rather than anything truly practical.

[Klaynos]

There is a market; but it's essentially for works of art, rather than anything truly practical.

I agree there is a market it's just not big enough for the required investment to manufacture them.

[studiot]

Have you ever used nixies ?

 

I have a few left, along with the 74 series necessary to decode and the high voltage transistors necessary to drive them.

 

Thank God we've moved on.

 

Earth closets were once the bees knees and some still promote them

 

Thank God we've moved on.

Edited December 20, 2015 by studiot

[Endy0816]

They do look good in steampunk items. Fetch a decent price too.

[hoola]

nixie tubes show up at ham fests, and can be scavenged from obsolete equipment rather cheaply. There was a guy in the AudioKarma online electronics diy club who talked about getting some.....I can't remember his username, but a search of that site should come up with someone who can help.

[scheua]

There are huge leftovers of radio and indicator tubes, including nixie tubes, from Soviet era. After the dissolution of USSR, many factories stopped working altogether and the production stock was stolen by former workers. Now these radio components are sold on black markets by people, myself included You can buy nixie tubes at eBay at moderate prices. For example, consider my eBay item: that has been removed as advertising, which is against the rules here. These are some rare green indicator lamps ITS1A.

Edited March 17, 2016 by Phi for All
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