scherle.com» steampunk http://scherle.com Rick Scherle on the web Tue, 10 Apr 2012 15:55:14 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Nixie Tubes http://scherle.com/2008/nixie-tubes http://scherle.com/2008/nixie-tubes#comments Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:05:59 +0000 Rick http://scherle.com/?p=43

Back in 1954, before we had LED's, Nixie Tubes were the only way to display digital data. Today, these delicate glass tubes are very rare.]]>

Nixie tubes

Nixie tubes

Back in 1954, before we had LED’s and digital readouts, Nixie Tubes were the only way to display digital data. Today, these delicate glass tubes are very rare.

I’ve been buying them from decommissioned factories in Russia and designing them into retro electronic devices like clocks and other art pieces.

Nixies fell out of favor as soon as other technologies replaced them because the fragile glass tubes are sensitive to shock and vibration and they require 180 volts to operate.

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