How to Make Electron tubes

[rbola35618]

Found this interesting video on how to make Electron tubes.

[IanB]

Kawaii! 

[cellularmitosis]

Nice!

Equally amazing is this old French guy.  I love the shot near the end where he's wearing a suit jacket to operate a lathe.  A class act!  http://youtu.be/EzyXMEpq4qw

[peter.mitchell]

Found this interesting video on how to make Electron tubes.

I love the dimming lights with the spot welder!

Nice!

Equally amazing is this old French guy.  I love the shot near the end where he's wearing a suit jacket to operate a lathe.  A class act!  http://youtu.be/EzyXMEpq4qw

I noticed that when hes forming the glass he uses a very oxygen starved flame initially, almost covering the glass in soot, then changing to a normal flame, whats up with that? Is it just to slowly heat it to prevent cracking or some other reason?
Also, what is the chamber at ? I'm curious.

[Andy Watson]

Nice!

Equally amazing is this old French guy.  I love the shot near the end where he's wearing a suit jacket to operate a lathe.  A class act!  http://youtu.be/EzyXMEpq4qw

I noticed that when hes forming the glass he uses a very oxygen starved flame initially, almost covering the glass in soot, then changing to a normal flame, whats up with that? Is it just to slowly heat it to prevent cracking or some other reason?

Partly to reduce thermal shock, but also, particularly when heating up, he is deliberately depositing carbon on the glass. As the glass approaches working temperature, the carbon disappears - notice this when he is making the base/trumpet shaped glass in the lathe. Carbon also prevents the tools sticking to the glass - note the carbon-lined touges.

Also, what is the chamber at ? I'm curious.

Edit [Which chamber? Youtube ignored the time index first time around! The chamber is for annealing the glass. Working the glass tends to build-up stress. The chamber heats-up the glass (to about 400C IIRC) and then allows it to cool over an extended time period, allowing the stresses to dissipate.

There's more information here:
 http://paillard.claude.free.fr/

[Macbeth]

Very impressive videos. It's amazing the amount of work that goes into making them.

Have to say, a Health & Safety Inspector would have a nervous breakdown upon visiting the Japanese guys lab, and will only recover from his nightmare by watching the French guys work as an antidote. 

I think I would much rather make Integrated Circuits in my Kitchen... 

[peter.mitchell]

Partly to reduce thermal shock, but also, particularly when heating up, he is deliberately depositing carbon on the glass. As the glass approaches working temperature, the carbon disappears - notice this when he is making the base/trumpet shaped glass in the lathe. Carbon also prevents the tools sticking to the glass - note the carbon-lined touges.

The chamber is for annealing the glass. Working the glass tends to build-up stress. The chamber heats-up the glass (to about 400C IIRC) and then allows it to cool over an extended time period, allowing the stresses to dissipate.

There's more information here:
 http://paillard.claude.free.fr/

Thanks for taking the time to answer; i thought there may be a specific reason for it, and yeah, i did see the carbon disappear.
I thought that may be the case with the annealing chamber, but i wasn't sure, it didn't look well insulated and sealed enough to me 

Very impressive videos. It's amazing the amount of work that goes into making them.

Have to say, a Health & Safety Inspector would have a nervous breakdown upon visiting the Japanese guys lab, and will only recover from his nightmare by watching the French guys work as an antidote. 

I think I would much rather make Integrated Circuits in my Kitchen... 

I am unsure if i saw correctly, but in the japanese fellows video, I think i spotted a electrolysis chamber, which he may or may not have been using the hydrogen to power his torch? It looked as if it was powered from the mains through a variac. I'm sure health and safety would be all over that like a rash.

[calexanian]

Ah... Rubbish. I can make better tubes in my garage!He is not even coating the anode in anything, or the grids. What the secondary emission look like on that thing? Also that glass internal support will be problematic. They abandoned that in the 40's cause the coefficient of expansion in the cage vs the glass was so great that welds would break, or the glass rod would break. Also they cut the video before the getter flash. Thats the most fun/satisfying part of the whole thing! Also i did not see him carburize the tungsten filament. Unless he did that in a different stage or in that bell jay, which is unlikely as the filament temp was way too hot. Typically done at orange heat, not full on incandescent. I did like his bake out/annealing arrangement though.

I am seriously considering doing a kickstarter to make some really quality tubes. I will post a picture later on of what i have been working on.

[Zepnat]

Enjoyable video thanks for sharing.

[rbola35618]

Ah... Rubbish. I can make better tubes in my garage!

All I can say it "Do it, do it my friend. Encouragement!"   

RB

[calexanian]

Here are a few items I have played with in the past.