The Pan Pacific Nixie Clock

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mickecarlsson
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Model of CNC Machine: CNC 6040, Vectric Aspire, UCCNC
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The Pan Pacific Nixie Clock

Post by mickecarlsson »

I was inspired by this project http://www.badnixie.com/The_PanPacific.html and as I had a couple of Nixie tubes laying around, brass, Teak, CNC and Vectric Aspire I went to work.
I purchased a clock kit from https://www.pvelectronics.co.uk/ and assemblied that.
As I now had the size of the pcb for the clock I started to draw up the different parts in Aspire.
After some measurement (remember, measure twice, cut once) I loaded up the brass on my cnc.
This was the outcome.
Nixie brass parts
Nixie brass parts
I then cut the teak.
Nixie Teak parts
Nixie Teak parts
>
I did a dry mount to sand down the brass and wood so that it was smooth all over.
Nixie dry test
Nixie dry test
The top brass is screwed to the top teak, and on the the top brass I threaded the holes for the long screws that hold everything together.
The same for the bottom Teak and brass, I threaded some holes for the pcb.

Next thing I did was the pcb for the tubes, I did that on KiCad, exported it to FlatCam and saved it as a svg that I imported into Aspire. I used a 0.6 mm end mill to do the cut for the pcb.
Nixie pcb
Nixie pcb
Here are the clock finished, I used just a light coat of mineral oil to enhance the wood.
I am extremely pleased with the end result.
Nixie finished #1
Nixie finished #1
Nixie finished #2
Nixie finished #2
As I still have a lot of Nixie tubes I am now doing a second clock inspired by yet another building from US.
Eventually there will be another thread about that.

mickecarlsson
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Posts: 129
Joined: Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:18 pm
Model of CNC Machine: CNC 6040, Vectric Aspire, UCCNC
Location: Skane, Sweden

Re: The Pan Pacific Nixie Clock

Post by mickecarlsson »

Three more pictures
Attachments
Nixie finished #3
Nixie finished #3
Nixie finished #4
Nixie finished #4
Nixie finished #5
Nixie finished #5

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mfirlott
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Re: The Pan Pacific Nixie Clock

Post by mfirlott »

Simple and beautiful. Great combination of what appears to be old school (tubes) and CNC. Well done!
(Mitch)
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mtylerfl
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Re: The Pan Pacific Nixie Clock

Post by mtylerfl »

I love this project, Mikael. Thank you for the photos and description of the process you went through. So cool!!
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scottp55
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Re: The Pan Pacific Nixie Clock

Post by scottp55 »

Wow Mikael !!!

Visually striking and Elegant!!!
My Dad would have LOVED it!
Never saw anything like it myself, so thank you very much for the step-by-step.
Beautiful combination of materials:)

Excellent Work! :)
scott
I've learned my lesson well. You can't please everyone,so you have to please yourself
R.N.

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