NIMO Tube Shootout! + X-Rays??

For the first time anywhere on YouTube - nimo tube shootout! But slowly - in the old-school FranLab long format. Savor all the drama as I embark on a quest to test three different tubes in my nimo clock, one new-in-box nimo tube vs. two very used - and there are some surprises. Plus I set out to discover once and for all whether or not nimo tubes produce X-Rays. Enjoy!

- Music by Fran Blanche -

[FranLab]

I failed to notice how much larger the digits are on the "new" nimo tube compared with my original burned one. Honestly, that formerly new-in-box tube looks amazing in the clock!

[loudej]

I love that, instead of a handheld Geiger counter, Fran uses a good and hefty vintage model which has been customized. Bonus points for the custom part's matching style of a metallic case and retro looking speaker grill.

[joetke]

It's good to know that it's safer to eat a nimo tube at dessert than bananas. Thanks Fran!

[jts]

Fran, I was an equipment engineer for 10 years at the Dosimeter Corporation of America until it was purchased by a British firm and shipped overseas. The company was a merger of the Bendix Aviation Instruments Division and the Landsverk Electrometer Corporation. These companies have roots in the 1940’s and were responsible for the design and manufacture of Geiger counters, area alarm monitors, stray radiation detectors for the Nuclear Medicine Departments of hospitals, and (most importantly) direct-reading personnel dosimeters for nuclear power companies, atomic powered ships, and other military use. MOST of the manufacturing equipment still used 1940’s to 1950’s technology to build the instruments that are still state-of-the-art. We had production lines of differential voltage testers with Nixie tubes, and stock of NOS tubes for the rare replacement. We had huge water-cooled Lepel Induction Welders that ran continuously for years on vintage Thyratron tubes. We had glass fiber drawing machines that melted E-glass beads in a platinum crucible and drew them to a uniform 8 micron(!) diameter to make the indicating fiber in a direct reading dosimeter - after it was sputtered with platinum to make it conductive in a Balzer High Vacuum Sputtering machine. My point? I was fortunate enough to spend my early career learning about, maintaining, and (where possible) improving the technology. The equipment of this age was designed and built so well, that even though it appears primitive in comparison to “modern” equipment, it was accurate, repeatable, reliable, and being electro-mechanical, easy to troubleshoot and repair. I love watching you use some of the equipment that I began my career using. Thank you for keeping the knowledge of these things alive.

[jlucasound]

Working next to these tubes is MUCH safer than waking up next to an alarm clock with those glowing "hands".
That was amazing how the counter reacted to those clock hands!! (This is in another video of Fran).

[toniturnwald]

Hello, this was a pretty good factory build tubes. They work after 40-50 years with almost no damage. At this time, it's almost impossible to get electronic stuff who works so long or who works after so many years. Thank you for uploading. cu Toni

[randynovick]

Now you just need ]ONE MORE[ to make a whole 4-digit clock display! This was great, Fran. Thanks so much!

[MaryAnnNytowl]

Hey, you're in my daddy's territory, now! He had a dedicated screwdriver set up for exactly that purpose, making sure the voltage is discharged safely. I may still have it somewhere, in fact! 🤔 Really cool to watch, I've gotta say – brings back some memories!

[AugustusOakstar]

X-rays shouldn't be a problem, unless applied topically. 😸you tubes today look like fine jewels, I am so glad that you are archiving and creating good data for these items. After you have moved on to the next higher dimension there will be "The FranLab Memorial Museum", a wonderful tribute to you. Luv ya, Bill Ackley. SA TX

[GadgetUK]

Excellent video =D I would go with the old tubes - keep the nice new one for a rainy day!

[kyleeames]

Called it. When Fran was explaining the operating principle of the tube, it sounded like although the tube was energized to 1700 volts, the voltage differential between the anodes and the cathodes was mere fractions of a volt meaning it wouldn't have been anywhere near the electron energies needed to produce x-rays. It is possible though to improperly energize even a normal vacuum tube in such a way that it produces a small amount of x-rays but Fran knows what she's doing, as did IEE.

[TheGabapocalypse]

oh maaaan when you turned that nimo tube around.... and it filled up the whole frame, I would use that as a desktop wallpaper! So gorgeous!

[silasmarner]

The world's largest collection of NIMO tubes. Nicely presented!

[cosmoslogic]

Fran you are the female version of Mr. Wizzard in electronics. Thank you for all that you do.

[fjs]

Fran, it probably does emit soft x-rays as all electron tubes do but if your power supply is 1.7kv then 1.7KeV x-rays won't penetrate the glass of the tube. Most tube manufacturers eventually incorporated lead in the glass to block but who knows which one. That thing is really cool, thanks for sharing!!

[radiodf]

First that Ive ever heard(or seen) about NIMO tubes. They would seem to be somewhat better than Nixis; easier to read "wider" font. Wider angle of viewability. I suspect that IEE box was one of those "engineering design/demo kits". Remember the old Motorola HEP kits? One of the most unusual numerica displays I knew of were the "Numitron" displays. They looked just regular seven segment LEDs, but each segment was an incadesint filament.

[johnwhelan]

Fran, you should be working for NASA. What with all your experience and knowledge you would be a big asset for them. Love your videos!

[jamescorvett]

i remember when i was 11-12 yrs old, 1980/81, was the first time i saw these and the Nixie tubes. I was so amazed with all they could stuff inside them with great precision. I really like the different style the numbers on ther other tubes you received. Maybe the size of the diameter has to do with the years they were made. Also, bananas can suck up radiation from the environment and soil. Ive heard ones growing where we've dropped radioactive bombs are very toxic!

[visionlightlab]

Exotic, dangerous, eerie & green. I like it!

[james-]

I'd make a clock with 3 digits and use them all. Also I think the 0 and 5 might have been in a machine or instrument where that particular digit in changed in 1/2 increments e.g. 12.5, 13.0, 13.5 etc.