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 Post subject: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:55 am 
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For those that are interested, check out the link below as to how to make our own Vacuum Tubes.

Talk about an Art form...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3wrzo ... triode_tec

This is a very educational video for our youth who think that electronics started with their birth. Many of them do not know what a Vacuum Tube is or what it looks like, not to mention what techniques are used to make one. With the current technical evolution, mainly software based & driven, we tend to loose contact with the fundamentals.

However, at times, life always teaches us to turn back to basics in order to go further. 8)

Enjoy & Happy Listening,

MKOM :D

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:31 am 
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Hmmmm......????

Electro Harmonix
Genalex - Gold Lion
JAN Military Tubes
JJ / Tesla
Mullard
Sovtek
Tung-Sol
Western Electric


and now...

McGYVER :shock: :wink:


Thanks for the link MKOM, very interesting (though I was a little thrown when it started off with the pocket knife and the sheet of metal). :D


Cheers

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:01 pm 
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CornerCutter wrote:
Hmmmm......????

Electro Harmonix
Genalex - Gold Lion
JAN Military Tubes
JJ / Tesla
Mullard
Sovtek
Tung-Sol
Western Electric


and now...

McGYVER :shock: :wink:


Thanks for the link MKOM, very interesting (though I was a little thrown when it started off with the pocket knife and the sheet of metal). :D


Cheers


Cornercutter:

As was I......(You are absolutely right on the McGyver thing...still chuckling) :lol:

In any case, "McGyver Audio" doesn't sound all that bad. 8)

Hell, we used to build telecom networks with two dixie cups and some string....I think we still do given their performance at times...go figure... :shock:

Kidding aside, I thought is was pretty cool to see a craftsman do his thing.

(PS we should add EI & KR to the Tube list to name a few more...)

Cheers,

MKOM :D

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:59 pm 
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I ejoyed that a lot. Wonder what a set of quads would cost from that guy.
Can someone explain what the graphing instrument was measuring? I know little about electronics, but try me anyway.

I am going to send this link to my uncle in Switzerland who showed me the vacuum tube radio he built in the late 50s as part of his electronics training.

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:44 pm 
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Very cool video, thanks for posting it!


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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 5:01 pm 
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Ah, been looking for this after losing track of last time.

This time I will save the video so that I have it permanently.

Thanks

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 7:54 pm 
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I also saved it. Very cool!

That guy has a lot of knowledge and skills. I wonder who will be able to do this when he is gone? Is there anyone being trained in making tubes? I suspect it may become a lost art eventually.


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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:30 pm 
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That is one of the most awesome videos I've ever seen! Thanks MKOM!

Did you notice the age spots on his hands? Who will take over when he's can't do it anymore? Talk about your lost arts... :(


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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 6:30 am 
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Not everything can be automated... If anything, this video clearly proves that it was never about the sonic superiority of sand-based devices, on the contrary - it was (and still is, sadly) about the never-ending search for the Holy Grail of Higher Profit Margins...


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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 5:44 pm 
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I seen this a while back, but just had to watch it again. Great video.
Thanks for posting it.

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:32 am 
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Location: Scarberia, ON, CA
stickers11 wrote:
Can someone explain what the graphing instrument was measuring? I know little about electronics, but try me anyway.

Looks like a transconductance curve: using a constant plate voltage, it's a way of locating the linear range of the tubes ratio of plate current to a changing grid voltage. Or something like that. :?

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transconductance

......transconductance is defined as the change in the plate(anode)/cathode current divided by the corresponding change in the grid/cathode voltage, with a constant plate(anode)/cathode voltage.......

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 6:47 am 
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This question has already been asked but here goes -

Why can't modern day manufacturers develop an exact replica of a Amperex Bugle Boy, etc...

Is it the materials used?

Is it the manufacturing?

The current manufacturers from Russia, China, and elsewhere have had time to produce thousands of small signal tubes (6922, 12ax7, etc...). They must have figured out how to make an exact replica of the NOS tubes.

Better still, there has got to be someone who can pass on the knowledge on how the NOS tubes where built.

If this has been answered...point me to the link


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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:36 pm 
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Location: Calgary, AB, CA
Rennie wrote:
This question has already been asked but here goes -

Why can't modern day manufacturers develop an exact replica of a Amperex Bugle Boy, etc...

Is it the materials used?

Is it the manufacturing?

The current manufacturers from Russia, China, and elsewhere have had time to produce thousands of small signal tubes (6922, 12ax7, etc...). They must have figured out how to make an exact replica of the NOS tubes.

Better still, there has got to be someone who can pass on the knowledge on how the NOS tubes where built.

If this has been answered...point me to the link


The main problem is you need the original equipment to make the old tubes and that was trashed ages ago, as well as the talent to make them. Materials have also changed, with some not being able to be used anymore. The good news is that 2 of the manufactures we work with are manufacturing new versions of tubes for high-performance audio and the feedback is that they have at least equaled and in many cases exceeded NOS for audio.

A good analogy would be to ask Ford to build a car exactly the same as they did in the 40's, they probably couldn't.

cheers,
Ian

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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 10:54 am 
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..that was great, thank-you..!!


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 Post subject: Re: A lost Art - The making of a Vacuum Tube
PostPosted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 1:10 pm 
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I have to say I really appreciate the science, listening to the Harbeth's on some 300bc's. I finally get the 300b thing. He will be missed when he retires, great video. T.


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