View Full Version : Homemade Vacuum Tubes
Perhaps many others already know about Claude Paillard, F2FO. #I came across this link (http://paillard.claude.free.fr/) to his web site via a story about him making his own vacuum tubes. #The video is near the bottom of the page.
His precision and techniques are very impressive. #The video shows how me makes the electrodes and molds the glass, including testing.
---Michael, NO6O
KD4IFB
01-09-2008, 06:45 PM
Quote[/b] (NO6O @ Jan. 09 2008,11:41)]Perhaps many others already know about Claude Paillard, F2FO. #I came across this link (http://paillard.claude.free.fr/) to his web site via a story about him making his own vacuum tubes. #The video is near the bottom of the page.
His precision and techniques are very impressive. #The video shows how me makes the electrodes and molds the glass, including testing.
---Michael, NO6O
Your the third one to post this... http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif But it was excellent.. Just scroll down.
Sorry! I did a quick scan, and didn't see it earlier.
---Michael, NO6O
KB1KIX
01-09-2008, 11:07 PM
Holy crap!
Funny thing.... I kid you not... I was thinking of this just yesterday after thinking about some old (60 or so years) homemade tubes.
Actually,was pondering when they will no longer be available!
I didn't see the other 2 threads, so thanx!
Jonathan
I think the hardest part would be gettering the last bit of air out of the tube.
Working with glass isn't all that hard, many people do it actually.
But making a near perfect vacuum for a tube would be difficult, I can imagine.
AA0CX
01-09-2008, 11:21 PM
I think it would be unbelievably complicated -- and for me, probably impossible unless I had years and years of practice. I saw the video; the guy's a master. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
K7KBN
01-10-2008, 01:15 AM
Did you notice that the first tool he uses is a Swiss Army knife? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
I have one of them. Now what? http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
KC5CSG
01-10-2008, 01:19 AM
What? You're not a real ham unless you've homebrewed your own tubes. You people that buy prefab tubes are just freeloaders.
hehehehe
Jerry
K8ERV
01-10-2008, 01:27 AM
Quote[/b] (k7kbn @ Jan. 09 2008,18:15)]Did you notice that the first tool he uses is a Swiss Army knife? #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
I have one of them. #Now what? # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
You use it to pry out those last pesky air molecules--
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
KC9JIQ
01-10-2008, 01:33 AM
That is cool, how about some english subtitles?
I want to build one. #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
W6TMI
01-10-2008, 03:53 AM
While he's not hamming, I bet he makes some really nice BONGS!
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
VE2NSM
01-10-2008, 04:02 AM
Wow... helluva craftsman!
KG6YTZ
01-10-2008, 04:33 AM
Quote[/b] (kf6rdn @ Jan. 09 2008,19:53)]While he's not hamming, I bet he makes some really nice BONGS!
sshhhhhhh... #Those are "water pipes." #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
AB7KT
01-10-2008, 02:44 PM
I can't read any of the text but does it say this is "home made " .
I watched the video one of the other times it was posted and would have never gotten that impression if people hadn't posted it.
VE2NSM
01-10-2008, 04:48 PM
Quote[/b] (AB7KT @ Jan. 10 2008,10:44)]I can't read any of the text but does it say this is "home made " .
I watched the video one of the other times it was posted and would have never gotten that impression if people hadn't posted it.
Well, it is home made. That does not means that you have everything necessary in your house to do it, neither the skills.
Cooking may be home made, but some people don't know how to cook and don't have cookware http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
WA7KKP
01-10-2008, 05:14 PM
He just might be the extreme home-brewer ham . . .
I'd love to see how he makes microprocessor chips, or even a basic TTL chip . . . http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Gary WA7KKP
KD4IFB
01-10-2008, 05:16 PM
Quote[/b] (WA7KKP @ Jan. 10 2008,10:14)]He just might be the extreme home-brewer ham . . .
I'd love to see how he makes microprocessor chips, or even a basic TTL chip . . . http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Gary WA7KKP
We are still looking for that guy.. We think hes in China..or Japan.. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif
K7KBN
01-10-2008, 05:48 PM
Claude Paillard, F2FO
Wish I knew more French, but M. Paillard is neither in China nor in Japan.
He's in La Belle France.
AB7KT
01-10-2008, 07:31 PM
Quote[/b] (ve2nsm @ Jan. 10 2008,09:48)]
Quote[/b] (AB7KT @ Jan. 10 2008,10:44)]I can't read any of the text but does it say this is "home made " .
I watched the video one of the other times it was posted and would have never gotten that impression if people hadn't posted it.
Well, it is home made. That does not means that you have everything necessary in your house to do it, neither the skills.
Cooking may be home made, but some people don't know how to cook and don't have cookware #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I guess I didn't make my question clear.
How do you know it is homemade ?
Does it say that in the text ?
I am not challenging the fact that it's homemade, I am just asking how you know it.
VE2NSM
01-10-2008, 07:39 PM
Quote[/b] (AB7KT @ Jan. 10 2008,15:31)]
Quote[/b] (ve2nsm @ Jan. 10 2008,09:48)]
Quote[/b] (AB7KT @ Jan. 10 2008,10:44)]I can't read any of the text but does it say this is "home made " .
I watched the video one of the other times it was posted and would have never gotten that impression if people hadn't posted it.
Well, it is home made. That does not means that you have everything necessary in your house to do it, neither the skills.
Cooking may be home made, but some people don't know how to cook and don't have cookware http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
I guess I didn't make my question clear.
How do you know it is homemade ?
Does it say that in the text ?
I am not challenging the fact that it's homemade, I am just asking how you know it.
Well, it does not say specifically that it's home made, but I think it's obvious when you look at the video.
AB7KT
01-10-2008, 07:50 PM
Ok
When this was posted before, I watched the video and I DID think it odd that the whole process was so labor intensive and un-automated but I assumed that was just for the purposes of showing how a tube was made. As I watched it, it never even entered my mind that this was some guy doing this in his house. I don't know why I didn't think that, I just didn't.
Then, when I read the posts, people were talking about his wonderful collection of tools and extreme homebrewing and all that and it then went from simply facinating and interesting to amazing if he was doing this in his basement (or whatver) and owned all the equipment.....
THEN, I wondered how everyone knew this was a ham in France doing this on his own, in his basement. I assumed that the text in that is all in French must have said something to that effect.
Since the subject came up again, I thought I woud ask and see if anyone knew any more about it.
I would love to know what he does with the tubes and if he is using them in his daily operation of his ham shack.
AB7KT
01-10-2008, 08:14 PM
I have a very basic question that obviously shows my ingnorance of electronics.
What determines, in the tube, or in the tube's construction, what it can be used for or it's operating characteristics. How do tubes differ ? If this guy makes all these tubes the same, are they all electrically the same and all have the same output or whatever ? If he wanted to make a different tube for a different purpose, how would he change his process of making the tube ? When he is making the outside glass part, it shows a bunch of them standing on end and they are all different sizes, does this change anything in the tube when it is done ?
KL7AJ
01-10-2008, 08:22 PM
Quote[/b] (AB7KT @ Jan. 10 2008,13:14)]I have a very basic question that obviously shows my ingnorance of electronics.
What determines, in the tube, or in the tube's construction, what it can be used for or it's operating characteristics. How do tubes differ ? If this guy makes all these tubes the same, are they all electrically the same and all have the same output or whatever ? If he wanted to make a different tube for a different purpose, how would he change his process of making the tube ? When he is making the outside glass part, it shows a bunch of them standing on end and they are all different sizes, does this change anything in the tube when it is done ?
One of the primary characteristics of a triode is the mu (mutual conductance, or GAIN). This is determined by how close the grid is to the cathode, relative to the plate. In a low mu tube the grid will be closer to the plate, in a high mu tube the grid will be very close to the cathode. This is because it will exhibit more control over the electrons before they get a chance to be accelerated to the plate.
There's a thing called a variable mu tube...usually pentodes, but can also work in a triode. A variable mu tube has a grid which is wound with varying pitch...it's more open toward the center and tighter wound near the ends. These are used in automatic gain controls and such.
eric
