making a miniature vacuum tube triode

Here we try to make vacuum tubes very small. These will be 1/4 inch in diameter and about 1 inch long! A diode and a triode are made.

[@shenriksson]

This is so amazing! So many craftmansships in one Man. Glass, electronics, mechanical and videoproducer. (And a lot more, manuscript, producer, cameraman)

[@salat]

Could watch this mastery of craft for hours - It's like "The Joy of Painting" for enigineers :=) Love your work!

[@richfiles]

salat He makes happy triodes.

[@howisyourpeterbilt754]

salat. SHE

[@hmbpnz]

You've stated it perfectly. Thanks.

[@androgenoide]

There are a few others on KZbin that make hand-made tubes but this is, by far, the best for explanations of thew process.

[@DimRoditis]

How can anyone downvote this excellent example of craftmanship and engineering? Thanks for everything Mr. Ron.

[@TheEPROM9]

Your work with building valves & Nixies never fails to amaze me.

[@felixthecat265]

These tiny tubes were the key components in the proximity fuzes used by AA artillery in WW2. It was found that by mounting them vertically in a rubber mounting they were able to withstand the 30,000 G of firing stress. They were invented in UK and then went across to the US with the Tizard group along with the cavity magnetron.

[@Moronvideos1940]

Nice piece of craftsmanship by an expert electronics technician. Excellent job !

[@rubber20021]

Incredible amount of patience and knowledge. Thanks for showing this great hand-made work of functioning art!

[@proluxelectronics7419]

Just Amazing, Mind Blowing, A true Old school Engineer..

[@kenwolfe6093]

Would be cool to put the triode into an am transmitter circuit. I would be curious how many mw (or even watts :)) it could output to a 50 ohm dummy load. That is some precision work there! Thanks for another great video. Please keep making them and we'll keep watching!

[@itisonlyadream]

FANTASTIC VIDEO! I was a teenager in the nineteen fifties, at the end of the vacuum tube era, and I built and repaired many tube radios, amplifiers and TV sets before the transistor took over. But, I could never figure out how they were able to seal a vacuum in vacuum tubes. It seemed to me like the hot molten glass would be sucked into the tube by the vacuum pump as the tube was sealing. Or, the inrush of air would cool the hot glass at the point where it closed and prevent it from sealing. I knew the "getter" was used in the last step to harden the vacuum, but it was obvious that most of the air had to be removed with a vacuum pump. This puzzle about vacuum tubes has bothered me for more than 60 years, and I've tried to look up an explanation with no success. Then, I came across your video by accident. Now that I've actually watched you seal a tube, I still find it hard to believe it's possible. Moreover, it's such a delicate operation, that I'm amazed they were able to automate the process and make vacuum tubes by the millions and sell them so cheap. Thank you for finally clearing up this mystery for me after more than 60 years.

[@goodun6081]

There is a Mullard factory video on You Tube that shows tube manufacture from start to finish. The automated machinery is AMAZING; but the actual assembly of the individual elements is done painstakingly by hand. The QC room and banks of test equipment almost defy description.

[@HennerZeller]

That is craftsmanship!

[@yardleybottles6025]

I am not worthy! Thank you for keeping the history of American craftsmanship alive.

[@FrankenPC]

Glasslinger is a master craftsman. That's enough. But he also can build this stuff in front of a camera while keeping everything in focus. That's genius.

[@kengoddard2357]

You have some great skills man, thank you for sharing them. I appreciate the effort you put in to making these great videos. all the best.

[@aliensector]

I admire your skills and craftsmanship. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing it.

[@walternavia7550]

A great job. Congratulations from Chile!

[@marknightingale183]

What an awesome video.....such skill and craftsmanship!!

[@fredfarnackle5455]

That had me on the edge of my seat, and holding my breath at times!

[@dargall1]

WOW!!!!!! That is intricate work. If Lee Deforest, the inventor of the "audion tube" way back in 1904 was alive today he would be blown away by this video.

[@abrahamnorthhampton3327]

This is such a neat project. You have great skill and patience. Thank you for sharing with us!

[@arthurharrison1345]

Fantastic skills and a great documentary. I wish you would connnect the triode to a simple simple circuit such as an oscillator with a 'scope.

[@malekdavarpanah4925]

ONE OF THE BEST CRAFTSMAN EVER.I enjoy watching Ron works.Very Knowledgeable.Thank you for a great video. 73 KI7DYM

[@123jerro]

This is a very informative and entertaining video. thanks for sharing !

[@sbscheel]

Amazing work as usual! I would love to see a video on your DIY Transconductance meter.

[@limrc1]

Dang, you have steady hands and fine motor control of a teenager‼️ I can't have fun with what you're doing because of my tremors!

[@glasslinger]

My hands are not THAT steady! The camera shake correction helps a lot! :)

[@mikeg4972]

Recreating a lost art. Thanks for posting!

[@charlieb3943]

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!

[@srikanthr.lakshmanrao1019]

You are having brilliant skills sir. Now I have understood why vacuum tube amplifiers are expensive. Because your love in your work is visible. Now a days everything looks magic. I always feel there is a life inside the vacuum tube radios. Same in the case of old wall clocks. Thanks for making such historical videos. I have become your follower. Kindly share your Photograph. I would like to add in my best mechanics album.

[@willrobbinson1]

would have like to see it finished & working !!!!! anticlimax

[@Wtfinc]

it was funny tho. Best make our own.

[@Chinamus1551]

Suppose the use of metal epoxy shorted the leads...

[@joohop]

Amazing work Bud Big Respect from Birmingham England

[@StuartTaylorEsquire]

Hey Ron, you got a new camera! We could see that 1 mil filament just fine! Would sure love to see these pygmy tubes used in something.

[@johnbee1574]

Amazing stuff. Proper craftsmanship

[@IdeasMan101]

Hey Ron, great video. That was like tying three knots in an eyelash! awesome work. Kind regards Paul (Netherlands)

[@DmitriNesterov]

Ни секунды не сомневался, что геттер сделает своё дело, как надо! 😊💓👍 Thank you for your passion!

[@spvillano]

It took me a few seconds to remember the tiny triode tubes RCA ever so loved, nuvistors. Only ever saw one fail, out of thousands. Unlike vacuum tubes used in car radios and portable electronics like hearing aids. Folks, think hearing aids twice the size of a Raspberry Pi case alll around, powered by a 90 volt battery.

[@morissobakin1294]

Unbelievable! Looks like Witchkaft :).

[@zark212]

Hi Glasslinger. Great Video. Could you please tell me what welder you are using please. I have looked everywhere for some info on one. If you could please help me it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Have a great day.

[@abysspegasusgaming]

Such tiny tubes could be used to make a tiny amplifier for the tiny violin. (or other tiny musical device really...)

[@Jeffrey314159]

Peanut Tubes were first invented in 1921, but were very crude and had low gain. I think they could only be used as audio freq. amps

[@HarryManCam]

Searching the net, there seems to be no known cure or treatment for this kind of illness!! [kidding] :) Simply outstanding !!!

[@SirMo]

"tiddly-winked off into oblivia" haha, never heard that phrase before.. you are hilarious!

[@janegal007]

Tiddlywinked off into oblivion! I love it

[@Jeffrey314159]

Make a 1921 Peanut Tube! These 'improvised design' tubes used a control electrode on the outside of the tube to circumvent patents, or just a cheaper means of fabrication. They controlled their electron stream by means similar to CRT's, but with lower anode voltages(15V to 22.5V). Just little incandescent lantern bulbs fitted with three connections at its base, and a wire electrode wound around the neck of the bulb's midsection for the input signal. Low gain and high impedance, kind of like a crude vacuum-tube version of a FET

[@frac]

Fascinating- as always!

[@LA6UOA]

I love your videos and the glasstubes you are making. Splendid!

[@dwtees]

Genius at work. Absolutely Awesome video as always Ron. I can't add anything more than the other good people who have commented other than I hope we will get to see the emission results soon in your next video for the triode. I agree, a transmitter would be a nice project. Maybe a 20's period looking receiver that you are a master at creating would sell better however.

[@foxtrottNB]

just gave it a thumbs up without watching the video, just because i knew your previous videos ;-) after watching i could need a secound and third voice to vote... Ron, your videos are just very impressive. I would like to see the final result of your mini-tubes. Did you put them on a wooden stand for an exposition? Please upload videos of your projects more frequently.... Greets from Germany Ronny

[@michaelmarini3123]

You are a mad scientist, I love it...!!!

[@rot_studios]

This awesome, but I've never had so much adrenaline watching a DIY tube video. ITS SO FIDDLY XD

[@hmbpnz]

This is captivating. It is a master class in an anachronistic art form. I'm mesmerized. I call this is a "cozy" technical video. Enjoyed every minute of it. Thanks a lot, Glassslinger! And stay fabulous, no matter what those dumpy, greasy dudes think ;-)

[@endrestory4345]

im so hapy i found you on you tube. you are an true artist. Nice

[@strasbourg-eu]

Very good, really fantastic! Yes it is a real Craftmanship! Mr. Glasslinger, do you use a HHO generator? I hear Some noises like electrolysis Just Bravo for this DIY!

[@arnoldrimmer8008]

He'd be great in a sci-fi series about rebuilding the world post "what it was" that happened.

[@Jeffrey314159]

As long as we have cross-dressers with skills ;-)

[@eduardoalfaro575]

Muy buen trabajo, felicitaciones.

[@rhys54252]

my mind is blown... pure awesomeness!

[@toserveman1496]

I wish you had explained an application where these could be used, say to replace one of those great big diodes from the fifties or something like that

[@kingrs]

Great videos. Where can I get the flash getter from. It looks like you have a getter designed for a larger tube that you have cut to size. I understand it is made from Barium Azide and powdered glass, but tracking down this kind of thing is going to be very difficult.

[@glasslinger]

+Rob King Go to my tubecrafter.com website and look at the getter flasher construction plans. To get getters buy a bunch of junk TV tubes on ebay (lowest cost you can find) and you can crack them open and get the getter. Do the cracking immediately before you are going to put the getter in the tube and vacuum it since the getters deteriorate rapidly (1 hour) in air.

[@kingrs]

Hi Glasslinger, so the small ring of getter you were cutting to size came from an old TV tube? Do you mean the small valves/tubes or the big CRT tube? The other thought I had was to put the whole tube/valve inside a larger glass vacuum tube with a ball bearing, seal the tube then rattle the tube until the ball bearing smashes the valve. Or use a thin tungsten heater wire wrapped around the valve to cause it to crack in 2. I will get a few valves and break some open to see what the flash getter is like and if I can re-use them - great idea of yours!

[@glasslinger]

The getters from the small TV tubes. (they are cheap) You don't need to do any complicated procedure. Just don't crack the TV tube open before you are ready to use the getter.

[@kingrs]

Hi Glasslinger, I have bought a good selection of about 80 tubes/valves. One of them has no black silver discharge on the inside of the glass - just clear glass. But there is a small black square attached to one of the leads inside the tube around 6mm x 6mm, could this be the getter? Also, do I only have about 1-2 hours after the tube is broken before placing the getter ring back inside a vacuum? Have you tried using the getter a day or week later? Thanks Rob

[@gregorymalchuk272]

Rob King You can store the getters under diesel fuel, kerosene, or mineral oil to keep it from oxidizing in the atmosphere.

[@joohop]

Damn that is fine work !

[@jacekmak87]

That's impressive. It's jst so cool that you can make things like this!

[@elektronikzmbrtlar1586]

Man thank you i was searching for hours

[@fragle79]

Nice. You may be able to optimize the process with jigs. Not sure of the tolerances of the application but space between the elements can affect performance. Jigs may give more control of spacing. Amazing.

[@MoppedGhost]

every "ok" spell give +1 to emission and +0.5 to gain =)) ( to say without joke - this is AWESOME !!! great ! )

[@landtechnik4k]

New Camera? WOW Good Quality. Way better than Before ^^

[@MrStricklen]

thank you hope you have been doing well good work always enjoy your posts

[@joed2392]

This is WaaaaaaY COOL !! ( This is a Must - Watch !! ) If you are a Totally Geek'd Out Electronics NERD,...... You have to see this old school method, for making " Hollow State " devices !!! Great Job, Well Done !!! PS: Can anyone tell me, where I can get the materials to make tubes ?? Like Thoriated tungsten wire or the chemicals used for treating or coating the filament and getter. Also, where can I find the metal wire, tubing and sheet's of whatever pure or alloys used in the construction of the diode, triode, etc........! I want to design and build a Nuke/EMP Proof Tranceiver !!

[@glasslinger]

All of it is available on ebay. For an EMP proof receiver, using a commercial receiver and adding shielding would be your best option. Most commercial receivers will not be affected by EMP unless the EMP source is close enough to where you will not give a shit any more!

[@michaelnobibux2886]

Outstanding! Where do you get your materials?(glass,tungsten wire ,nickel tubing etc.????)

[@glasslinger]

Ebay of course!

[@WhileTrueCode]

u are a mad scientist. I LOVE IT

[@DCFusor]

Books I've read from RCA and Phillips have you flashing the getter after sealing, FWIW. Perhaps that's to avoid reheating (and redistributing it) during sealing, causing electrical leakage, etc.

[@glasslinger]

It was more convenient for the production process. The getter will evolve a LOT of gas so why waste part of the getter by not pumping it out! In the real world it doesn't make any difference overall.

[@DCFusor]

@@glasslinger Wow, thanks for the reply. I do vacuum physics stuff (with deuterium ions mostly) but also have made a couple of triodes just "in-tank" for fun - just barely good enough to make a multivibrator with. I'm guessing authorities like Kohl mentioned this because with a top and bottom mica support wafer you really didn't want to re-evaporate some of the getter during sealing - he and others said the getter made the vacuum better than their pump did even after high temp outgassing. (though how they measured that is anyone's guess) If I may ask, where do you get yours? I may someday replicate what you're doing, I have the rest of the stuff and make my own glass-metal seals already. Getters are the one piece I haven't been able to put my hands on. Need any kilometers of W-Re wire, .5 mil thick?

[@davidsingh6509]

Hi! Ron. Can u show your antique radio collection to your viewers that u have reconditioned . It will be very exciting to see your collections.

[@glasslinger]

Working on it. It's a BIG job! May be my longest video!

[@davidsingh6509]

Thank u Ron. Waiting for that excitement.

[@williefleete]

Vacuum tubes the size of Christmas tree lights

[@lukas.199]

Adorable!

[@seanhornibrook]

Awesome work as always. Did they work at least?

[@VE2XJS]

wow!! I would like to know the pic is for what article? I'm sure its of big interest to me!

[@marceloLoschiBH]

Fantastic! What is the product that covers the filament? Congratulations!

[@glasslinger]

it is a mix of half barium carbonate and half strontium carbonate. A small amount of sodium silicate is added as a binder.

[@daleburrell6273]

You have a lot of initiative...

[@Daaremikkel]

Awesome! Can I ask how much filament voltage and current you were running on the diode?

[@SilntObsvr]

I believe the video mentioned, right at the end of the diode testing, that a plate voltage of 50V gave about 10 mA plate current.

[@pacman10182]

looks like I have most of the tools to do this is a diffusion pump absolutely necessary?

[@NOBOX7]

i love your pinch welder , i really want to build one, will you show it to us

[@ShuffleSk8Ter]

excellent video.....where can i find a small hand held spot welder like this?

[@Aperson-sv2hc]

Modify a microwave oven transformer by replacing the secondary coil with 2 turns of insulated 2 gauge (American gauge) stranded copper wire. Re-weld the transformer core and input 120v ac, or whatever the transformer was designed to handle, to the primary coil and use the secondary coil to weld.

[@youpig6060]

Vacuum tube manufacturer ASMR 😍

[@MichaelOfRohan]

An old video, from a time when I should have been interested. Alot of time lost. Alot of life gone by, nonetheless just as useful, albeit for more psychological processes than material. In any case I am thankful to you.. from a weird and dangerous future..

[@cyjo2009]

Nice job! I love Your videos! I am going to try tube making. I make neon signs so I am more than half way there. I just made a small induction oven, which is my last stumbling block. I will post a video when I get there.

[@1944GPW]

Wonderful, mesmerising to watch first-principles craftsmanship like this. I'm really intrigued with your miniature handheld spot welder, is it commercial or did you build it? If so, what sort of transformer was used as I'm guessing a modified microwave oven tranny would be grossly over current for these tiny zaps?

[@Jagdtyger2A]

Here is a challenge, use your miniature tubes to build an equivalent of early logic circuits and "flip flop gates to make a simple computer based on miniature tubes

[@altaqiyya6348]

so cool to be able to do that, but how do you calculate mu and other values?

[@newtronix]

What is the lifetime of these tubes. Is the temperature coefficient of expansion the same for tungsten as glass? Do you get leakage around the pins when the tube expands and contracts?

[@Jeffrey314159]

The pins of modern vacuum tubes are made of a metal alloy know as KONAL, that has the same thermal expansion coefficient as the glass the tube is made of

[@jmikronis7376]

@@Jeffrey314159, Konal, good to know. Now, I’ll have to go look it up.

[@oldman1505]

Thank you for sharing this!!

[@brunopaulin4451]

I love it.

[@alaingingras7224]

Mouth noises adds to the professionalism....

[@Ronnie01964]

Jesus man, u gotta have alot of patience for this.

[@pacman10182]

jb weld has steel powder in it, is it conductive?

[@nanoindus]

Fantastic.....This kind of videos with lots of complete information are very rare. I have question: what is the ratio of BaCO3 and SrCO3 mixture in the oxide coating? Also what is the exact procedure of activation of cathodes?

[@glasslinger]

I use a 50-50 mix. It doesn't seem to be very critical. The cathode is heated under high vacuum (10-5 or lower) and pumped until it stops outgassing. Then current is applied to get emission and the system pumped until outgassing stops and the emission is stable. Then the getter is flashed and tube can be sealed off.

[@nanoindus]

@@glasslinger Thank you so much. I wish to set up a small glass blowing setup and i am very much influenced by your work. Keep up this work and upload more videos.. Fantastic job sir.

[@PhiTheProducer]

Hello, sir. I have a quick question, but there is no option to send you a message. It involves what I think is pretty complex glasswork. (It's a question of engineering; if someone else thinks they might help, please don't hesitate to engage me in comment)

[@6p1p]

what liquid you mix with your barium carbonate to make it stick on filament?

[@glasslinger]

I use sodium silicate. It is available as a 40% liquid for cheap on ebay. Dilute it to where it is about 1% of the barium carbonate mix. Too much will affect the emission.

[@6p1p]

@@glasslinger Thanks for reply.. I have another question about cathode oxide , if i only use barium carbonate without zirconium will it work? or i have to mix with other chemical to make it work better?

[@chadgdry3938]

neat. I had to lookup what the Getter was for. Vacuum tubes just look like they work by magic..

[@glasslinger]

+Paul Gdry They do! :)

[@Satchmoeddie]

+glasslinger I have a magic RF induction coil that makes them work. It runs off of magic RF tubes that work as a powerful amplifier & RF oscillator. Some desperate person in Denver sold it to me for $600. It's also good for hardening tool steel too. Sometimes I wonder if you might not have both oars in the water. Sometimes it helps not to. Some of those hard brittle metals are a real pain to work with.

[@glasslinger]

+Seth B 600 bucks is a LOT of money to me! I am now building a 1kw heater using 4CX250 "magic tubes:)" Total cost is going to be around 100 bucks since I have a lot of stuff in my junk box.

[@chadgdry3938]

cool, do post a video!

[@excitedbox5705]

I think if you took some glass capillary tube you could group as many as you need in a bundle and melt them together with the tungsten wire inside. Then you have a nice straight base. You could even fill them with vacuum epoxy instead of melting the glass to the tungsten.

[@glasslinger]

There are certain requirements for making a long term vacuum seal that make that idea impractical.

[@Peterjames3535]

Is it at all possible for you to make a basic germanium or silicon Transistor? I thought if anyone can you can!

[@AntonBabiy]

Wow! That's amazing!

[@victorforest8919]

are you using Cree graphite to melt the beads together .it looks like Cree to me

[@jamesmikronis8010]

Where did you get that bench top vise from? I’ve looked at PanaVise and did not find anything looking remotely similar.