Search found 16 matches

by whoop-john
Wed Feb 08, 2006 9:00 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Projector slot displays

Please tell me what you remember about these projector displays, as a Swedish friend of mine Marta has recently bought some on eBay. They are the same as featured near the bottom of this page: http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/count.html ...and are made by IEE and use #44 lamps as used in pinball machi...
by whoop-john
Mon Jan 16, 2006 8:53 pm
Forum: Discoveries
Topic: BMCo. UK to US and back again!!!
Replies: 9
Views: 7436

Re: BMCo. UK to US and back again!!!

Hi Terry, I am up the road in Wallington. I would love to see your machine. I had a rare BMCo billiards so I am interested in them. The expert on BMCo is Steve Hunt, but he is busy restoring Colwyn Bay pier.

John
by whoop-john
Thu Jul 14, 2005 4:21 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Hans Summers

Ah, well Hans Summers is well known to me and lives not far away either in the south west London, we keep meaning to meet up for a beer.

Any pics of the complete Crompton football machine yet?

Best wishes, John.
by whoop-john
Thu Jun 30, 2005 6:40 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Your expert advice

Your Siemens tubes are neon but I doubt the plasma trick will work on such a large item. They will probably use in the order of 50-100 mA each with that much surface area. The tubes appear to be wired in parallel. Thus they can be tested individually. The old cloth covered wiring should be replaced ...
by whoop-john
Wed Jun 29, 2005 3:36 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

Wow! That is fantastic. What a lovely looking device. Let me get some advice from some better experts before you plug that in. I suppose it must be neon! Does it have a high voltage transformer or anything. Or is it just mains? I thought we were talking about the Osglims, this is absolutely gorgeous...
by whoop-john
Mon Jun 27, 2005 10:26 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

Your 2' advert sounds similar to one seen on eBay a couple of years ago which advertised cigars,. It sold for close to $1000. I hope you kept it, because it is repairable, rare, and desirable to a small group of collectors. You can try your lamps for usable neon content using the plasma globe trick....
by whoop-john
Sun Jun 26, 2005 11:16 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

Alan Franzman, a keen US collector of all nixie and neon-related tubes replied to me: <snip> Those are rather hard to find, I think £21 was a bargain for someone. I think your best shot will be to continue to monitor eBay, and perhaps check some of the light bulb collectors' websites. www.bulbcolle...
by whoop-john
Sun Jun 26, 2005 5:13 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

You won't believe this, a spiral Osglim lamp was sold on UK eBay yesterday. Put item 4388914372 into the search box. You will see it sold for £21!
by whoop-john
Sun Jun 26, 2005 4:37 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

I shall put the word out for you about the Osglim. I know quite a few neon tube collectors. I will see what I can dig out for you. I just bought some tubes from Russia. They are neon linear bargraph indicators with a length of glow proportionate to the current going through them. The west never made...
by whoop-john
Sat Jun 25, 2005 5:52 am
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

Dave, there is enough radiated energy at a high enough voltage to light the tube. Scary isn't it? Nixies need high voltage but low current, just a few milliamps. Once they fire, they need even less to maintain the glow. Nixies will often not light in total pitch darkness, they seem to need some phot...
by whoop-john
Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:17 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Any pictures of the Star Soccer so I can see what the game is like?

John
by whoop-john
Fri Jun 24, 2005 6:15 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Excellent! Well done that man.
by whoop-john
Wed Jun 22, 2005 8:28 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Dave, you just touch the tube against the glass. Your nixie might have leads or it might have pins, just touch one against the glass and it should light! I used a coin on top of the ball to concentrate the field and touched that, it was more reliable and brighter. You might feel a tingle but it won'...
by whoop-john
Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:24 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

That is a cool machine! Kind of quirky. I know nixie tube collectors who might pay a lot for that.

Many thanks for that picture, now if only I could find the machine in an oak cabinet my friend remembered. Trouble is he cannot even remember the theme.

John
by whoop-john
Wed Jun 22, 2005 2:49 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

That would be very cool if you have a picture, I would love to see it.
by whoop-john
Tue Jun 21, 2005 2:42 pm
Forum: Questions and Answers
Topic: Nixie tubes in slot machines
Replies: 70
Views: 44641

Nixie tubes in slot machines

Nixie tubes are glass neon tubes which glow an orange colour and light at about 180 volts. They usually contain the numbers 0-9 as separate cathodes which can be lit independently. They were in use from the early 1950s until 1972 when the numerical LED killed them off. I spoke to someone who remembe...