# Nixie tube clock project **URL:** \ **Category:** Unrelated Discussion\ **Created:** [March 23, 2019, 6:38am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473 "2019-03-23T06:38:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 6:38am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/1 "2019-03-23T06:38:53Z")
I have been working on putting together my first Nixie tube clock for about a year now. Really needed to share it somewhere so here it is. ![Message_1553320922310](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/c/7/2/c72ffcae5f92e48f6def2c0dc0ea0f03ab0bd5a5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Damb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/damb/32/44045_2.png) [@Damb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Damb)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 6:39am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/2 "2019-03-23T06:39:51Z")
So cool! Is it 12 hour clock or 24 hour? ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:05am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/3 "2019-03-23T07:05:25Z")
It can be either with a simple switch in programming. I will be running it as a 24 hr clock. ---
**Author:** ![anon24651](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@anon24651](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anon24651)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:07am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/4 "2019-03-23T07:07:22Z")
Does this use Arduino microcontroller? ---
**Author:** ![Damb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/damb/32/44045_2.png) [@Damb](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Damb)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:08am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/5 "2019-03-23T07:08:18Z")
Aye my man! Military time only 💪 ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:39am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/6 "2019-03-23T07:39:06Z")
It certainly can, but this was built with a pre flashed micro contoller. This was sort of a lego build if that makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![anon24651](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8491ac/32.png) [@anon24651](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/anon24651)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:45am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/7 "2019-03-23T07:45:50Z")
is this your first project? ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:47am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/8 "2019-03-23T07:47:17Z")
I agree. Not to mention that adding an am/pm designator would complicate things. ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:57am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/9 "2019-03-23T07:57:37Z")
This is my first Nixie project. Not my first electronics project, though. Maybe i can dig up some of my other undertakings. Most notably i put together a 2w laser. That project required no programming and thats sort of my weakness at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 8:00am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/10 "2019-03-23T08:00:53Z")
![480223_633240306686910_1186281699_n](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/3/8/8/388d9a139dd6de621beb3f5e472a0249ea93f976.jpeg) My 2w blue spectrum laser ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 8:09am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/11 "2019-03-23T08:09:38Z")
![66966_682425985101675_1178171396_n](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/e/3/4/e3451ca96b6e535d37f5db7ace820774152d6235.jpeg) And here is where i burnt through the backing on my bathroom mirror (removed from bathroom for laser purposes) by playing with said 2w laser ---
**Author:** ![smileypants707](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/smileypants707/32/19045_2.png) [@smileypants707](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/smileypants707)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/12 "2019-03-23T13:17:08Z")
Looks mildly dangerous… _I’m in, where do I get one?_ ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/13 "2019-03-23T16:18:48Z")
Ebay. Thats where i got the majority of the parts ---
**Author:** ![beherenow](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/beherenow/32/125309_2.png) [@beherenow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/beherenow)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/14 "2019-03-23T19:46:27Z")
Cool clock! Lasers are fun to build too! Old flashlight bodies are the most popular but some are turning customs. Good drivers are way cheaper too as are the diodes. **Get good glasses and use them!** Even reflections from another room, the driveway, the parking lot, can cause eye damage and a lot of the time it’s permanent. There was an old post a couple/few years ago on a laser forum where a guy was just trying to get a good laser fog photo in his bathroom. Took his glasses off to see the camera better as his 2w laser was on a tripod. Bumped the laser, reflected off the chrome faucet, hit his eye. 90% permanent vision loss in 1 eye just from a glancing pass. Less in the other eye but still permanent vision loss. It was a sad read. ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2019, 9:32pm UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/15 "2019-03-23T21:32:14Z")
Indeed. I take safety very seriously. In fact, it is part of my profession. I bought 3 pairs of safety glasses to filter this specific wavelength of light. One for me, and extras so i can show others. 2w is nothing to take lightly… That was a laser safety pun. Thanks for taking the time to point that out. That is something i should have stressed from the start. ---
**Author:** ![beherenow](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/beherenow/32/125309_2.png) [@beherenow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/beherenow)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 12:21am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/16 "2019-03-24T00:21:27Z")
Didn’t mean to sound preachy. But it’s nothing to be glassed over. (but it is, so no pun, irony maybe?) 🤪 Have you messed with the adrino led cubes? They look fun. ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/17 "2019-03-24T00:29:00Z")
Not preachy at all, necessary imo. I dont think I’ve ever seen an arduino led cube. ---
**Author:** ![beherenow](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/beherenow/32/125309_2.png) [@beherenow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/beherenow)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 12:41am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/18 "2019-03-24T00:41:59Z")
> [@Jedillama](#): > > I dont think I’ve ever seen an arduino led cube. A **bunch** of soldering but a neat finished product. ---
**Author:** ![Jedillama](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/jedillama/32/45547_2.png) [@Jedillama](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/Jedillama)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/19 "2019-03-24T00:47:02Z")
Ill check it out. ---
**Author:** ![beherenow](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forums.yoyoexpert.com/beherenow/32/125309_2.png) [@beherenow](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/u/beherenow)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2019, 6:36am UTC](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473/20 "2019-03-24T06:36:53Z")
I would start smaller, lol. [![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/yoyoexpert1/original/4X/d/c/c/dcc6355d9c7c848fbc3746b734a687fb7935ec77.jpeg "All Spark Cube - Led Cube Animation 16x16x16") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-4EQPauUCI) [Next page](https://forums.yoyoexpert.com/t/nixie-tube-clock-project/300473.md?page=2)