I am building a Nixie Tube clock based on the MSP430 processor using NL-904 nixie tubes. I have laid out and etched the board, but connecting the tubes to it is another issue all together. I did find a source at one time for sockets, but they were about $20 a piece.
I happened upon the idea to use silver conductive epoxy to connect the pins to the pads on the board, and even talked ChemTronics into supplying me with a sample of their CW2400 epoxy. (Told them the truth about what I was doing and they actually sent a full size product - EXCELLENT company... just saying
) Now, I'm scared to use that. I only have one shot at getting this right if I use the epoxy and if a tube ever goes bad (do nixie tubes go bad?) I have no idea how I would replace it.
I'm thinking if I could find a push on pin connector, I could silicon the tube to the board, just or physical support, and then use press on connectors to wire the tube to the board. The problem is I have no idea what to search for, if such a creature even exists.
The pins on the tubes are 0.042" (1.05mm) diameter.
Any ideas? Thanks...
I happened upon the idea to use silver conductive epoxy to connect the pins to the pads on the board, and even talked ChemTronics into supplying me with a sample of their CW2400 epoxy. (Told them the truth about what I was doing and they actually sent a full size product - EXCELLENT company... just saying
) Now, I'm scared to use that. I only have one shot at getting this right if I use the epoxy and if a tube ever goes bad (do nixie tubes go bad?) I have no idea how I would replace it. I'm thinking if I could find a push on pin connector, I could silicon the tube to the board, just or physical support, and then use press on connectors to wire the tube to the board. The problem is I have no idea what to search for, if such a creature even exists.
The pins on the tubes are 0.042" (1.05mm) diameter.
Any ideas? Thanks...
