Homemade Vintage Style Nixie Clock

By on November 11, 2018
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If you find soldering enjoyable and relaxing, this is likely a good project for you. To create his clock, the maker Electronoobs has soldered LED filaments onto a steel wire frame.

I’ve made some “nixie” tubes. These are actually 7 segments displays made with filament LEDs but placed in a plastic bottle so it will have a more vintage nixie look. To control the LEDs I’m usig the MAX7219 driver that could control 4 x 7 segments displays. To get the real time, I’m using the DS3231 module that works with a i2c communication so it’s easy to use. The project also has 2 push buttons to set the hour and minute. All is inside a wood case painted with varnish so it will look more vintage.

The device is controlled by an Arduino Nano, along with a MAX7219 display driver to power the LEDs as needed. An RTC module keeps things ticking at the correct pace, and a pair of buttons on top of the wooden enclose allow the time to be adjusted as needed.

STL files, schematics and all you need to create your own Vintage Nixie Clock are available at maker’s product page. Find out more information in the video below.

About Luca Ruggeri

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