Vacuum Tubes (or Valves, as they're called in the UK)

[chartreuse]

One of my hobbies is messing about with old amps, radios and the like that pre-date the transistor. As part of that, I hold a large stock of tubes, valves, whatever you want to call them.

Now, I fully realise that there is no sane reason whatsoever that one would introduce such devices into vaping. But I want to do it anyway.

Just building a DC power supply would be trivial and unsatisfying, so we need to think bigger. I dunno, maybe some kind of R-C circuit to pulse the vapor?

There's prolly better ideas than that, though, so have at it! Y'all come up with a good one and I'll build it. It might be the ultimate in Steampunk, for those that like such things...

 

[TomCatt]

No ideas, just sitting on the sidelines

 

[6pointprime]

Something with a WE 300B would be fun.

 

[Eddie.Willers]

Sheesh! I dunno' about mixing the 250V DC average voltage a tube plate needs with anything that's going near my face!

Sounds like a cool idea, though!

 

[chartreuse]

Something with a WE 300B would be fun.

If you're paying, I'll take a matched Quad...

 

[jeffd]

a 12v automotive cig lighter glows cherry red
and only 12v and to think about it, they last
along time lol. bugger dragging around a car
battery though hehe

 

[bapgood]

I can see a few things like these in your future

 

[skoot]

I build my own audiophile gear, including a tube pre amp. I'd be worried about the voltage and would hate to drop it, especially if it was some rare NOS tube. It would look sick though.

 

[cadcoke5]

I had posted in this thread yesterday, but for some reason it didn't take. So here is the summary,

I am sure the intent is for the power supply to sit on a table, and so that only voltage the user gets close to his face is the atomizer voltage and current. It may also be prudent to use an isolation transformer at the wall socket, since liquids are used in the atomizer.

I suggest creating some sort of indicator that shows the vape time of a puff. A "magic eye", or neon, or electro-mechanical VU meter would all work, but I would certainly favor something that lit up.

I looked at the original 1963 patent drawings, and see that it suggested a vacuum tube or lamp for the heat source. However, I see no reason to attempt to reproduce a technology which may not work as well as more modern designs. Use a contemporary atomizer, but perhaps attempt a reproduction of the externals for the hand-held portion.

Has anyone ever seen pictures of any of the original 1960's version? An internet search has not turned up any for me.

Joe Dunfee

 

[blaufisch]

i just toss it in: nixie tubes for voltage display

 

[TomCatt]

i just toss it in: nixie tubes for voltage display

Now that would be awesome

Wouldn't mind that display lighting up with each vape


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[Eddie.Willers]

i just toss it in: nixie tubes for voltage display

Now that's an idea I would like to see realized!

 

[mostlyclassics]

Wow! A Vamo that you'd need a wheelbarrow to cart around!

The mind boggles!

 

[TomCatt]

Hmmm, would look nice with my Desktop Mod


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[Rickajho]

You're a day late - actually nearly 48 years - on the concept. See here: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/336518-first-ecig-1965-detailed-drawing-description-drip-tip.html

It still daunts me to think this technology - at least in concept - was around so long ago. Too bad we had to wait so long for the technology to catch up.

 

[cadcoke5]

I was thinking about the diagram I had drawn in another thread about clearomizers that don't leak. I had proposed that the air inlet and outlet needed to be towards the center of the tank. Now it occurs to me that such a device, if made into a glass sphere would look very similar to a vacuum tube.

Decades ago, I recall seeing a vase set made from small glass spheres, less than 3" diameter. They each had two openings on the upper half to place flowers. They sat in a metal holder. Attached below is the closest I could find in a quick internet search. An alternative may be something from the world of scientific glassware. Below is a picture of a round flask with 3 necks. The center one may be used to re-fill the atomizer, and the other two necks for holding the coil and electrical connection. I imagine a single short neck, with a two hole cork may work. Also, below is my diagram from the thread about leaking. Of course, what is a air inlet or outlet can vary. It might be an electrode, or not. Maybe it could be drilled out of a sphere made of some sort of plastic.

It would need a holder. Perhaps something like a candle stick phone base. It might also look more like a traditional smoking pipe, but with a glass bowl.

Joe Dunfee

 

[cadcoke5]

Can you tell that I am unemployed at the moment? (let me know if you know of any mechanical designer positions in the Lancaster area). My brain can't stop creating stuff.

Here is an idea for an e-cig atomizer using a class sphere and a candle stick phone type base. Note that after I drew this, I realized that the coil should be mounted on a single post, or it will be almost impossible to wire up. So, the glass should probably be a two neck flask.

Joe Dunfee

 

[fourtytwo]

i just toss it in: nixie tubes for voltage display

I don't know...
Why go digital when analog is cooler. Nothing beats the warm glow from a nice big dial and watching the needle sweep.

 

[chartreuse]

As Joe says, an isolation transformer very rarely turns out to be a bad idea.

I suggest creating some sort of indicator that shows the vape time of a puff. A "magic eye", or neon, or electro-mechanical VU meter would all work, but I would certainly favor something that lit up.

Now this, I like! I have some eye tubes - including one of the hard to find ... 6V ones. You'd probably want to make an arrangement like a hookah, with all the gubbins on the table and the mouthpiece at the end of a tube.

i just toss it in: nixie tubes for voltage display

Nixies would be cool, but I don't have any. I do have a half dozen Numitrons though...

 

[jubal81]

You could use the tubes as diodes. You won't even need high voltage for that. You could run it off 9 or 12 volts.
It would be one badass desk hookah.