[Boatanchors] Has anyone ever cut the glass top off a miniature tube to re-use the base?

Fri Aug 19 12:53:12 EDT 2016

>From my web search so far on 7-pin miniature tube dimensions, here is what
I have found:
JEDEC E7-1 small-button miniature 7-pin
Tube pins: 1.06 mm diameter (0.040 inches). Pins are arranged on a 3/8"
diameter circle, 45 degrees angular separation ('8th' pin not there).  I
measured (on a OA2 tube) the pin length at 6 mm or just a smidge under 1/4"

Keystone does have pins that are 0.40" diameter - both tin and gold plated.
Cost (tin plated) is about 11 cents each in qty 100. I can send better
details if needed (i.e. web link etc from Mouser which is where I got this
data). The Keystone pins are solid brass with coating as noted - they have
a flange and swage onto the pc board.

FYI 18 gauge wire is 0.040 inches diameter.

Hope this helps.  Would love someone to come up with small PCB for this.
Would be delighted to collaborate on this with you.

Bob Groh, WA2CKY

On Fri, Aug 19, 2016 at 11:28 AM, Bruce Long via Boatanchors <
boatanchors at puck.nether.net> wrote:

> I have a back burner project that requires a 7-pin plug.  I decided to
> just make one with a pcb and brass rod of the correct OD for the pins.
>
> My problem is to date i have not been able to find a dimension-ed
> mechanical drawing of the 7 and 9 pin tube pin out.   it must be recorded
> somewhere as one or more standard drawings.   Can anyone here suggest a
> source for or provide an adequate mechanical drawing of the 7 and 9 pin
> tube base?
> I could make the plug pcbs and provide the plug parts in small quantity or
> the drawings and pcb files
>
>
>       From: Mike Langner <mlangner at swcp.com>
>  To: 'Glen Zook' <gzook at yahoo.com>
> Cc: boatanchors at puck.nether.net
>  Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 11:03 AM
>  Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Has anyone ever cut the glass top off a
> miniature tube to re-use the base?
>
> EBay also sells "socket protectors" from time to time -- I have both 7 and
> 9 pin ones on the miniature sockets on my Hickok tube checker -- and have
> just taken EBay delivery of another 9 pin one since the one that's been
> atop the tube tester's front panel for 20 some years is beginning not to
> make good contact with tubes under test pins anymore. (go figure)
>
> Good luck !
>
> Mike/
> K5MGR
> _________________________________
>
> Mike Langner
> 929 Alameda Road NW
> Albuquerque, NM 87114-1901
>
> (505) 898-3212 home/home office
> (505) 238-8810 cell
> mlangner at swcp.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Boatanchors [mailto:boatanchors-bounces at puck.nether.net] On Behalf
> Of Glen Zook via Boatanchors
> Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 8:28 AM
> To: Paul Kraemer; Bob Groh; boatanchor; Boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Has anyone ever cut the glass top off a
> miniaturetube to re-use the base?
>
> It is also possible to make a plug from a 9-pin or 7-pin molded type
> miniature tube socket.  Put suitable gauge solid wire in each of the tube
> pin positions and then solder the wires in place.  Trim the wires to the
> proper length.
>
>
> Of course, remove the sheet metal bracket that is used to hold the socket
> to the chassis.  This makes for a suitable plug that doesn't look "half
> bad"!  I have done this a number of times and the plugs work very well.
>
>  Glen, K9STH
> Website: http://k9sth.net
>
>       From: Paul Kraemer <elespe at lisco.com>
>  To: Bob Groh <bob.groh at gmail.com>; boatanchor <
> boatanchors at puck.nether.net>; Boatanchors at mailman.qth.net
>  Sent: Friday, August 19, 2016 9:12 AM
>  Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Has anyone ever cut the glass top off a
> miniaturetube to re-use the base?
>
> Bob
> I have done that to obtain 7 pin plug.  My poor experience using the "all
> you gotta do" glass cutting tricks I went a different way---used the cut
> off wheel on a Dremel.  For safety I put the tube and cutter in a heavy
> plastic bag and that way all the debris was safely bagged and minimized any
> risk to my eyes if something went wrong. The cut was nice and clean and the
> side of the disc ground it smooth.  Soldering to the pins requires scraping
> them clean and bright and using a good flux like Rubyfluid.  Filling the
> "plug"
> with epoxy after soldering wires get you there.
> Also, the real deal plugs do show up on ebay once in a while, 9s more
> common than 7s.
> Making circuit board plugs is also a possibility but you need to solder
> suitable pins to some pretty small pads and then not unsolder them when you
> connect to the back ends of the pins.  It works but not a quantity
> producible solution by any means---unless you just sell the circuit board
> and loose pins and let the buyer deal with it.
> Too bad those Vector plugs of the 70's are history.
>
>
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