> The problem is, I'm pretty sure that most of those metal casings are > probably custom CNC work (which I can't afford), and most of the > antique stuff that might fit the bill (like old tube radios) looks > grungy and lacks the cool monolithic black color scheme I'm after. I'm > also not having any luck finding a cool old wooden casing. > > I figure you guys probably have tons of experience with this sort of > stuff, so I'm turning to you for ideas. Thanks!
You can take this opportunity to learn a new skill set. The metal casings need not be CNC, though many probably are. Many electronics hobbyist use to make their own chassis, or at least punch the holes in pre-made rectangular boxes. And they did it quite cleanly. Aluminum is a relatively soft metal. With an electric hand drill, maybe a jig saw (metal bits), a sturdy vise, and a set of files, you can do some pretty good work, given a little practice. These same tools will work with plastic, though you need to take a bit more care. Wood working is also something you can take up. And here, there's a sub-group of people who even shun power tools. I've found my personal favorite tools are a large wood rasp, that hefty vise again, a few clamps, and a big stash of sand paper. Power tools are not necessarily your friend. They may, in fact, just make you f*** up faster. There are always some mistakes. But as in golf, its not always avoiding the rough, but how you recover from it. They key here is patients. Here are a couple of my clocks: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20801462@N00/298621248/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/20801462@N00/260062139/ And there are always found objects (or items): http://www.flickr.com/photos/20801462@N00/264700392/ This one was made from a wooden pencil holder. The plastic in both dekatron clocks was a surrender to modern technology. I sent the artwork to a plastic engraving service. Here in the US, most trophy shops also provide this service. The cost ain't bad. Averages about $2.50 per minute of cutting. Those clock faces take under 5 minutes to engrave & cut. <rant>I like to see more varied clock bodies. Not just six tubes sticking out of the top of a rectangular box. John Smout, and others, like to see some variety, too. I just mention him, because many of the examples you picked, are his creations.</rant> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/neonixie-l?hl=en-GB.
