I finally decided I REALLY like this clock just the way it is and will therefore not be building a case for it and have dubbed it the Utilitarian Nixie.

The electronics for a direct drive B7971 clock are now pretty much complete. The clock is based on Moses’ (Neonixie.com) controller and 6-tube schematic except I have substituted CD4511 seven segment decoder/drivers for the 74141’s, added dual John Taylor Edge1364 180VDC 45ma SMPS’s ( one per each bank of 3 tubes), and SmartSocket PCB’s socketing each tube and hosting each respective tube’s MPSA42 transistor/resistor switching network. Tubes are REALLY nice and bright!! It’s a welcome change to see these tubes direct driven vs. multiplexed...even with the basic block font they’re still cool! I have newfound fondness for the B7971 and it’s utilitarian, functional beauty! The finished product promises to be another MONSTER clock!

I have finally added colon towers modeled after the Jeff Thomas NixiSat design. I thought this design best suited the overall ‘industrial’ feel I am trying to achieve with this clock case. I also repositioned the main PCB underneath the tube board and replaced the standard 7805 VREG with a pt5101a for a more stable 5 volt supply. Pics below. I have not yet begun the case for this one, but I have a design in mind and on paper.