The NixiSat "SlingBlade"

Electronics are built on an original Jeff Thomas NixSat PCB with a bit of added modernization. As opposed to a GPS puck per its original design, time sync is compliments of the Manuel Azevedo/Jurgen Grau 'nwts' (WiFi NTP unit) a joint effort. The one I chose is small enough to tuck up and out of sight yet still function. It’s located just beneath the PCB and so not completely surrounded by metallic surfaces. If it were, its doubtful it would be able to receive signal. One of the potential pitfalls of not using an external GPS. I have also added PIR capability using Pete Virica’s nice little PIR and our PIR mod adapter board so those beautiful tubes don't illuminate until motion is sensed in the room. The green LED in the front is linked to the nwts and indicates WiFi lock-on. Fabrication and assembly was done completely by hand by me in my garage 'Nixie Factory'. Materials used are solid 1/4" and 1/8” copper bus bar and 3/8" aluminum 6061 cold rolled flat and all stainless steel fasteners. Raw copper was coated and sealed to prevent oxidation and tarnish and aluminum hand sanded with 220Grit open coat. I also decided to do a little something different with the acrylic top, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Conventional acrylic tops are one of my pet peeves, since they tend to make Nixie clocks look like stuffy old museum pieces preserved in formaldehyde once they’re covered up with these things. SO, I took a little different approach and designed the end caps with 3/4” to 1/4” solid tapered acrylic pieces and designed the back side with an angle section to give more interest and better suite the layout of the clock. This gives the clock a unique look, I think and the prism-shaped end caps create some interesting visual effects.

This clock took me 6 months to complete , and was BY FAR the most challenging. BUT, was truly a labor of love. Hope you enjoy it.

Michael Barile

BadNixie.com LLC

Below is the link to the YouTube video and some pics from the build and assembly process.

Experimenting below with Reds vs. Clears. Looks best with the clear ones, I think.