The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning

Ed Nisley's Blog: Shop notes, electronics, firmware, machinery, 3D printing, laser cuttery, and curiosities. Contents: 100% human thinking, 0% AI slop.

The New Hotness

  • Vacuum Tube Prices, Then and Now

    Quite by coincidence, a Pile o’ Stuff disgorged a 1975 Radio Shack Catalog listing three dense pages of vacuum tubes, including a 21HB5A:

    Radio Shack 1975 Catalog - 21HB5A Tube Listing
    Radio Shack 1975 Catalog – 21HB5A Tube Listing

    These days, you buy New Old Stock 21HB5A tubes from eBay for about the same in current dollars with shipping:

    eBay - 21HB5A Tubes
    eBay – 21HB5A Tubes

    I should stock up and light up!

    Vacuum Tube LEDs - IBM 21HB5A Beam Power Tube - green violet phase
    Vacuum Tube LEDs – IBM 21HB5A Beam Power Tube – green violet phase