01A Vacuum Tube

thingiverse

Restoring a vintage Atwater Kent Model 30 radio is an exciting project, but I'm taking it in a modern direction by swapping out traditional tubes and high voltage electronics for low-voltage FET circuitry. The twist? These new components are cleverly hidden inside custom-made 3D printed tubes that mimic the look of their original counterparts. The top "glass" portion of each tube is crafted from clear ABS plastic, featuring distinctive bumps that securely lock into corresponding grooves on the base, ensuring a snug fit. Meanwhile, the base itself is a simple black ABS design. To achieve this unique shape, I employed a clever technique involving hulling and cylinder manipulation within OpenSCAD, as described in this helpful tutorial: https://cubehero.com/2013/11/19/know-only-10-things-to-be-dangerous-in-openscad/. The final product will feature small FET circuits integrated into the base, with adjustable brightness and gain controlled by the filament voltage. This design was inspired by a similar project showcased on Antiqueradios: http://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=81553&hilit=01a. Here are my print settings for this project: Printer Brand: Solidoodle Printer Model: Press Rafts: No Supports: No Resolution: .3mm base, .2 mm glass Infill: Base 30%, Glass 0% Notes: The base was printed with standard settings, but the "glass" portion required some special handling. I used three perimeter prints without a base layer to create a hollow tube, and left a small hole at the top that will need to be addressed in future print iterations. Post-printing, I drilled out holes on the base for 1/8" and 5/32" solid brass pins from hobby store stock. Next up is smoothing the top of the printed "glass" portion.