Bizzare Shifter
Summary
TLDRIn this inventive project, the creator guides viewers through the process of integrating a Nixie tube into a car's shifter knob to display the current gear. The tutorial covers the technical challenges, such as the high voltage requirement of Nixie tubes and the use of an 'Easy Nixie' driver board to simplify the process. It also includes a sponsorship mention for PCBWay, a resource for electronic project components. The video delves into the intricacies of 3D modeling and printing the shifter knob to accommodate the Nixie tube, complete with detailed assembly instructions. The project is a blend of retro-futuristic aesthetics and modern technology, aiming to inspire viewers to experiment with Nixie tubes in their own unique applications.
Takeaways
- 🛠️ The video demonstrates how to integrate a Nixie tube into a car shifter knob to display the current gear.
- 📺 The presenter has previously experimented with various displays inside shifter knobs, including LED matrices and LCD screens.
- ⚡ Nixie tubes require high voltage (around 200V) to operate, unlike the 5V used for Arduino Uno projects.
- 🔗 The 'Easy Nixie' board is introduced as a key component to simplify controlling Nixie tubes with an Arduino.
- 🌐 PCBWay is highlighted as a sponsor, offering PCB manufacturing services and a special deal for the audience.
- 🔌 The video provides detailed pin connections for setting up the Easy Nixie board with an Arduino Uno.
- 💻 The Arduino Library for the Easy Nixie board is downloaded from GitHub, and an example sketch is used to test the setup.
- 🔩 The presenter discusses the compatibility of different Nixie tube types with the Easy Nixie board.
- 🏗️ A 3D printed shifter knob is designed to house the Nixie tube, with adjustments made for a proper fit.
- 🎨 Fusion 360 is used for 3D modeling the shifter knob and Nixie tube enclosure, with iterative design to achieve a good fit.
- ⏱️ Time-lapse footage is shared of the 3D printing process, showcasing the final product's assembly.
Q & A
What is the main project idea presented in the video?
-The main project idea is to integrate a Nixie tube into a shifter knob to display the current gear, creating a retro-futuristic automotive accessory.
Why can't Nixie tubes be directly connected to an Arduino Uno?
-Nixie tubes require a high voltage of around 200 volts to operate, whereas the Arduino Uno operates on 5 volts, so they cannot be connected directly.
What is the 'secret source' mentioned for controlling Nixie tubes?
-The 'secret source' is a driver board called 'Easy Nixie' which simplifies the control of Nixie tubes with an Arduino.
How can viewers get 10 PCBs for free from PCBWay?
-Viewers can get 10 PCBs for free by using the link provided in the video description and paying only for shipping.
What is the name of the Kickstarter project that the Easy Nixie board originated from?
-The Kickstarter project that the Easy Nixie board originated from is not explicitly named in the transcript, but it is mentioned that the board started as a Kickstarter project and was successfully backed.
How can one find the Arduino library for the Easy Nixie board?
-The Arduino library for the Easy Nixie board can be found on a GitHub page linked in the Kickstarter project description.
What types of Nixie tubes are mentioned in the video?
-The video mentions several types of Nixie tubes including the 12a, 12b, 15a, 15b, and 17, each with different characters and functionalities.
What modification did the creator make to the shifter knob design to fit the Nixie tube?
-The creator made the bottom piece of the shifter knob hollow and redesigned it to screw together with the top piece, creating more space to fit the Nixie tube.
How did the creator approach 3D printing the Nixie tube holder?
-The creator approached 3D printing the Nixie tube holder by first creating a simple model to test the fit, then iterating on the design to accommodate the Nixie tube, and finally combining it with the shifter knob shape.
What challenges did the creator face while 3D printing the final design?
-The creator faced challenges with support removal and overhangs during 3D printing, which were addressed by adjusting support settings and using a special support filament.
Are Nixie tubes still being manufactured, and if not, what are the alternatives mentioned?
-Nixie tubes are not being manufactured anymore, but there are companies that are producing them again, and alternatives like fake Nixie tube clocks are also mentioned.
Outlines
🛠️ DIY Nixie Tube Gear Shifter Knob
The video begins with the host introducing a unique project of integrating a Nixie tube into a gear shifter knob to display the current gear. The host expresses enthusiasm for the retro-futuristic aesthetic of Nixie tubes and suggests that viewers recommend car models that would complement such a custom knob. The project diverges from previous ones as it requires high voltage, unlike the 5-volt displays used before. The host introduces PCBWay as the project's sponsor, offering services for PCB needs and a coupon for viewers. The 'easy Nixie' board is highlighted as the key component to control the Nixie tube, which is shown to be user-friendly despite the high voltage requirement. The host guides viewers through the process of downloading the necessary Arduino library and setting up the board, concluding with a successful test of the RGB LED on the board.
🔌 Wiring and Testing Nixie Tubes
In the second paragraph, the host delves into the wiring and testing of various Nixie tubes, starting with the common 12A type. The importance of correct orientation is emphasized, with a focus on the high voltage connection. The host connects the 5V and ground pins to the Arduino Uno and uploads a sketch to test the Nixie tube's functionality. The video demonstrates the successful display of numbers 0 to 9 on the Nixie tube. The host then explores different types of Nixie tubes, each with unique characters suitable for various applications. The discussion transitions to the design challenge of fitting the Nixie tube into a shifter knob, leading to a decision to modify the 3D model of the knob for better integration.
🖥️ 3D Modeling and Printing the Shifter Knob
The third paragraph details the 3D modeling process for the shifter knob using Fusion 360. The host creates a hollow bottom piece to accommodate the Nixie tube and ensures that the two pieces can be screwed together. After several iterations to adjust the spacing and fit, the host successfully 3D prints a test piece. The process involves fine-tuning the model to ensure easy assembly and a snug fit for the Nixie tube. The host also discusses the challenges of 3D printing the Nixie tube's outer shell, including measuring and modeling the pins' positions and creating a hexagonal shape. The video concludes with a successful 3D print of the Nixie tube's outer shell and the decision to combine it with the shifter knob design.
🏎️ Final Assembly and Nixie Tube Availability
The final paragraph covers the assembly of the Nixie tube into the shifter knob, including connecting the Nixie tube to the board with jumper wires and securing the pieces with a metal ring and cap. The host mentions the challenges of removing supports from 3D prints and the use of a special support filament to facilitate this process. The video concludes with a discussion on the availability of Nixie tubes, noting that while they are no longer in production, some companies are reproducing them. The host also suggests alternatives like 'fake' Nixie tube classes for those seeking a similar aesthetic. The video ends with a call for viewer comments and questions, and an invitation to future videos.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Nixie tube
💡Shifter knob
💡Retro-futuristic
💡Arduino Uno
💡High voltage
💡PCB way
💡Kickstarter
💡3D printing
💡Fusion 360
💡Bamboo X1 Carbon
Highlights
Innovative project to integrate a Nixie tube into a shifter knob to display the current gear.
Nixie tubes require high voltage, unlike previous 5-volt displays, necessitating a different approach.
Introduction of the 'Easy Nixie' board, designed to simplify controlling Nixie tubes.
PCBWay sponsorship mentioned, offering PCB and assembly services with a special discount code.
Tutorial on downloading and installing the Easy Nixie Arduino Library from GitHub.
Demonstration of the Easy Nixie board's onboard LED functioning as a test.
Explanation of the correct orientation and connection of the Nixie tube to the Easy Nixie board.
Successful test of the Nixie tube displaying numbers 0 to 9 on the board.
Discussion on the variety of Nixie tubes and their unique characters for different applications.
Design challenge of fitting the Nixie tube inside a two-piece shifter knob.
3D modeling process to create a hollow shifter knob that can accommodate the Nixie tube.
Iterative design adjustments to ensure the Nixie tube fits within the shifter knob.
3D printing of the custom shifter knob and Nixie tube enclosure.
Use of specialized support filament for easier removal of 3D print supports.
Final assembly of the shifter knob with the Nixie tube, creating a unique and functional gear display.
Mention of the resurgence in Nixie tube production by companies like Delor Farney.
Alternative options for achieving a Nixie tube look with replica Nixie Cube clocks.
Transcripts
okay so today I will show you how to put
a Nixie tube inside the shifter knob to
show the current gear because because
why not I think the Nixie cubes looks
great and I think that this shifter knob
will fit nicely in some retro futuristic
kind of car maybe please let me know in
the comment section what car would be a
perfect fit for such a knp and this is
actually not the first time that I'm
putting a display inside the shifter knp
I have the entire video series I have
used the 128x 64 pixel old display I
have tried the seven times white LED
Matrix
display I was also experimenting with
the 5x5 RGB LED Matrix display and my
all-time favorite is this round full
color LCD
display however today's project is
slightly different all the previous
displays were working with the 5 volts
which is the same voltage used in the
Arduino Uno but Nixie tubes require high
voltage to operate so you cannot just
connect them directly to the Arduino Uno
as nothing would really happen you need
to provide required the high voltage not
5 volts but actually around 200 volts so
what's the secret source to make it work
well before I tell you let's talk about
the sponsor of today's project which is
PCB way because if you are making
electronic projects sooner or later you
might need pcbs or PCB assembly or SMD
stencils and PCB way offers all of those
services for a reasonable price on top
of it if you use the link down in the
description you can get 10 pcbs for free
only paying for shipping and PCB way
also created prototypes for this PCB
which is actually the secret source that
we will be using today it's called easy
Nixie and as the name suggests it should
make controlling nixes easy It also says
don't touch when powered which is
probably a reasonable thing to do again
because some of those pins will have
about 200 volts when powered up so let's
see how easy it is actually to control
the Nixie tube with the Arduino and this
board you can buy this board on the tii
store for $19 and if you use this very
cryptic looking CBE coupon code you can
actually get 10% off the creator of this
project use multiple of those modules
chained together to create this very
nice looking radio and it's just a great
looking project using all kinds of Nixie
cubes in different sizes and I would buy
that radio in a heartbeat but let's get
back to our project and the driver
board I believe that this easy Nixie
board started as a Kickstarter project
and it was successfully backed last year
and this Kickstarter page includes all
the important details
including some nice looking animations
and the list of Nixie tubes that could
be used with this board because there
are quite a lot of different Nixie tubes
out there if I keep scrolling down there
are more images showing different nxc
Cubes but I'm looking for the Arduino
code actually for the Arduino Library
which is down here so this is the link
for the GitHub page with the Arduino
Library so I'll just click this code
button and click download the zip file
open the Arduino IDE and then go to
sketch include library and select the Ed
zip Library
and selected the downloaded zip file and
click the open button and that will
install the library and once the library
is being installed we can go to file
examples located the library which is
this one easy Nixie and open some
example for example this basic LED now
there is not too much comments in this
sketch but I believe that this sketch is
just driving the onboard LED and not
controlling the Nixie Cube at this point
but it should be a simple way to see if
the board works let's write down those
pin connections actually let's jump back
to the Kickstarter page because here all
the pins are listed so let's just write
down those connections and try to
connect the board to the Arduino Uno in
the same way now I'm using the Arduino
Uno with this breadboard holder so
everything stays in place but you can as
well just use jumper wires or you can
for example use this breadboard
shield in any case I will connect the DS
in pin to pin 7 the DS out pin is not
connected that's only in the case if you
want to use multiple of those modules
then the St CP is to connect it to pin
number six and Sh CP is connected to pin
number two the outen is connected to pin
number three and the vlogic is connected
to 5 volts there are two more pins on
the other side of the board but I
believe that those are for powering up
the Nixie tube and since we don't have
the Nixie Cube connected at this point
let's not worry about it for now but of
course I do need to connect the Arduino
Uno to my PC using the USB cable and
back in the Arduino IDE I will select my
Arduino Uno from this drop down menu and
then click the upload
button and once this is uploaded we
should see the RGB LED on the board
changing the color now this is not a
neopixel LED it's just a standard RGB
LED with only a few predefined colors
but it's a great sign that this board is
working also to be fair I don't like
very much when the LED is shining below
the nxq so I'll most likely not use that
led anyway so let's disconnect the know
from the power and let's try to connect
the Nixie tube and again the kickstarter
page shows the list of supported Nixie
tubes so I've ordered all those five
different types this n cube is 12a which
is probably the most common one out of
those five types and I actually have
Nixie Cube clock from AliExpress that
uses four of those Nixie Cubes but for
our board I will connect to just one and
it's important to have the correct
orientation if you look closely there is
this small arrow pointing to one pin and
that's should be for the high voltage
power supply and that should be
connected to pin HV the high voltage on
the board the good news is that there is
quite tight fit for those pins so for
testing you don't actually have to
solder those connections but what we
have to do is to connect the 5vt and the
ground pins on the our side of the board
and of course those will be connected to
5vt and the ground pins on the Arduino
Uno just keep in mind that if you want
to use more than one dixie Cube you
should get a separate 5vt power supply
and so when with everything connected
let's also connect the USB cable to the
Arduino Uno and let's jump back into the
Arduino IDE in here I will again go to
file examples then open this easy Nixie
and this time I will select this hello
Nixie sketch and that should show
individual numbers on the Nixie Cube and
since we have everything connected all
there left to do is to click the upload
button and indeed after a few seconds we
see the numbers counting from zero all
the way to 9 on the nxq and again I
think this looks great I really like the
appearance of the Nixie cubes and how
they are glowing now this type the 12a
is obviously for displaying numbers 0 to
9 so let's take a closer look at the
other n tubes that I
have this other one is the 12b and from
the outside it looks exactly the same
but if I connect it you see that it also
includes the decimal point but it's not
on the right side it's on the left
side this Nixie cube is 15a and it has a
plus and minus signs as well as the
percentage and some
letters and this one is 15b which also
has a set of different characters for
volts and ohms and Hertz and so on and
of course those Nixie cubes were meant
for displays for some measuring
equipment which is a reason for having
those different
characters I have one more Nixie tube
this one is type 17 and it's very tiny
and it has those long connection which
were really hard to put inside this
board and as you can see I had to also
solder those but this display is just
very cute but back to my project I
wanted to see if I can fit the Nixie
Cube inside the shifter knap and I have
a lot of 3D printed shifter knaps from
my last videos for example this one so
as you can see the Nixie Cube should fit
inside the problem is that my shifter
knap is made from two pieces and they
are connected using the nut and bolt
which means that I would need to place
the Nixie tube only inside the top part
and that might not be possible there is
not enough space which means that I need
to change my design so there is more
space inside and those two pieces are
connected in a different way and so I've
decided to make the bottom piece Hollow
and screw those two pieces together as
always I'm using Fusion 364 modeling and
I've started with the simplest possible
model to test how I can fit those two
pieces together so I've created a new
rectangle and then using the revolve
tool I've created the outside part and
then I've used the the Fret tool to add
a fret to the inside and when doing this
don't forget to check this modelet
checkbox to add the actual 3D geometry
and from my current knp I've measured
that the size should be around 48 mm so
I did went with this size and the
spacing between those individual threets
is 3 mm and of course I wanted to make
this as big as possible for easy 3D
printing but at the same time I want to
keep at least one or two Frets inside so
it feels like that the 3mm spacing is
about right then I rol the second
geometry that's the inner part and added
the fret in the very same way so added
the Fret to the outside with the very
same settings and then I've added some
additional geometry so I can screw those
together once 3D printed quite easily
something like that but after 3D
printing it I realized that it's almost
impossible to screw those two pieces
together because there is simply not
enough space between those two threets
so I have used the offset face tool to
offset those threet faces and ended up
using minus 0.2
mm then it was time to 3D print it again
and you can right click the body and
select save as mesh and save it as a fre
MF file format or you can go to file and
select 3D print and if you set the path
to your printing utility you can just
click the okay button and it will
automatically open in that
application this time for 3D printing
I'm using the bambo X1 Carbon 3D
printer with the 0.4 mm nozzle I'm using
all the default settings no changes in
there so I can just click the slice
plate button and then take a look at
those IND layers to see if there is
anything wrong which doesn't seems to be
the case which means that I can send it
to the printer by clicking the print
plate button and of course I do want to
record the time lapse and click the send
button that will send the file to the
printer and then it will jump to the
device stab where I can see the live
stream from the printer
itself so let me quickly show you the
time
lapse and this is the finished print and
with the slightly bigger spacing in
between those spreads it's very easy
easy to screw those two parts together
and so once this test part was working I
did 3D print just a section of the
actual knp just to make sure that it
will work with the actual knp shape and
since this was working as expected I did
3D print the hollow shifter knp with the
big hole inside at that point it was
time to 3D print the outside shape of
the Nixie Cube and that was quite
challenging partially because there is
no accurate technical drawing but also
because every Nixie tube is just
slightly different what's not so much
different is the placement of those pins
so I've measured those positions and
created this sketch and later on I did
found this image and you can see I have
those positions almost correct so this
is 8 and 11.5 that was the same
positions as for the vertical positions
those are 18 16 and n and I've measured
almost the same numbers which is of
course great and then I've measured the
outer size of the Nixie Cube and created
this sketch which also creates those
helper lines on the top and bottom to
create this hexagon shape then it was
time to create three mhes out of those
sketches by extruding parts and pieces
and I ended up with the shape that looks
like this so this is without the section
analysis and this is with dsection
analysis and I of course need to round
those Corners a little bit and for that
I used the def fillet tool and I was
playing with the different radius as
well as with this tangency weight
settings and you can set the radius with
this arrow and the tangency weight with
this small Arrow so you can just change
the shape of those rounded Corners I've
added two more fillets one on the top
part to make make it easier to put the
Nixie tube inside and one for the outer
edges so I don't have to print that much
of the
material in the end the final test shape
looks like this and of course the first
Brint was too small and I did forgot to
add the hole in the middle for this
small part in the center but
surprisingly the second print was almost
perfect I mean I thought that I will be
tweaking this shape all day long but
thankfully that wasn't the case I can
fit the pins nicely and I can fit the NX
Cube from the top side and fortunately
not from the bottom side because I
haven't realized that the Nixie cube is
slightly bigger on the bottom side so I
had to make one more iteration to make
everything slightly bigger and now the
Nixie Cube fits very nicely so all
there's left to do is to combine this
shape this outside of the Nixie Cube
shape with the shifter knp shape you can
see that I can put this shape inside
that wasn't actually intentional that's
just a nice
coincidence in the end those two shapes
combined looks like this this is with
the section analysis you can see the
there is a little bit of space in
between those two bodies and that's
because the same as the last time I will
put the metal ring inside in between
those but if for any reason you don't
want to do that there is also a space on
the bottom so you can screw those all
the way without having any Gap inside
other than that there is really nothing
special or different from the last time
so it's time to 3D print it again by
going to file and selecting 3D print and
I think that you can select those
individual bodies but you can also click
on this body itself and that should
export all those bodies inside so click
the okay button and that will open that
file in the bamboo studio and when
import it it looks like this both of
those pieces are on the same position so
I'll click this arrange all button that
should fix it and I will also click the
AO Orient button because I want this
piece to be on the other side so if I
click it it should hopefully fix it but
if I slice the plate you can see that
there is some big overhang on both of
those pieces it's this blue one and de
blue one and it's actually more visible
in the fusion 360 so for the top part
it's this overhead H and for the bottom
part it's de
overhang and I don't think that I can
print it without supports so inside the
bambo studio I will enable supports and
slice the plate again but now those
supports are also in places where I
don't like them like for example around
this small fret so I will decrease the
threshold angle to maybe only 10° and
then slice the plate again so now I only
have those supports below those pieces
where I want them to be but after
printing this I realized that it's very
hard to remove the supports around those
fret so I've also increased the distance
between those threets by increasing the
support object XY distance from 0.35 all
the way to 2 mm so now there should be
much more space between the Fret and the
support itself but it should still
support the thing that I want to support
which is this piece and on the left side
it's that area the good news is that
those supports are in places which will
not be visible but after fre printing it
it was still quite hard to remove the
supports from the right piece it was
just sticking to the object quite a lot
so what I've done instead was to get a
special filament for supports for both
the PLA and petg which unfortunately now
is out of stock and I did put it inside
the AMS unit inside the automatic
material selection unit which means that
I can click this button to synchronize
the filaments from my printer so click
the sync button and right now I have
three different filaments installed so
for the main parts I want to use this
grayish blue filament for both of those
and then I will go to supports and for
the ref interface I want to use this
support for pla filament and it will
tell me that there are some recommended
settings I think that I will use them so
click the yes button and if I click the
slice plate button now you will see that
in between the support and the actual
object we have two layers of this
special filament so one and two layer on
the right side and we should get the
same thing on the left side so around
here you can see that we have those two
layers with a special filament and then
there is the object so there's actually
very little filament changes only five
and we will use almost no support
material so I think that this point it's
time to 3D print it by clicking the
print plate button and then of course
clicking the send button and here is
again the short time laps of the 3D
printing process now since the support
filament is almost transparent you
probably cannot see the filament changes
during the printing process also because
we are only using two layers for the top
piece and two layers for the bottom
piece but let's wait until the 3D print
is
finished and the pla support material
really makes a big difference I can very
easily remove the supports from the
actual 3D printed piece which means that
all that's left to do is to just put
everything
together so the Nixie Cube should be
placed in the top
piece I will use jumper wires to connect
to the Nixie Cube then I will screw
those two pieces together with the metal
ring being in
between and finally add this metal cap
on the bottom
piece I will connect all the wires to
the board and we have probably the most
unusual shift turn up out there now what
I haven't mentioned is that those Nixie
cubes are not being manufactured anymore
so they are all quite old and sometimes
hard to get but there are few companies
that are starting to produce Nixie cubes
again one of them is a person named
delor Farney and I have one of his Nixie
cube in this big can so let me just open
it connected to the power and as you can
see this is just a huge Nixie Cube which
just looks stunning unfortunately what's
not so stunning is the price but you can
get a similar Nixie tube look with those
fake Nixie Cube clars and I have a few
videos where I describe how to create
your own themes for those clars I will
put the links down in the
description anyway that's all for today
all for Nixie tubes if you have any
questions or comments please put those
down in the comment section thank you
very much for watching and I hope to see
you soon thanks and bye
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