Arduino ATMEGA2560 - NixieClock Build Guide

Parts on Thingiverse

Firmware on Github

GRA&AFCH Ebay Store

When I caught my first glimpse of a Nixie Clock four years ago, it was love at first sight. They just have this cool steampunk vibe that makes them coveted like a modern grandfather clock. I set out to build two of these, one for myself and the other for a great friend to commemorate a recent milestone.

The clocks themselves are based on the NCS314 kit distributed by GRA&AFCH out of the Ukraine. The firmware has be overhauled to include some awesome new features. We will get to put my new Carbide Nomad 883 Pro CNC to the test by milling circuit boards and a wooden case.

The evolution of my clock build is spread out over a three part video series. All my design resources including 3D printed parts and custom firmware can be found on this page.

Part 1: Assemble the Kit

Part 1 in this series covers sourcing a kit and what to expect. Then we head over to the microscope to solder up all the surface mount components. Finally, we compile and flash the stock firmware.

Part 2: WiFi & Firmware Upgrades

In part 2 in this series, we start tweaking stuff. This includes milling a custom PCB to incorporate an ESP8622 which will allow the  Nixie Clock to fetch an NTP time sync. The firmware also gets some refactoring to add a timer to shut the tubes down during the night and an LED display mode that is synced with the ambient room temperature.

Part 3: Making a Case

In the Final video in the series, we make it pretty. This covers going from raw material to a finished white oak case and how I designed and generated tool paths using Fusion360 to mill the case on my desktop CNC.