Building a 1920s Tube Amplifier (And Tubes!)

This is fantastic!!! I've been in electronics for 60 years and have never seen someone attempt to build vacuum tubes. The skill set you have to do this is amazing. Thank you for sharing. I really loved watching your work come to life.

My grandfather owned a radio repair store during WW2. I remember him telling me a story of him having to build his own tubes during the war as they were rationed and only allowed 1 replacement tube a month. None of the other repair stores were able to fix as many radios as he was cause he was making his own. As a kid growing up I always thought his workshop would of looked like Einstein's laboratory. Thanks for making this video showing how you did this. It brings back a lot of old memories!

Holy Valhalla. In my 70 years in electronics I have seen the possible and impossible, but never contemplated how to create ( not build ) a vacuum tube. You are not a technician, you are a wizard. You are a top creator. My respects, chapeau. Greets from Venezuela.

The Youtube algorithm has been suggesting this video to me for 2 or 3 days now. I thought it would be boring, but eventually I relented and watched it. Boy, was I wrong. This has to be one of the best YT videos I have ever seen. For someone to create vacuum tubes (we call them valves here in the UK) from scratch is mind blowing. You have incredible talent, and I enjoyed watching your amplifier unfold.

Possibly the most fascinating video I've watched on YT for a long time. Never have I ever heard of someone DIYing their own tubes, let alone building an amplifier with them. Hats off, truly.

Never, in my wildest imagination, did I ever dream I could see someone build a vacuum tube from scratch in front of my eyes! Not exactly a 6L6, but amazing for a homemade tube! Extremely well done!

I don't recall ever seeing somebody with the both the fundamental electronic skills AND sophisticated glass crafting skills! Absolutely awesome!!!

What the hell is this madness? This could be the best video I've ever seen in electronics till now.. The tubes, the tools the atmosphere and the final result. Amazing!

I’m an EE, and this was really cool. Takes a lot of skill to do what you did by hand.

This is inspirational. Not only did you make working vacuum tubes and an amplifier from scratch, but it looks like it was done 99% with reclaimed parts and tools you made yourself.

I was a tech at Fender, worked on thousands of tube amps, read the RCA Receiving Tube Manual for fun...this is a whole new dimension of fun! Bravo and thank you. I nominate you for King of Engineers

Сделать в домашних условиях электронные лампы и собрать на них рабочую схему усилителя это просто отпад башки! Респект мастеру!

How exciting.....65 years ago I made a valve in a lab at tech school...it failed...but it set me on a career that enabled a reasonable life. I just love the fact that these wonderful people take the time and patience to show this on the "Tube". Makes me feel like going out into the workshop and making one !!!!.. Also just seeing contributers mentioning numbers like 6L6 tells me that ther is still life out there..I doubt if today the generation would understand the talk of oldies having built amplifiers with numbers like EF86..ECC83, and a pair of EL84's in push pull (mullard 5-10) or even EF50 from the war years driving 807's........Sorry for the ramble but its so nice to read all the comments...BIG thanks for the video and the thought of sharing. I'm going to show this to the gran kids and see if there is a spark ☺

You are such a do-it-yourselfer! I noticed the home made spot welder and induction heater too. I am a retired engineer from the GE vacuum tube plant in Owensboro KY. GE purchased the original Ken-Rad plant just before WWII and was a major manufacturer of vacuum tubes in the 50s and 60s, with 6,000 employees. Ken-Rad was an acronym for Kentucky Radio which was founded in the 20s. Thank you for sharing your video!

if i could only upvote this video three times... one for genius, two for explanations, and three for frugality

I was totally enthralled to see you building the vaccuum tubes and really admired your skills and craftwork. You satisfied one of my greatest curiosities to comprehend how this was done 100 years ago and mostly considered a lost art. Also, your patience to do this in front of a camera will be highly appreciated by many for years to come!! Congratulations on your achievement!

I'm an old-time valve (sorry, 'toob') man and much of my early training was on valves. I'm not sure if this was a dumb project or if you're really brave, but I strongly suspect the latter, braver than I. Full marks for effort and I can honestly say that I've never seen anyone actually making a valve from scratch. Good for you! Keep it up and greetings from Johannesburg, South Africa.

Surface mount homemade 1920s style tubes. Nice.

The youtube DIY community does more for science and education then the public education system ever could. Thank you!

Ein wunderbares Radio. Entwicklung und Herstellung in Deutschland, Germany. Max Grundig war ein genialer Techniker in Sachen Radio!!! Leider war ich 1978 noch zu jung, um mir nur ansatzweise dieses Radio leisten zu können. Das Datenblatt habe ich damals aber bekommen♥️♥️