vacumetubejumpdrive

This is what the final project looks like.

The project started with a pile of vacuum tubes and a cheap 512mb jump drive.

We started off by taping the vacuum tube so that when it cracked "on accident" it wouldn't shatter all over the office.

The legs were cut off so that the base could be removed and also so that the jump drive would be able to be plugged into a computer once it was assembled.

We cut off the "glass nipple" at the base of the tube to let air in, and then proceed to open the base of the tube up with a sanding wheel on a Dremel power tool.

Unfortunately opening up the base resulted in a shattered vacuum tube.... I would insert a picture of a broken vacuum tube here.... but I'm sure everyone knows what one looks like.

So we started over again but after we cut the "glass nipple" off, we decided to take a new approach to opening up the vacuum tube. With a cut off wheel we created a weak ring around the base of the vacuum tube. Above the thick section of glass that creates the base.

At the hole that was created when the "glass nipple" was removed, we began to break the glass base apart. Fortunately the glass only broke up to the ring that was created in the side of the tube.

This also allowed the innards of the tube to be easily pulled out so that they may be modified to accommodate the jump drive.

The base was modified and joined with the jump drive.

The Vacuum tube was then filled with clear silicon and the innards were inserted back into the tube.

The base and jump drive combo was then inserted back into the vacuum tube filled with silicone.

To help speed up the drying/hardening process, we placed the "project" in front of the light for several hours.

This is what the final vacuum tube jump drive looks like in all of its glory.