Interest in the Workshop continues to grow and I'd like to thank all of you who have asked to be kept updated. A somewhat curious aspect of the Contact comments is that no one, so far, has asked any questions about the tube that they will build if they attend. This leads me to assume that any triode will do as long as it works when the project is completed. Well, obviously the tube will be of the triode variety, but there are certainly many ways to build one.
I can say at this point that it will most assuredly be a tube based on the early designs. The era will most likely be the late teen's and into the early 1920's. This would allow the choice of either a parallel or cylindrical plate designs. The grids could be either serpentine, like the first Audions, or helical to match a cylindrical plate. The filaments will all be made from 3 mil thoriated tungsten wire. I've been warned about offering too many choices of electrode design, but the reality of it is that they will all take about the same amount of time to construct.
For those wanting to immerse themselves into the design possibilities of early tubes I recommend reading "SAGA of the VACUUM TUBE" by Gerald F.J. Tyne and/or 70 YEARS of RADIO TUBES and VALVES by John W stokes. Either will provide excellent historical information with lots of illustrations. If you're going to commit to attending the Workshop, the experience will be greatly enhanced if you have some notion of vacuum tube history.
I would also like to point out that YouTube has some excellent videos on reproducing early tube construction. Claude Paillard's mesmerizing video has been up for several years and his work is outstanding, though detached from step-by-step instructions. The tube he is building in the video is from a construction project written by Franck Duroquier in the book La T. S. E. Des Amateurs, published in 1923. Here's a quote from the book, "The construction of a vacuum tube is a very delicate process which demands a great deal of application. Unsuccessful attempts will not sadden the amateur because perseverance will lead to future victory." Paillard has made some improvement's in the original construction methods, but the end result is ostensibly the same tube. I'm impressed with what he has accomplished.
The best instructional videos are put up by Ron Soyland. Ron's YouTube channel is 'Glasslinger'. He is without a doubt the most talented individual making vacuum tubes on YouTube. He has seemingly pulled himself up by his bootstraps in order to pursue glass work in his garage. He also has a website that is a most valuable resource for learning what tools and machinery are need to be successful at DIY tube making. The site is Tubecrafter.com.