Tube Storage - What Does Everyone Do? Any Nice “Display” Ideas?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by pscreed, Nov 7, 2018.

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  1. pscreed

    pscreed Upstanding Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Land of the Free
    My experience with Decware amplifiers has rekindled the fascination with all things tubular that I had back when I was a kid trying to hop up the sound of my guitar amps, I have three Decware pieces in my rig and between tube-rolling them, my holdovers from the old days, and the repair shop stocks I bought off an estate sale many years ago... well there’s a few tubes around. I know some of you guys have tons of tubes, this isn’t tons buts it’s 100s.

    So I’ve got a few vintage repair caddies which are super cool but it’s really hard to find more that aren’t all turn up and hardware rusted etc.

    Some of the vintage tubes/boxes are pretty neat looking. Do any of you guys do anything to display your more interesting specimens? I mean I know I can just put them on a shelf just wondered if anyone has come up with anything nifty for that.

    I’m open to the idea that I am the sole person on the planet that would think this way :)
     
  2. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    I employ the 0.99 cent cigar box from Goodwill method. Top that! :laugh:
    [​IMG]

    Then, if I run out of space I go nuts, spare no expense and get another cigar box!!!

    [​IMG]
     
    longdist01, Kyhl, mreeter and 2 others like this.
  3. russk

    russk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Syracuse NY
    I use an old humidor. Works great.
     
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  4. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    I could use all of those nice cigar boxes.

    Mine are now, quite disorganized and piled in all kinds of different boxes on a big shelf

    Help!
     
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  5. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    I found a literal pile of nice cigar boxes at Goodwill a few weeks back, it's almost photo worthy! They are ALL employed storing all my bits and pieces for audio gear now... :)

    Sorry for the sidetrack!
     
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  6. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    I had a thought after my last post --- and yup, the tubes fit nicely in my woodshop cabinet where I store my Japanese and other chisels.

    So there's a display idea! :)[​IMG]
     
    timind, Kyhl, Shoalcove and 1 other person like this.
  7. vinylontubes

    vinylontubes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Katy, TX
    I display them in my amps. I shove them in a drawer otherwise.
     
    timind likes this.
  8. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    Wow, that sounds like the right way to do it. Do you have a pic of that drawer, we could all learn from it. The things one can learn on these forums.... shove them in a drawer, who'da thunk it?
     
  9. Giacomo Belbo

    Giacomo Belbo Journalist for Rolling Stone 1976-1979

    Do they need to be kept in specific conditions? Is anything actually harmful for the valves?
     
  10. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    Showing off to bewildered guests: "But you don't understand, these are genuine new old stock Brimar 12AU7 tubes!"
     
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  11. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    I just toss tubes in a box. But, the box is in my special spot in the utility room. The tubes are spares for my tube amp. And I have a lot of NOS power tube spares. Perhaps I should do an Indian dance around them at times like in the movie 'Dances with Wolves'. They are cherished.
     
  12. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    To tie that in -- in the pic of the box above, one of the tubes you can see on the bottom left IS a very old ECI from GB.... :)
     
  13. rebellovw

    rebellovw Forum Resident

    Location:
    hell
    All my dead tubes sit in a glass jar on my window sill. That jar is now overflowing.
     
  14. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    In the box with the amplifier knobs.
     
  15. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    In a drawer, so I'm not reminded I spent money I didn't need to spend.
     
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  16. riknbkr330

    riknbkr330 Senior Member

    The "NOS" ones in my amps....the excess in an old lunch box. The cheap Chinese and Russian ones in a Glad food storage container.
     
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  17. docwebb

    docwebb Forum Resident

    There are all kinds of vintage tube carrying cases used by repairmen back in the day. On Ebay.
    [​IMG]
    Or if you want to display them:
    [​IMG]
     
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  18. docwebb

    docwebb Forum Resident

    Here are some cool tubes on display...not mine.
    [​IMG]
     
    pscreed likes this.
  19. Guitarded

    Guitarded Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montana
    Displaying them is cool looking, but I'd hate to have to dust them all the time.
     
  20. mreeter

    mreeter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City
    My Tubes are displayed in my Amps/Gear, they are stored in a drawer. Although this thread has me thinking about an "Enclosed" display of some sort, something to keep the dust out.

    [​IMG]
     
  21. BayouTiger

    BayouTiger Forum Resident

    Those look like old, pre child-proof pill bottles. That’s a great idea!
     
    mreeter likes this.
  22. mreeter

    mreeter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kansas City
    Yes, As you can tell, I'm a sick man:laugh:
     
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  23. Subagent

    Subagent down the rabbit hole, they argue over esoterica

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    I need to work on my tubian organization skills. They currently reside on a dark shelf, in a dark corner of my office/listening room.
    [​IMG]
     
    mreeter likes this.
  24. Josquin des Prez

    Josquin des Prez I have spoken!

    Location:
    U.S.
    A lot of interesting looking tubes here. Only my phonostage is tube-based. Everything else is SS.

    I should just throw mine up here for sale in the marketplace. In the end, I am staying with the tubes I started with (E-H). Keith Herron knows how to voice his phonostage best. Tube rolling didn't seem to make any improvement. I'll probably go through them once more to be sure and then get rid of my spares.
     
    mreeter likes this.
  25. TheVinylAddict

    TheVinylAddict Look what I found

    Location:
    AZ
    That's a tubealanche just waiting to happen!

    It looks like you were playing Tube Jenga and lost!
     
    Guitarded likes this.
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