Building NODS

**CrowCommand** · 08-20-23, 16:57

I’d like to venture into the night vision realm, but prices are the major deterrent at the moment. Has anyone here built their own?

What kind of skill set/ tooling is involved? I’m pretty handy with a wrench, micrometer, but electronics are where the ham hands show themselves and experience kind of lack.

Lay it on me….

**czgunner** · 08-20-23, 18:06

Originally Posted by CrowCommand

I’d like to venture into the night vision realm, but prices are the major deterrent at the moment. Has anyone here built their own?

What kind of skill set/ tooling is involved? I’m pretty handy with a wrench, micrometer, but electronics are where the ham hands and experience kind of lack.

Lay it on me….

I looked very briefly and it seemed that the price of the intensifier (wrong term?) varied greatly depending on what blemishes you could tolerate. Near perfect are still very expensive. I'll let the experts give the full story.

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**CrowCommand** · 08-20-23, 18:18

Originally Posted by czgunner

I looked very briefly and it seemed that the price of the intensifier (wrong term?) varied greatly depending on what blemishes you could tolerate. Near perfect are still very expensive. I'll let the experts give the full story.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Same in my experience. Just looking for middle tier functional shet….

Use would be most likely training/play, but workable if needed to play the HD role.

I guess budget is around $2k tops to start, and that’s on the higher end, or better yet, be able to piece meal things together…

**mack7.62** · 08-20-23, 21:17

You are not going to save money and you will have a unit without a nitrogen purge. Housings are around 750 or so and tubes are 2 k and up for new, cheaper than that means a lower grade or has more blemishes. To stay around 2k or less you are looking at a used unit which can be doable but if unable to inspect in person means you have to trust the seller which can be iffy and it likely won't have a data sheet.

**zombiescometh** · 08-20-23, 21:58

There are some interesting 3d printed models out there.

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**CrowCommand** · 08-21-23, 17:39

Is the build out just the tubes and housing? What is involved putting them together? I suppose I should peruse YouTube.

Thanks for the replies.

**CrowCommand** · 08-22-23, 05:51

Found this video interesting for anyone else wondering about the topic…

https://youtu.be/vSumk0HeNqc

**kerplode** · 08-23-23, 12:24

Originally Posted by mack7.62

You are not going to save money and you will have a unit without a nitrogen purge. Housings are around 750 or so and tubes are 2 k and up for new, cheaper than that means a lower grade or has more blemishes. To stay around 2k or less you are looking at a used unit which can be doable but if unable to inspect in person means you have to trust the seller which can be iffy and it likely won't have a data sheet.

This ^

So, at the end of the day, it's really just an assembly project. You'll learn about how it goes together, but you won't really save any money. You'll also won't get a warranty or support of any kind, won't have a proper purge, and your tube will be of questionable spec and provenance.

Better to just save up and call JRH. He'll hook you up with something nice that won't bust your budget.

**CrowCommand** · 08-28-23, 17:31

Appreciate the responses….sounds like I’ll be delaying this project out further and try to hole away some money for a proper rig.

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