[FilleK] had some time to spare and decided to build a cheaper substitute for a real nixie tube using a regular 7 segment LED display ... and cap it in a proper glass tube.

seven-segment display (Image courtesy of LXD, Inc.) In their natural state, liquid crystals line up with the orientation "rubbed" into the front and rear glass panels. The rubbings are microscopic ...

Sometimes you need to display a number nice and large, making it easily readable at a good distance. [Lewis] has just the thing for that: a big expandable 7-segment display. The build is modular ...