Console TV screen questions.

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JamesB

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Strange question I know. I have an old console TV that I want to re-purpose inito a fish tank or a mini-bar. I would like to keep the screen if possible and put the tank behind it. Can the screen even be separated from the back "bubble" and if so could someone see through it clearly enough with a light behind it?
From the pics I see online I cant tell if the screen is in place or not.
Thanks
 
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Those older model TVs that were in consoles are usually a CRT (cathode ray tube) type TV. The screen is integral to the tube so if would likely not be able to be separated.

You could, on the other hand, use a curved piece of glass that mimics the curvature of the TV screen instead.

I bet the guys on Tanked (Animal Planet) would be happy to help you out.
 
If I remember correctly those old TV tubes had a vacuum inside. If you try and cut into it it would likely explode. Plus there are all kinds of capacitors and other high voltage stuff in there just waiting to bite you.
 
Boz said:
If I remember correctly those old TV tubes had a vacuum inside. If you try and cut into it it would likely explode. Plus there are all kinds of capacitors and other high voltage stuff in there just waiting to bite you.
Click to expand...

Yeah I did research how to safely take them apart. The TV has been unplugged for years so I would think the charge has dissipated but I would discharge it first. On youtube, the guy taped a :hammer: to a broomstick and hit the tube to crack the vacuum. Two teens skipped the broomstick and hit it and ran, I guess thinking that they could outrun flying glass.

I'll be careful. I just remembered a time when I was a kid that my buddy and I thought it would be cool to put a .22 shell on a book of matches and light it. I watched it through a window while he stood outside with it. :doctor: LoL.
 
When you go to break the end off to break the vaccum cover with some thing study. Maybe a good tarp. Heck, wrap the thing up good to contian the glass. I would cover that with some thing heavy too. May be a quilt. Do please be safe. Better excess precautions than hurt. Oh yes, what are you going to cut the screen part off with. Thanks for this info.


You wouldn't be able to tell the differance. But it is emplosion,not explosoin.
 
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the inside of the tube is coated with a phosphorescent chemical also, All in all I do not think this is a good idea but if you try it let me try James B's solution and watch from a safe distance. Perhaps with my video camera, I sense a good Youtube video in the making.
 
my guess would be removing the tube in one piece and letting it be would be the safest bet... also, much cleaner! :biggrin:

the mention of curved glass above may be pretty expensive, so i propose an alternate solution... a long time ago i started (ie half finished) a similar project using a commedore PET computer. removed the guts from the display in one piece then carefully removed the front bezel and trimmed it so that a flat piece of glass could be mounted and it would sit flush all the way around. it was tedious but came out looking good in the end. anyway, thought id throw my 2c into the exchange ;)

also please use extreme caution around those old capacitors... they can hold a charge for a shockingly long time (pun oh so intended) and large ones found in displays like a tv can do some real damage...

--Dave
 
Everyone here is right, but there were a few models that had glass in front of the tube. If you have one of them, you luck out. Otherwise, plan on replacing the glass and don't try to utilize the front of the tube. Just too many things that could and probably will go wrong...
 
healeydays said:
Everyone here is right, but there were a few models that had glass in front of the tube. If you have one of them, you luck out. Otherwise, plan on replacing the glass and don't try to utilize the front of the tube. Just too many things that could and probably will go wrong...
Click to expand...
Wrap the whole thing in strong tape just to be safe. Then drill a small hole in the small end this should let the air pressure in the tube equalize with the air pressure in the room. The implosion caused by a huge rush of air into a vacuum when the tube is suddenly broken will not happen.
 
JamesB said:
Boz said:
If I remember correctly those old TV tubes had a vacuum inside. If you try and cut into it it would likely explode. Plus there are all kinds of capacitors and other high voltage stuff in there just waiting to bite you.
Click to expand...

Yeah I did research how to safely take them apart. The TV has been unplugged for years so I would think the charge has dissipated but I would discharge it first. On youtube, the guy taped a :hammer: to a broomstick and hit the tube to crack the vacuum. Two teens skipped the broomstick and hit it and ran, I guess thinking that they could outrun flying glass.

I'll be careful. I just remembered a time when I was a kid that my buddy and I thought it would be cool to put a .22 shell on a book of matches and light it. I watched it through a window while he stood outside with it. :doctor: LoL.
Click to expand...
and surprise surprise if it went off at all it was the shell case that flew....
 
CharlesJohnson said:
When you go to break the end off to break the vaccum cover with some thing study. Maybe a good tarp. Heck, wrap the thing up good to contian the glass. I would cover that with some thing heavy too. May be a quilt. Do please be safe. Better excess precautions than hurt. Oh yes, what are you going to cut the screen part off with. Thanks for this info.


You wouldn't be able to tell the differance. But it is emplosion,not explosoin.
Click to expand...
you're right except for the spelling ... it is implosion.
 
[/quote] and surprise surprise if it went off at all it was the shell case that flew....[/quote]

It went off, we would have tried 2 or 3 books the next time if it didn't, and we were surprised that shell case flew and not the bullet. We spent quite a bit of time lining it up so the bullet wouldn't hit anything.

I think the TV will go to the Salvation Army. I could make it a shelf (oh wait, it is already) but I don't need another shelf to put useless junk on.
 
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and surprise surprise if it went off at all it was the shell case that flew....[/quote]

It went off, we would have tried 2 or 3 books the next time if it didn't, and we were surprised that shell case flew and not the bullet. We spent quite a bit of time lining it up so the bullet wouldn't hit anything.

I think the TV will go to the Salvation Army. I could make it a shelf (oh wait, it is already) but I don't need another shelf to put useless junk on.[/QUOTE] They might or might not take it.....around here they don't like anything that isn't flatscreen because a lot of the older TV's really can't be used with the cable since it went totally digital. Some will work with a conversion box but some won't even work with that. The CRT would be hard to cut even if it didn't implode - and it wouldn't if you did what I said - I've done that without the tape and it takes a very tiny hole.
 
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