Retired man turns spare room into Soviet-era supercomputer

A UK resident, who goes by the name “Mike,” has taken an old room and transformed it into a Soviet-era supercomputer using 75-year-old recycled components. His creation, detailed on his tube computer website and Hackaday project page, is powered by 460 Soviet-era 6N3P vacuum tubes, which were readily available and inexpensive in their time.

Mike explains that many of these tubes, originally used and stored for over five decades, may have questionable life expectancy. He had to account for the manufacturing inconsistencies of mid-century Soviet Russia, which led to extensive testing to determine the optimal component values for his computer. With 920 thermionic triodes, Mike's tube computer operates at a slow pace, stabilizing for 10-15 minutes after being switched on, and requires regular resets to function correctly.

Despite these challenges, the computer can perform 16-bit math and various instructions using NOR gates, similar to the Apollo guidance computers. It is currently configured to output a 64-bit Fibonacci sequence, and Mike plans to use it to power a simple flight simulator once its I/O system is completed. The computer's binary output directly controls a mechanical display, which serves as a clock for a British Rail station.

Mike describes his fascination with tube computers as an "addiction," having built three such systems since 2021. He keeps a fire extinguisher nearby due to the heat generated by the tubes, which requires regular adjustments. Mike's computer, while functional, remains an impressive feat of engineering.