I just listened to Paul's podcast on CFL's from earlier this month. I agree with all of the complaints he has, as I've bought some and had most of them fail after a few months and give off allot less light. When he made comments concerning repairing incandescent light bulbs, something clicked! Here are some links (and a few comments) that I have (And I have one of the books!)
Making your own vacuum tubes (and transistors!): (These are very cool - one has you making vacuum tubes and transistors)
http://www.hpfriedrichs.com/bks-ioa.htm
http://www.hpfriedrichs.com/bks-votc.htm
Make your own Light bulb:
http://www.livescience.com/7060-light-bulb.html
http://www.fuellesspower.com/43_MakeYourOwnLight_Bulbs.htm (9.95 book)
http://www.scientificsonline.com/reinventing-edison-build-your-own-light-bulb-kit.html (60) bucks)
http://www.ehow.com/how_4422309_make-light-bulb.html
The bulb DOES NOT NEED A VACUUM! Oxygen is a very reactive gas and will cause the element used to glow hot to burn out very quickly. So yes, vacuum does work but any inert gas will work as well. Try Argon for example:
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0113863/Argon.shtml
Art Roberts
