Here is a video of a gentleman making triode vacuum tubes- another technology considered “obsolete” by the public thanks to successful marketing campaigns of large corporations that quantity and cost are paramount to quality.

There is a fascinating reciprocating vacuum pump at the end of the video worth seeing even if you are not particularly interested in fine electronics.

http://dailymotion.alice.it/video/x3wrzo_fabrication-dune-lampe-triode_tech

Very cool, I can remember the tv set we had when I was 4. It was equipped with tubes. Even remember going with my mum to sears to get a replacment tube, they put on the "test rack" to confirm it being defective.

O.T., of course. But there are a number of companies today all over the world still making a variety of vacuum tubes for electronics. New audio equipment is also manufactured using tubes. I like to make my own instead.
Mark D.