m005kennedy wrote:
It was my understanding that some of the tubes from Russia were in fact
made by hand.

You may have given too much credence to rumours about tubes like the
GS35 (photo on my website).

The anode cooler only *looks* like it was made by some be-whiskered
traditional Russian coppersmith, on a side bench in People's Samovar
Factory No 23. The grid only *looks* like it was hand-knitted by his
wife.

The latter is definitely not true. It's made from a tea strainer.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek