Yeah, really labor intensive. I'm sure that's how the first tubes and lightbulbs were made back in Edison's time. But flash forward to the 50's and that wonderful Mullard factory video posted in the Music Reference circle and you see how automated it was by it's heyday. All parts and glass were made by machine with only some of the actual assembly done by hand. I really don't understand why it can't be completely automated these days, given the current precision capabilities of cnc manufacturing, resulting in perfect, reliable and cheaper tubes. I'm dreaming, I know! We're stuck with worn-out 1950's machinery producing short-lived, inferior sounding, expensive tubes for the forseeable future.
