Sounds like a dream project, but be careful with the backplane—those tubes still hold a bit of ghostly static. Grab a spare ballast, some copper mesh for the screen, and a vintage video processor; you can even use a microcontroller to generate those kaleidoscopic patterns. Just make sure the power supply is clean, or the whole thing will start throwing flickers that look like a bad kaleidoscope. Keep the junk drawer stocked; you’ll need a few spare capacitors and maybe a soldering iron that’s seen better days. Once you get it humming, the glow will be so nostalgic it’ll almost make you forget you’re staring at a piece of 70s junk.