[Boatanchors] Has anyone ever cut the glass top off a miniaturetube to re-use the base?

[McDonald, J Douglas]

You can buy gold plated pins that plug into those sockets. 

Solder wires to them, drill holes in a small cut-off plastic bottle, insert pins, and fill with epoxy or 
sensor-safe silicone.

Just a thought.  I still have a very few plugs left over from the 70s,
which I am slowly using up.

Doug McDonald