Making a Neon Sign

Step By Step Guide

NEON SIGNS - WHERE SCIENCE MEETS ART!

Neon sign making is a hand-made product that involves a highly skilled craftsman, bending and shaping glass over a flame. A technique that takes years to master. The entire process has numerous steps, meaning each sign can take days to make from start to finish.

Here's a Step-to-step guide on the amazing craftmanship that goes into every neon sign.

Step 1 - Design

The neon sign needs to be designed and agreed. Once all parties are happy. The design is printed to scale and in reverse.

STEP 2 - MARK OUT GLASS

Every bend in the design needs to be planned and individually bent over a hot flame.
Mark out the glass tubing where to heat for each bend one at a time. Using the printed template as a guide for the exact lengths and bend angles.

STEP 3 - SHAPE AND PIECE THE NEON TOGETHER.

Depending on the complexity of the neon sign it may need to be made out of several pieces and all joined together.

STEP 4 - FIT ELECTRODES

Heat weld electrodes to the each end of the glass tubing

STEP 5 - BOMBARDER

Remove air using vacuum pump called a bombarder

STEP 6 - APPLY ELECTRICITY

Apply electricity through the tubes causing them to heat up and activating the electrodes.

STEP 7 - FILL WITH GAS

The glass tubing is then pumped with neon, argon or a mixture of both gases.

When applying a high voltage it ionizes the gas, causing it to emit coloured light due to fluorescence.

Neon gas comes out red and argon is blue.

STEP 8 - AGING IN

The aging in process is keeping the neon connected to a transformer for 24 hours to ensure the gasses have burnt in and any failures with the glass tube can be spotted.

STEP 9 - BLOCKING OUT

Blocking out is when any parts of the tube you do not want light to shine through are painted black. This way you get a clear form and can be easily read.

STEP 10 - ASSEMBLY

The neon is then fastened to the back panel with tube supports.

STEP 11 - WIRE UP

Wire all parts of the sign together to create a full circuit and tidy any wires with silicon covers on connection points.

STEP 12 - SWITCH IT ON & ENJOY!

Plug it in and switch it on and enjoy your new neon sign for years and years to come!