I like your sign above the trashcan that says "Profits" - a daily reminder that everything you toss away comes from the bottom line! Thanks for the demonstration!
Thanks Martin. I did return my neon light to the artist that produced it. He made the repairs as you suggested and I now have my beautiful light returned to my man cave. Beautiful to look at especially at night.
That was very informative. I never realized so much work went into a neon sign. It definitely shows that the prices charged are well deserved. I have always wanted an authentic neon sign. I hate these fake neons folks make now. One day I'll get one.
That was incredibly informative! I've been learning about neon sign work and your video explained a bunch of stuff other videos left out or skipped. Thank you!
Great Video! Nice work... let me ask.. how much is a typical neon repair for a piece of yellow tubing approximately 16 inches long? Just a ballpark price? Is it worth repairing or just throwing out?
Hello Martin. Can you repair a neon tube that has been broken by a moving accident? My bad. This sign was custom made by an artist that passed. Just wondering??
Is it really a dying art? I think it is amazing! Do you need a huge "pig pole" transformer like that to do this properly? Or is that part of your "Coiler" projects? I am very inspired by this, THANKS!
You take your hand torch, and while the tube is still under vacuum, heat the glass up. As the walls begin to collapse, pull the tube (The glass will look like a single hair) Continue to apply heat. Once it detaches, continuing heating with the hand torch to 'round off' the glass to prevent stabbing yourself (Much like a sharpened candy cane). Have anymore questions, feel free to ask :)
+Armando Barrios There are two types of gas used. Neon and Argon. Neon glows red, Argon glows blue. They use a variety of tubes that are colored with fluorescent powders. So argon in a yellow tube equals green. And so on :D
+Armando Barrios Most of the bright colors, besides reds, oranges and some pink, are produced with a fluorescent coating on the inside of the glass. Though the mixture used to light the powder (via ultraviolet light) glows blue, these powder-coated tubes produce well over a hundred colors: blues, greens, richer pinks, purple, and many shades of white. You could cut a 1" piece of every color made, weld the glass together into one long tube, use the proper fill (argon plus mercury) and get every color. Neon fill turns everything warm. Tubes coated to produce blue turn orange. Coated green turns orange. Purple and pink turn pink, but the pink will fade over the years to orange. There's also stained glass tubing, usually coated with phosphors. White coating makes the tube's color brighter, but pink coating in a blue tube gives a deeper purple. Any colors one desires can be spliced into a single tube, save for those created using neon.
Ten minutes to achieve a medium vacuum in a neon tube?! You should reach ultimate vacuum in a about two minute. A properly processed neon filled tube will be full red with just a little lighter red at the tubulated electrode, because of gas liberated by tipping it off and be fully aged after a 10 minutes or less. Anything other than this means the vacuum was not adequate and you're relying on the electrodes to chemically absorb whatever gasses that is not neon gas, which is nonreactive. I suggest you get rid of the gum rubber hose connecting the tubulation to the pump and directly join the neon to it. That's one of the reasons your tubes don't come off the pump clean. Cheers! :)
A wider tube has a lower intensity discharge. It would be more of a pale faint glow for the same amount of power used. Of course, going too thin would be too fragile.
I make neon and they come in all kinds of tube sizes. (28mm is the highest I've bend.) Larger tubes tend to feel a little awkward when bending, at least for me because I mostly work with 12mm. Actually, if a tubes diameter is larger you put less gas in it, because science lol. It has something to do with the gas atoms vibrating and such that is hard to explain. You can go as thin as 8mm glass. It is more important about the footage of glass you are pumping (Usually you try to stay above 4 feet). Electrodes, tubulated and non, come in 4 main sizes; 30ma, 40ma, 50ma, and 80ma. The decision on that depends mostly on the transformer you plan on using and how many tubes you need to light up. Transformers are what regulate the output of electricity to the tube. If you have a faint tube you may have a transformer with not enough ampage. Or it is a Mercury tube in which case the signs needs to 'warm up' to allow the Mercury to vaporize and spread evenly among the tube. Have any more questions, make sure to tag me. :)
Agreed, however Neon is a mixture of Neon and Argon gas... It looks to me that this shop only has Neon gas in their setup. (Or the man in the video misspoke ) Hence why they used Neon. Something cool I like to do with a Neon (red) tube is put the tiniest ball of mercury I can in it. The tube starts out bright red and slowly turns to that blue-white over the course of 5 hours. However that is not a practiced thing to do. Aka not a requested thing from customers, only for personal or teaching.
The powder coated colour tubes need UV light to glow. The guy maybe is doing a generic demonstration of all the possible processes, even though he is using a clear tube with a neon fill. Which should be red! I'm not sure what he is describing with his change in colour in the first few hours of aging, from white to red. Sounds like the electrodes have a 'getter' which is taking time to settle into a stable state. It can't be the mercury surely? To get vapour it needs to heat up, as in a fluorescent tube. The bombarding transformer is large because the process would be very slow and unreliable with a small current. He is also using the bombardment energy to heat the glass and electrodes (getter activation I think as well). Could do this DIY with a heated shroud and induction heater for DIY.
That's an awesome craft. However, I believe LED signs are better than neon signs in all aspects. They're brighter, clearer, thinner, easier to transport, and can be animated..
I noticed that many LED signs and LED building lights are now failing. I think the electronics in the power supply are failing prematurely due to poor ventilation or ageing electrolytic capacitors. Neon signs seem to last a looong time...perhaps due to their simplicity.
I like your sign above the trashcan that says "Profits" - a daily reminder that everything you toss away comes from the bottom line!
Thanks for the demonstration!
led neon cannot beat real neon. I think i'd like to take this up as a hobby one day when I have more time. I love neon signs!
Thanks Martin. I did return my neon light to the artist that produced it. He made the repairs as you suggested and I now have my beautiful light returned to my man cave. Beautiful to look at especially at night.
Thanks for making the video Martin
Thanks so much Martin for a complete lesson of Neon making. You make it look so easy and enjoyable. Once again, thank you sir.
Thanks! Very interesting. I had no idea how much work went into neon signage. Hope you are well compensated for your craft!
10:18 invisible watch!? wow!
Thank You! And thank you for keeping alive knowledge that would otherwise be lost.
Fascinating....this is truly a skilled profession. Thank you for the video.
Very interesting, Thank you for showing how it's done. You are truly an artist!
Old video I know, check out his page. This guy makes huge Tesla coils too.
Awesome!
That was very informative. I never realized so much work went into a neon sign. It definitely shows that the prices charged are well deserved. I have always wanted an authentic neon sign. I hate these fake neons folks make now. One day I'll get one.
I still have the neon sign i had made for my first studio. Its yellow. Says " Soular" and hangs out in my garage. It's 25 years old now.
Cool stuff Marty, your Tesla coil rocks
Marion is watching.
woooooooooooooooo woooooooooooooooo
Hope people can understand why the REAL NEON is so unique and how much work (and experience) is necessary to make a single piece!
Martin, great video. As always, there is a lot more involved than meets the eye.
Bill from West Allis
That was incredibly informative! I've been learning about neon sign work and your video explained a bunch of stuff other videos left out or skipped. Thank you!
What’s the name of the glass used ?
i need the type of paint used . i would like to redipp my LIGHT word on my COORS LIGHT beer . thank you for the video it was supper informative .
Great job
Fairly decent video Brother of the torch. Would you be willing to do a vid with more detail of tube processing?
Hello,
Are you using lead glass, if so why are you not letting just-bent area to cool down gradually and moving quickly to the next bend.
I have always wanted to learn this art
Great video nicely done! I learned something.
Why are you using mercury on a clear red neon unit?
Thanks for an interesting video
awesome video! I learned a lot, thank you very much!
Awesome work bro also, where did you get that back track from almost sounds like something off the mellow gold album by Beck
how much will a setup to do this on my own cost me? what is the cheapest i could get the necessary materials for
Using the spark-coil like you're doing can spark a hole on a join where there wasn't one.
Great Video! Nice work... let me ask.. how much is a typical neon repair for a piece of yellow tubing approximately 16 inches long? Just a ballpark price? Is it worth repairing or just throwing out?
Hello Martin. Can you repair a neon tube that has been broken by a moving accident? My bad. This sign was custom made by an artist that passed. Just wondering??
Nice spotting.
Is it really a dying art? I think it is amazing!
Do you need a huge "pig pole" transformer like that to do this properly?
Or is that part of your "Coiler" projects?
I am very inspired by this, THANKS!
Disappointed we didn't get to see any pics or vids of the finished piece :(
Very nice video :) Thanks!
I NEED to learn this.
Seal the tube off from the manifold? Mystery and Magic ? Is this a trade secret that wasn't shown / detailed on the video?
GrayCoLLC that process was literally what I was wondering about and it was cut
You take your hand torch, and while the tube is still under vacuum, heat the glass up. As the walls begin to collapse, pull the tube (The glass will look like a single hair) Continue to apply heat. Once it detaches, continuing heating with the hand torch to 'round off' the glass to prevent stabbing yourself (Much like a sharpened candy cane). Have anymore questions, feel free to ask :)
What glass is used, generally? Is it soft glass? CEO of 104?
generally in the high 90s with a fair amount of lead, but really anything will work
Why did you put mercury in a unit you filled with neon?
martin can you fix my soccer team neon tubes?
How are different colors dones in one Neon sign??
+Armando Barrios There are two types of gas used. Neon and Argon. Neon glows red, Argon glows blue. They use a variety of tubes that are colored with fluorescent powders. So argon in a yellow tube equals green. And so on :D
+Armando Barrios Most of the bright colors, besides reds, oranges and some pink, are produced with a fluorescent coating on the inside of the glass. Though the mixture used to light the powder (via ultraviolet light) glows blue, these powder-coated tubes produce well over a hundred colors: blues, greens, richer pinks, purple, and many shades of white. You could cut a 1" piece of every color made, weld the glass together into one long tube, use the proper fill (argon plus mercury) and get every color.
Neon fill turns everything warm. Tubes coated to produce blue turn orange. Coated green turns orange. Purple and pink turn pink, but the pink will fade over the years to orange.
There's also stained glass tubing, usually coated with phosphors. White coating makes the tube's color brighter, but pink coating in a blue tube gives a deeper purple. Any colors one desires can be spliced into a single tube, save for those created using neon.
Awesome
Very NICE
Ten minutes to achieve a medium vacuum in a neon tube?! You should reach ultimate vacuum in a about two minute.
A properly processed neon filled tube will be full red with just a little lighter red at the tubulated electrode, because of gas liberated by tipping it off and be fully aged after a 10 minutes or less. Anything other than this means the vacuum was not adequate and you're relying on the electrodes to chemically absorb whatever gasses that is not neon gas, which is nonreactive.
I suggest you get rid of the gum rubber hose connecting the tubulation to the pump and directly join the neon to it. That's one of the reasons your tubes don't come off the pump clean. Cheers! :)
Why don't neon signs come in fatter tubes? Is it because of the difficulty in working with larger diameter glass?
A wider tube has a lower intensity discharge.
It would be more of a pale faint glow for the same amount of power used.
Of course, going too thin would be too fragile.
I make neon and they come in all kinds of tube sizes. (28mm is the highest I've bend.) Larger tubes tend to feel a little awkward when bending, at least for me because I mostly work with 12mm. Actually, if a tubes diameter is larger you put less gas in it, because science lol. It has something to do with the gas atoms vibrating and such that is hard to explain. You can go as thin as 8mm glass. It is more important about the footage of glass you are pumping (Usually you try to stay above 4 feet). Electrodes, tubulated and non, come in 4 main sizes; 30ma, 40ma, 50ma, and 80ma. The decision on that depends mostly on the transformer you plan on using and how many tubes you need to light up. Transformers are what regulate the output of electricity to the tube. If you have a faint tube you may have a transformer with not enough ampage. Or it is a Mercury tube in which case the signs needs to 'warm up' to allow the Mercury to vaporize and spread evenly among the tube. Have any more questions, make sure to tag me. :)
i wanted to try this but wow, this guy didnt impress me at first but thoughs bends are crazy...
super rad brahh
Awesome job, great video i liked it :)
that's amazing
There was lead in the neon before but now there making the neon lead free. Also mercury is getting real expensive. Neon prices will go up this year.
Very kool
I want to do it.
I thought all Americans pronounced "tube" like "toob" or is it a regional thing?
so this is not for the home hobbyist? High voltage, toxic elements.. dang it
If you look up "DIY neon art" you can find videos for people that maybe don't have so many resources.
Don't let that stop you . . .
0:35 Seems kind of old school. Couldnt you just use some kind of tiny small air compressor to do it for you?
why are you putting mercury in a neon tube? that's for argon only.
Pretty sure neon is a catch-all name for glowing signs even when it's not neon per se.
Agreed, however Neon is a mixture of Neon and Argon gas... It looks to me that this shop only has Neon gas in their setup. (Or the man in the video misspoke ) Hence why they used Neon. Something cool I like to do with a Neon (red) tube is put the tiniest ball of mercury I can in it. The tube starts out bright red and slowly turns to that blue-white over the course of 5 hours. However that is not a practiced thing to do. Aka not a requested thing from customers, only for personal or teaching.
The powder coated colour tubes need UV light to glow. The guy maybe is doing a generic demonstration of all the possible processes, even though he is using a clear tube with a neon fill. Which should be red! I'm not sure what he is describing with his change in colour in the first few hours of aging, from white to red. Sounds like the electrodes have a 'getter' which is taking time to settle into a stable state. It can't be the mercury surely? To get vapour it needs to heat up, as in a fluorescent tube. The bombarding transformer is large because the process would be very slow and unreliable with a small current. He is also using the bombardment energy to heat the glass and electrodes (getter activation I think as well). Could do this DIY with a heated shroud and induction heater for DIY.
i like it
Wow I never knew how fuckin complicated it was to make a fuckin neon sign .. kudos👍
thats kool
Thanks, nice video, my only gripe is the amount of times you say "Special", if it's a trade secret, tell us that, if it isn't explain what it is :)
Fast forwarding whilst bending the tubing isn't particularly helpful.
Mad scientist in disguise? :)
good vid. but the music gave me a headache.
Toooob
Good light neon ... i m neon bainder
Don't describe it as a dying art - it is a specialist art. Dying art makes it sound as though no-one is interested
Well goodbye neon light hobby side making business idea.......
No kidding. I would have gotten as far as using the blow hose 😬
wtf is with this music
leafsoup The music is by Greg Pagel...think 8 bit noise party
lose the ugly music... I am amazed why some people feel that they need to have stupid and unfitting music in the back ground of instructional videos.
Joseph Charara That’s just like.. your opinion mannn
That's an awesome craft. However, I believe LED signs are better than neon signs in all aspects. They're brighter, clearer, thinner, easier to transport, and can be animated..
I noticed that many LED signs and LED building lights are now failing. I think the electronics in the power supply are failing prematurely due to poor ventilation or ageing electrolytic capacitors. Neon signs seem to last a looong time...perhaps due to their simplicity.
@@5Perf65mm I agree, also neon sign making is more eco friendly. Parts can be recycled. LEDs cannot and end up in landfill.
I would charge u $18
YouToob
Not for amateurs! Natural gas, electricity, mercury. Danger!
What in the name of all things holly is this terible music my god this is unbearable