How-to instructional video covering the tools, equipment, and methods used to create neon signs and/or artwork. Created by the now defunct Daco Neon Equipment Company.
Thank you for this video, people might complain about how long it is. But for someone who is trying to learn when everything is closed during COVID this is valued and much appreciated!!!
He is a very competent bender, however a couple of errors that might hinder rookies. If you can keep your glass with parallel ends it is far easier to rotate and gain an even heat. The 90 bend for the D leg should have been done last, this will also assist with the U return on the A. The U bend can also be used to create a curve to say close the circle on the O. Don't join or electrode sections in the air, you will have more accuracy if you weight your section on the drawing then use a hand crossfire you get far better results. Use sheets of mica to protect the drawing/bench. Always add tubeulated electrodes first! That way you don't have your hose wiggling the electrode around! Make a stopper for the tubeulation and add it on first. You can also hot cut glass and electrode onto the front face, then turn the electrode with a 90 degree hand torch. This creates a sharper end point for the tube. All off these bends can be accomplished on a ribbon burner, meaning only 3 burners required. Cross fire hand torch, 90 degree hand torch and a ribbon. Number of benefits for using a ribbon over cannon, firstly you don't need to move the glass left to right, you can quickly switch to a small sharp flame to adjust a bend, and you can quickly change air pressure/temp to go from soft/cold to sharp/hot flame. This can be vital when heating near a previous bend that's cooled, storm in with a hot flame and you'll probably crack the tube. Also you don't have to arse about threading your work between the flames.
Oh and your pip on the tubulation should be thin not thick! You want to remove as much glass from your cut. A big thick lump will cool at different rates creating stress cracks in the glass.
No problem joining electrodes or glass in the air. Do all my welds in the crossfire and rarely use my hand torch. Been doing neon and cold cathode for 35 years. Welds are smooth and seamless.,
Hey can u help me with some info please? I want to know the neon i want to buy, Should have colorless glass? Then it should be filled with argon gas right? Im just confused that if the glass should be colourless or is ir coloured? The guy i wanted to buy from said its colored glass. Im confused. If its coulored glass then why i pay for Neon/Argon? Because LEDs are much better looking and very cheap. I think the glass should be colorless ( Clear) so the gas glows its light . Am i wrong? Can u please help me? Thanks
+ I guess you're not doing this anymore. I have some experience with neon years ago. I bought a plant and paid a guy to teach me. However, he turned out to be an Alcoholic and wasn't relieable. I wish I had learned because now I am retired and woud like to find a place to finish my experience. This gentleman is really good at explaining everything. Thanks for creating a great video.
That's not me in the vid....I got this on VHS with a bunch of neon equipment I bought. Felt it would be a good idea to get it digitized and on here so it's avaialble for everyone. Someday (famous last words) I'll set up the stuff and start to learn to do it myself. Life currently in the way. Good luck with re-learning what you did have!
What part of the world did you retire to? We are working on getting a neon setup at Dallas Makerspace. We are not professionals by anymeans. We just aim to learn & help each other learn.
My better half would love to try something new. He keeps on telling me that he wanted to do neon back when he was in high school. But I don't think he has much patients any more. If he did get into making anything with neon, it will probably be a strait tube with electrodes on the ends, and double backs. As far as all the bends and turnes, nah I don't think he has that much patients. And the equipment might be way too pricey for him to get. Otherwise great informative video. Keep up the great work! Got to love neon.........❤neon❤
Well plastic faces and fluorescent lights took over back in the 40's-50's. Neon came back in the 80's & LED's took it out in the early 2000's, it seems like it is slowly coming back as art, but will never be what it was in the 30's
I agree, leds did take over. But you can still get mini neon lamps. To operate on 120v ac or dc volts a resistor is needed. As far as a sign, very pricy. Just for a basic sign can go from $150 to $1,000. But its worth it. Got to love neon.
@crosley62 It was filmed in the 90's on videotape which was then digitized to youtube like 20 years later. My Delorean is broken otherwise I'd be happy to go back in time and tell them to use technology they didn't have yet. Sorry for the convenience.
@@1981muldo You think this is bad, I had the original Daco neon video tapes (3) made before this one. It starred the old guy who owned the company at the time (mid 80s). I learned much, but quality was AWFUL. Stll, it was a good company.
