Studies have proven a neon sign is visible and legible from a greater distance than any other type of on-site sign in both daylight or evening hours.

Dollar for dollar, neon is virtually the most cost effective on-site advertising available.

There is always a need for attracting more visual attention to your business, especially during slower economic periods.

Research indicates your best business prospects are those that are already near your location, and don't have to be "pulled out of their easy chair", or remember you from an ad days before.

Most purchases are still based on momentary impulse. Therefore, your windows are one of your biggest assets!

Our neon signs not only deliver a message from your business, but they draw the eye of all passing traffic to your store front.

Regardless of local sign codes and restrictions, you can always hang interior neon signs on your walls and in your windows for additional attention to your business.

For about the cost of one newspaper ad you can purchase a neon sign that will advertise your location 24 hours a day for 10-15 years!!!

Now the questions!

Q1. How do you get the colors?

A1. The initial color source is the inert gas which emits a characteristic color when electricity is applied. The two most common gases are neon which emits a fiery red, and a mixture of argon and minute particles of mercury which emits a subdued blue. Clear glass allows you to see the characteristic colors emitted by the gas. Fluorescent powders may be painted or baked to the inside walls of the glass tubing and the source light is then converted into a multitude of shades such as pink, turquoise , and green. By altering the mixture of elements, subtle differences are possible. For example, white is available in a wide array of color temperatures from warm to cool. Tubing is also produced in colored glass. Deep clear reds, blues, and greens for example produce the richly saturated colors referred to as exotic or Euro glass. Colored glass may also have a fluorescent coating which can change both the quality and color of the light. 

Q2. How do you bend the glass?

A2. The glass is rotated and rocked (rocked and rolled) in burner flames which use a gas and air mixture to raise the flame temperature. Generally four burners are used. Crossfire and fishtail burners produce most angled bends and splices. Ribbon burners produce curves or sweeps. Hand torches are usually used for splices or tapering and tipping off electrodes. 

Q3. How does a neon tube produce light?

A3. Electrical current bombard the inert gas atoms with electrons knocking neon's atoms out of their orbits. The electrons collide with other free electrons sending them back toward the atoms. As the electrons are absorbed into the atom, energy is given off as light. 

Q4. How do you get the gas into the tube?

A4. Neon tubes are capped off by two glass electrodes which have wire passing from outside to inside. One of these electrodes has a tubulation, a small tube which remains as a passage from outside to inside. The tubulation is sealed to the pumping system or manifold. The manifold has glass stopcocks or valves that allow sections to be selectively opened or closed. An ultra high vacuum pump pulls the air out of the tube while a high voltage-high amperage transformer bombards and heats the remaining air to produce temperatures in excess of 500 degrees F. This allows the tube to achieve a higher degree of purity. When a very high vacuum is reached and the tube begins to cool, a small amount of inert gas is introduced from a flask or tank. The tubulation is then heated and as it is pulled it sucks in to make the tubes own seal. 

Q5. Is neon dangerous?

A5. Neon and argon gas by themselves are not. They are inert. As with standard fluorescent tubes, the minute droplets of mercury present in some colors are safe as long as the tube is not broken. Improper handling can be a threat to both the environment and health. Many modern neon shops refuse repair of broken argon-mercury tubes for this reason. Neon is powered by voltages in the 2,000 to 15,000 volt range. Even though the current is in the milliamp range, if a neon piece is not properly mounted, wired, and insulated this voltage poses both a shock and fire hazard. This is an area where cheapness does not pay off. A well constructed neon piece should be problem free for many years. 

Q6. How long does neon last?

A6. Neon can last decades In practical terms the expected life span is between 8 to 15 years. Neon can be repaired and recharged. 

Q7. Do you use a pattern or do you bend the glass freehand?

A7. For most applications (signs, designs, etc.) neon is bent over a fire resistant pattern. Artistically expressive work is often freehand. Three dimensional work from engineer drawings or a dimensional template is very challenging but can be done. 

Q8. Can neon be used with three dimensional shapes such as a globe?

A8. Yes. Very interesting effects can be achieved because the light tends to fill the object with varied coloration and depending on the power supply, it can respond to touch. This is however an advanced technique 

Q9. How do they make neon appear to move?

A9. The huge animated neon signs or "spectaculars" of the 1940s have multiple layers of neon each powered in a timed sequence to produce the desired effect. Many other forms of movement have been found in the neon tube itself. "Wiggle tubes", "Crackle tubes", "Jelly beans", and "Whirlygigs" are a few. 

Q10. Do you burn or cut yourself?

A10. Once every few months.

Q11. Why are neon signs costly?

A11. Actually, neon signs are the best form of signage around today. Nothing has the brightness of neon. The initial cost may seem steep however you will have little or no maintenance on the sign nor will you have to change light bulbs on a regular basis. The cost of running the neon sign is low as well. You can run a neon sign for pennies a day in most situations.

Q12. Can a neon sign be fixed once it has broken?

A12. Most of the time neon signs can be repaired. Most neon signs are made up of several neon sections called units. If one of the units is broken, it may be possible to either repair the unit or make the unit over with new glass and new ends called electrodes. Repairs are made by heating a new piece of glass and melting it to the original piece of glass. Once the unit has been fixed, the unit is then refilled with gas. Some shops, including Just Neon Sign Co, have adopted a policy on not repairing units that have mercury in them. The neon tube bender may elect to make the unit new. If a neon sign has too many breaks in it then it may not be cost effective to repair it.

Q13. How much does a neon sign cost to make?

A13. There is a wide range to the cost of neon signs. Some signs can be bought for about 100.00. Other signs can cost in the thousands of dollars. The cost is directly related to the time it takes to produce the sign and the cost of materials which include the transformer (power pack) needed to power the sign.

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Many thanks to Kenny Greenburg and Krypton Neon for the use of many of these questions.