How to Make Neon Signs?

Have you developed a fancy for making neon signs on your own after seeing them glowing brightly outside hotels and clubs and adding personal touches to home decor?  

In 1910, French engineer Georges Claude invented the very first neon signs, and they have been charming people for more than a century now. Claude molded glass tubes and filled them with neon gasses that glow when electrified.

These signs quickly became famous for advertising and lighting up cities like Hong Kong and Vegas, where you could spot them outside busy hotel and club streets. 

Nowadays, these signs are adding aesthetic touches to cozy cafes and eateries and glowing in the background of videos and podcasts. Many people have installed custom neon signs in their homes and office spaces, but most of these signs use LED technology instead of neon gasses.

While you can easily make an LED neon sign to simulate the look of traditional glass neon signs, if you crave the original glow and aesthetics, then perfecting the craft of making glass neon signs is vital, and that’s what this blog is about.

Read along to learn how to make neon signs.

1. Materials and Tools You’ll Need

First of all, gather all of the materials and tools that you will need to make your own glass neon sign. Here are some of the things that you will need:

• Glass tubes: you can choose either thick glass tubes or thinner ones based on the diameter and your preferred design’s requirements.
• Gases: neon gas for a perfect glow, mercury or argon gas for a more electric blue glow.
• Electrodes so that you can electrify the gases inside the tubes to light up. 
• Glass cutting tools to cut the tubes.
• Transformers and power supplies to ensure electrical supply to your neon sign. 
• Bending machine for shaping the tube.
• A heater for glass tubes. 
• Welding tools that are appropriate for glass.
• Wire cutters and pliers for fine-tuning the design and connecting wiring.

Once you have got all these materials and tools, get ready to design your custom neon sign.  You can also learn the craft and turn it into a business venture for yourself. It’s pure craftsmanship that can help you earn a good sum of money while you put your creative skills to good use.

2. Design Your Neon Sign

Now that you have tools and materials don’t rush to jump straight into bending your glass tubes. You need to have a clear design in mind first. You can search the web or explore Lamomo’s website for a huge variety of neon signs for design inspiration.

Are you interested more in a minimalist design or logo, or do you want to make a quirky phrase-based neon sign as your first project? Whatever the case, here are some tips you need to follow:

2.1 Sketch Your Idea

Draw your neon sign on paper. Make sure to think about the shape of each word or design and the way it will flow when transferred to glass tubing.

2.2 Pick Your Colors

You must have seen that neon signs come in a variety of colors, from subtle greens to striking reds, so based on the color you’d want, pick the gas. Neon gas can give you that iconic red glow, and if you want a striking blue color or green glow, then go for argon or mercury.  

2.3 Font Selection

Choose the neon font; you can use your phone or laptop for that to get a better idea of how your text would look like. Make sure to pick ones that are bold and simple, as it won’t be easy to mold your glass if the fonts are elaborate. Plus, you’d want the sign to be easy to read for all, so consider that as well.  

To know more about How to Choose Neon Sign Font, you can check the article.

2.4 Size Considerations

Now factor in the space availability, keeping in mind where you want to hang your neon sign. Measure the area and plan your neon sign’s size accordingly.  

3. Prepare the Glass Tubing

Okay, now that you have all of the tools as well as the design, next we'll move to bending the glass tubing. But before that, it's important that you prepare your glass tubing.

For that, you will need to clean the tube. Just make sure it's free of dirt and debris, and there are no particles left on your tubes so that they do not interfere with the bending or welding process. 

After that, measure and cut your glass tubing according to the length that you've mentioned in your design. Don't try to break the glass. Instead, use glass cutting tools to cut the tubes.

All along, ensure that your work area is clear, and there is ample lighting because you will be working with glass and heat, so safety is really important. Then, you will be all set to start bending your glass tubes to make your very own neon sign.

4. Bend the Glass Tubing

Finally, you will come to the hard part of the process: bending glass. This one calls for complete patience and attention to detail. To bend the glass tube in the shape that you want, you will first need to heat the glass tubing until it's pliable and soft enough to bend. Here's how you can go about it:

4.1 Heat the Glass Tubing: If you're a beginner, use a glass tube heater or a propane torch to carefully heat the entire tubing. This will make it soft and easy to bend.

4.2 Bend with Care: Use your bending machine or manual tools to curve the glass tubing and mold it into the shape of your design. Be very gentle in the process. If you apply too much pressure, the glass could break. It's already in a soft state.

4.3 Check for Smooth Curves: While you're bending the tubing, double-check that the curves are smooth and even. This will make your neon sign look like one made by a professional in Hong Kong.

After you have bent the tubing into the desired shape, next comes assembling.  

5. Assemble the Neon Sign

To assemble your neon sign, first of all, secure the electrodes at either end of every tube. This will make sure that electrical current will pass through the glass tubing and illuminate the gas inside. If you have chosen a bit of a complex design and there are different pieces of glass tubing in your design, then carefully join all of the sections using a special glass welding tool.

Do it carefully so that there’s no leakage in the design and electrical current can flow throughout and make your sign glow. 

6. Fill the Tubing with Neon Gas

Filling the tubing with neon gas is the step that brings your neon sign to life. You need to handle this process with care.

6.1 Connect to Gas Tank: First of all, attach the tubing to a gas tank to evacuate all of the air from inside the tube and then fill in the neon gas to ensure it takes up the entire space.

6.2 Seal the Tubing: After you fill your tubing with the gas, seal both of its ends using the heating torch or other sealants to prevent gas leakage.

6.3 Test for Leaks: Finally, check the tubing for any leaks. If you see that the tubing is not sealed properly, then you need to fix it; otherwise, your neon sign won't light up.

7. Test the Neon Sign

Finally comes the exciting part. Get ready to test your neon sign and see how true it is to what you pictured in your mind. Here’s how you can test it:

1. Connect to Power: Plug your sign into the power source and switch it on.
2. Inspect the Glow: Take a moment to admire the vibrant glow of your sign. If everything is connected properly, the glass will light up beautifully.
3. Troubleshoot if Needed: If the sign isn’t glowing, check for any loose connections or faulty electrodes. Fix that and revise the test.

Once the sign is working, it’s ready for display!

Useful Tips for Success in Making Neon Signs

Now, designing and making your own glass neon sign is no cakewalk. However, having a few good tips with you can ensure your success as you learn and gradually master the process:

• Practice Bending: If you're bending glass for the first time, practice on some of these scrap pieces first. Don't start with your tubing. Watch videos and try to simulate how artisans do it so that you can copy the techniques before you work on your final design.
• Work Slowly: No matter how simple the step may seem, do not rush in any part of the process. This can lead to costly mistakes and increase your overall time spent making the neon glass sign. Patience is key to getting clean and precise bends while you're shaping tubes for your glass neon design and enhancing its overall look.
• Stay Safe: Don't forget to wear your protective gear when you're working with glass, heat, and gas to ensure your safety.
• Experiment with Colors: Different gases can give you different colors. Do not hold back your style from experimenting. You can also mix colors to get unique effects so that your design can be truly one of a kind.
• Use Quality Materials: Do not buy cheap materials. Instead, invest in good quality materials so that your final design looks good. And you will use high-quality tubing and gases. This will not only just make the design look good but also improve how long it will last.
• Document Your Process: Take notes or photos as you go; this can help in future projects. Having a visual reference will allow you to refine your techniques and replicate successful designs more easily. 

Final Remarks!

In short, making your own custom neon sign is an exciting and rewarding process. It can get your creative juices flowing and help you learn what all goes behind those signs you spot on the road glowing brightly. And while traditional neon signs require a lot of precision and effort, there are also modern alternatives like LED neon signs. They are more accessible for DIY projects and easy to make. They can offer you vibrant colors and easy customization.

So, if you want to skip the technical work and dive straight into custom neon sign design, make Custom Neon Signs with Lamomoneon. With their intuitive tools and wide range of options, you can easily create a neon sign that reflects your personal style!