There seems to be a lot of confusion about neon lights. This is due to the advent of LED strip lighting, or what I call “faux” or fake neon. These lights look very similar to neon signs, but they aren’t as bright or produce the glow that a real glass neon light does. The “faux” neons are made out of plastic tubing that has light-emitting diodes inside (or LED’s) and are very cheap to make and buy. Sadly, they are marketed and sold as “neon” signs, which is misleading. These are the “neon” lights you see for sale very inexpensively in retail chain stores and online.
Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations!
The craft of neon has been around for more than 100 years. While there have been advances in the quality of equipment used to make and operate neon, the basic mechanics have remained the same.
Neon lights are made beginning as straight tubes of glass, which are shaped by hand using special torches. After bending the glass, electrodes are welded onto each end of the tube, and it is attached to a vacuum pump. The tube is heated to over 550°F using a high-voltage transformer while all the air, moisture, and impurities are drawn out by the vacuum pump. The tube is then filled with a noble gas, typically neon or argon, and sealed to trap the gas inside and create a closed circuit that will light when electricity is applied, powered by a small transformer.
All of my neon creations are one-of-a-kind, labor-intensive, handcrafted original designs. They are beautiful, luminous works of glass art that will last for 25 years or more.