Neon Facts
(Neon FAQ)
Frequently Asked Questions
presented by Kustom Lighting, Inc.
- What is neon?
- How are the colors made?
- How much electricity does neon use?
- How long does neon last?
- Is neon safe?
- Why is neon so expensive?
- Can I get into the neon biz?
- Can neon be safely shipped?
- Can I give neon as a gift?
Q: What is Neon?
A: Neon is a gas.
But most people use the word neon to describe signs,
art, and lighting that is made entirely or in part with neon tubes.
These tubes are sealed, airtight glass, filled at a very low pressure
with either NEON or ARGON gas. The ends of the tubes have metal fittings
that are connected by wires to a neon transformer or power supply which
transmits electric current through the tube, and cause it to emit light.
A typical neon sign or art piece may have any number of tubes wired
together to one or more transformers or power supplies.
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A: The colors are created in the following ways:
By filling the glass tube with either of the two gases:
neon appears red-orange in a clear glass tube;
argon appears pale blue in a clear glass tube.
Virtually all of the other colors are created by using one
of these two gasses in:
1) clear glass tubes that are coated on the inside
with fluorescent powders that, when lit, will emit certain colors.
2) colored glass tubes that may be 'clear',
or coated on the inside with flourescent powders.
(There is another way, used by the 'production' neon sign companies,
which is to dip the completed neon tube in a colored liquid plastic
which hardens on the outside of the tube. This is a cheap way of
simulating some of the deeper neon colors, but without the expense.
You will see this on some newer 'beer signs', and other cheaper neon items.
The drawback to this is that this coating will chip off over time
and make the sign look awful. Also, these tubes, if broken, cannot be repaired.
We here at Kustom Lighting, Inc., DO NOT use this method.)
There is a limit to the number of colors that can be made which is dictated,
for the most part, by the phosphor compounds used to coat the inside of the tubes.
However, occasionally a manufacturer will come up with a 'new' color.
There are only 3 major neon tube manufacturers in the US, those being
the Voltarc Company, EGL, and FMS. A large importer of mostly European glass,
among other things, is Tecnolux. None of these companies sell directly to neon companies;
they must be purchased through sign supply distributors.
Q: How much electricity does neon use?
A: The electrical power needed to run neon depends on the total length of tubing,
the diameter of the tubing, the colors, etc. A typical neon sign or art piece,
however, of average size will consume approximately fifty to two hundred watts,
which can be compared to the power consumption of an equivalent incandescent bulb.
Neon is a very efficient light source.
Most of the art pieces we sell through this web site employ efficient electronic
power supplies, which adjust themselves to the 'load' presented by the neon tubes
and use only as much power as is needed to light them.
A 'rule of thumb' for most of the art pieces we make is that they average 50-60 watts.
Many of our customers leave their neon on continuously.
Q: How long does neon last?
A: Most indoor neon pieces are virtually maintenance free.
The transformer or power supply can last up to fifteen years,
if it is correctly matched to the neon display.
The neon tubes do not burn out like incandescent or fluorescent bulbs,
and will last twenty years or longer if they don't get broken.
See our 'Warranty' below.
Q: Is neon safe?
A: Neon can be made as safe as any other electric appliance, such as a lamp or radio.
The safety is really determined by the type and quality of the components used,
the procedures used to assemble those components, the skill of the persons
assembling the neon, and of course, the final user of the neon.
Please Note: Like any other electric household appliance, neon is not meant for children,
or anyone else that doesn't have the capacity to handle it in a responsible fashion.
It must be realized that neon art, signs, etc., incorporate two potentially dangerous
elements: 1) glass, and 2) electricity.
Also, some, but not all, neon tubes contain a relatively tiny amount of mercury.
Mercury is necessary to create some of the neon colors.
The amount of mercury in a typical neon tube is comparable to that
in a commercially available flourescent 'bulb' you may purchase
at your local hardware outlet or home center, such as Home Depot or Kmart,
and use in your kitchen, bathroom, or basement light fixture.
Any discarded neon tube that contains mercury should be treated in
the same way you would discard a flourescent tube. You may want to check
with your local recycling center about the proper disposal in your area.
Because Kustom Lighting, Inc. has no control over its products
once they leave our production facility, it is up to the recipient
to ensure that the product is installed and/or used in a way that conforms to all
applicable codes, laws, ordinances, and any other authority having jurisdiction.
If you are unsure of this, we suggest that you
investigate prior to ordering and/or purchasing.
Q: Why is neon so expensive?
I see neon clocks and other things at Target and Menards
that cost less than $100. Why is your neon so much more?
A: Most of the neon you see at discount stores, home centers, flea markets,
and even more 'upscale' furniture and 'lifestyle' stores is what we call
'production' neon. This is neon that is made in relatively large quantities,
usually more than 100, and up to tens of thousands, of the same design,
by using forms, or 'jigs' to form the glass. These forms are relatively expensive to
fabricate, but can then be used by unskilled workers to 'bend' the neon glass.
Many of these factories are also overseas, where labor costs can be less than in the US.
Some of the components, such as the power supplies, are also of lesser quality then we would use.
Here at Kustom Lighting, Inc. we use highly skilled and experienced neon glass benders.
And since virtually everything we make is a one-of-a-kind piece, we don't use any
'mass production' techniques. That's one of the reasons why we can warranty our neon tubes
for five years against burnout. We also use the best electrical components in our neon, most
of which has been manufactured for the commercial sign industry. We like to think that any neon
piece we create is going to last for years without any maintenance whatsoever.
Neon fabrication requires a very special skill, that of 'glassbending'.
There are also many other skills needed to design and process neon,
and still more if you want to make a career out of neon.
Bill Buth holds 'Neon Sampler' sessions at our facility here in the Milwaukee area.
to find out more about these sessions.Also, there are some schools in the US that teach neonglassbending as a trade, exclusively.
However, because the list is changing regularly, there is no comprehensive site
that lists all of the schools, so I suggest doing a search, using the term 'neon schools'
(Type in 'Neon Schools')
You can also teach yourself, but that would mean renting or buying the equipment.
Neon glassbending can usually be learned in 4-6 weeks,
but takes many months and sometimes
years of practice to become really proficient. Back in the 'old days', some neon companies
would take on apprentices, but today, because of the cost, combined with applicable labor laws,
it is usually too great of a financial risk for a company to take on an apprentice.
And relative to the population in general, and the sign industry in particular,
there are very few companies that specialize in neon fabrication,
and therefore few opportunities. My suggestion to people interested in neon as a career,
is to learn as much as you can about the industry before 'jumping in'.
There are many good books on neon production to be found at Amazon, and you may want to talk
to a local neon shop to see if you can get any information from them.
In a lot of cases, small neon shops will be very secretive, because they see everybody as
a potential competitor, but there are still a few of us who will take the time to talk to anybody.
For those desiring to 'set up shop' on their own,
I would suggest going to Signweb.com, and looking
up Sign Supply Distributors.
Most neon equipment is very specialized, and can only be purchased through them.
Sometimes the distributors can be very patient and helpful. If not, try a different distributor.
A word of warning: DO NOT buy used neon equipment, unless you really know what you're doing.
Equipment for a one or two person setup will usually cost
at least $10,000.(US), and easily over $20,000.
I've known people that have purchased a 'complete used neon shop' for $5000.,
and then found out later,
when setting it up, that they've purchased near worthless junk.
You may also want to check out the local market for neon.
It's hard to believe, but there are communities
that severely limit neon signs, and some that outlaw neon altogether.
This will limit your market.
There is also a need for neon glassbenders in the domestic 'production' sign industry.
These are companies that hire several glassbenders
that usually make the same signs repeatedly.
From what I understand, they pay well, usually with benefits,
and you get to go home at 5pm, with
none of the headaches of personally owning a business.
There are usually ads looking for these glassbenders
in the Classified section of Signs of the Times Magazine.
If you have any specific questions regarding a career in neon, email me at the link below,
and I may be able to help you.
Books on learning neon:
Below are 'Picture Books' of neon art and signs,
and not necessarily instructional books.
Q: Can neon be safely shipped?
It is in our best interest to make sure that your neon piece arrives to you
safely and unbroken, and we have several years experience in packaging and
shipping neon. However, once we turn the package over to the shipping entity,
and we no longer have control over it,
there are no absolute guarantees that your neon will arrive intact.
The percentage of items we ship that get broken is extremely low,
and we offer to replace any item that would need it.
(Note: We need to be notified within 3 days of any damage.)
Some of the pieces we ship, such as neon signs, require special
packaging so that the neon survives even if the box is shipped upside-down.
Because of this packaging, care must be taken when unboxing the neon.
We include unpacking instructions on the outside of these boxes,
and we strongly urge you to read these instructions before opening the box.
(And never let a child unpack the neon, ever!)
If you have any concerns about unpacking the neon, please call us.
Q: Can I give neon as a gift??
There are some things you should consider before giving neon as a gift.
First, and most importantly, do not give any neon piece to a child, or
anyone else that does not understand that the piece, like any other lamp
that contains glass and electricity, has the potential for harm.
We also suggest that if you order a piece for a gift for someone else,
you first unpack it, and then give it. If the recipient does not know
that the package contains fragile neon glass, or the nature of the glass,
it could get broken when unpacked. For this reason we also do not recommend
gift-wrapping the neon. In the excitement of unwrapping the gift, the piece
could get broken. If you have any questions or concerns about this, or any
other aspect of neon, please do not hesitate to email or call.
Have any more questions? Send us an email:
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