Blowing Neon - project - pt. 2

Since this is an art, there are is a certain 'learning curve' when it comes to getting the technique down. Most of that is done on scrap pieces of glass tubing, until you get the hang of it. Along one side of the shop there are metal trash cans, and B use to save all his pieces until I would pick him up. We both love the sound of the glass breaking apart when it is tossed into the cans. Needless to say, B threw his fair share of pieces away. Even Bob the instructor has been caught throwing tubing away. In any event, several pieces made it home - B has made me a few very cool designs and I have the word "mom" written in glass tubing too. BUT tonight, we brought his first piece home that actually had electrodes attached and was hooked to a transformer. B has worked on this piece for weeks (unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the paper design and template process). I have seen the pieces come together one by one (more on that in a minute), but tonight is the first I have seen all the pieces together and lit. I know I am bias, but I think it's a pretty amazing piece and wait until you read what he is going to do with it.

Here is what it looks like when there is no electricity running from the outlet, through a transformer, into the electrodes and through the tubing. Cool, but nothing too exciting right?
Here's what it looks like lit up!!

This is mounted on a 24x24 inch piece of 1/4" thick plexiglass. Each color is a seperate piece of neon with electrodes on each end, which are then all wired together into the transformer. So B had to make the blue outside circle and go through the whole process in the previous post. Then he made the white circle, then moved onto the green zig zags, and lastly did the red fish. Took some time, and there was definitely some glass crashing into the trash bins each week. And there were a few snags along the way. A big one was on his zig zag piece there was an arcing problem and it blew a hole in the tubing at the bend before the electrode. When that happens you learn how to repair the tubing. Thankfully, Bob is a patient man!

Anyway......it was pretty amazing when he turned this on for me to see. Now, what is he going to do with it??? His first neon project, goes to....................................his boss at work. Can you even believe????!!!!! This is the logo on for The Fish Doctor, which is the tropical fish store where B works. He is taking the sign in this next Monday. I can't even imagine the reaction.