Make Your Own DIY Neon Sign From EL Wire and Plastic Tubes
Neon signs are cool, but they can be fragile and expensive if you want a custom design. If you’d rather make your own cheaply, you can use electroluminescent wire , some simple plastic tubing, and a heat gun.
In case you’re unfamiliar, an EL wire (or electroluminescent wire ) is a thin, glowing strip of wire of different colors. You can find various lengths and colors on the Internet at relatively cheap prices . In the video above, SparkFun user Npool shows you how to use this wire to create an artificial neon sign that is much more durable than regular neon signs.
Npoole uses rigid plastic tubing , similar to those used in aquariums found in pet stores, as the outer shell for neon signs. Start by inserting the EL wire into the tube, then use a heat gun to shape it. It can take a little planning to get the design right, but the end result looks great. Npool ended up using black duct tape to block out parts of the sign that shouldn’t be visible like regular neon signs.
T³: Pet Shop Neon | SparkFun via Hackaday