08-26-2011, 01:33 PM
Thanks for the comments.
I've now been experimenting with what I'm calling "Neon - Phase II" My wife thinks I'm crazy. I think "obsessed" was the word she used.
But anyway... The method I posted above obviously has one draw back. The entire window is essentially "blacked out". Maybe ok for a jazz club that would probably be dark inside anyway....but I think I have an idea on how to do this but still keep the remainder of the window open.
I saw this on my drive home from work tonight -- a convenience store with a neon sign in the window, but the rest of the interior was lit and viewable behind it. I'm going to try to do something similar in the next structure. If it works, I might be tearing this one out and rebuild it.
Also, these signs (regardless of the method) look best with a strong light source. The brighter the light, the better the sign looks.
So I'm experimenting with angling a mirror inside the structure so I can place a high-intesity bulb (maybe halogen) below the benchwork and have it light the signs without shooting the overbearing, unrealistic light into the rest of the structure. The mirror would act as a block for the rest of the interior.
Actually...my point about the mirror wasn't really to block light leaks. What I was trying to say is that I could use a high-intensity bulb and reflect it to the signs and not melt the structure! For light leaks...I use hobby clay. It's very easy to mold into a small "roll" and jam into a seam. Because most a meant to be baked...any small amount of heat from bulbs doesn't have a negative effect. And it's very forgiving.
I've now been experimenting with what I'm calling "Neon - Phase II" My wife thinks I'm crazy. I think "obsessed" was the word she used.
But anyway... The method I posted above obviously has one draw back. The entire window is essentially "blacked out". Maybe ok for a jazz club that would probably be dark inside anyway....but I think I have an idea on how to do this but still keep the remainder of the window open.
I saw this on my drive home from work tonight -- a convenience store with a neon sign in the window, but the rest of the interior was lit and viewable behind it. I'm going to try to do something similar in the next structure. If it works, I might be tearing this one out and rebuild it.
Also, these signs (regardless of the method) look best with a strong light source. The brighter the light, the better the sign looks.
So I'm experimenting with angling a mirror inside the structure so I can place a high-intesity bulb (maybe halogen) below the benchwork and have it light the signs without shooting the overbearing, unrealistic light into the rest of the structure. The mirror would act as a block for the rest of the interior.
Actually...my point about the mirror wasn't really to block light leaks. What I was trying to say is that I could use a high-intensity bulb and reflect it to the signs and not melt the structure! For light leaks...I use hobby clay. It's very easy to mold into a small "roll" and jam into a seam. Because most a meant to be baked...any small amount of heat from bulbs doesn't have a negative effect. And it's very forgiving.