ropelight/ faked neon sign making

[JahJahwarrior]

So, I gave up on a pepsi or coke sign and decided to try to make a fake neon sign, possibly with ropelights. Well, I need the stuff by tuesday or so, an dI need it cheap. Walmart.com doesn't have it in stock, and neither local walmart has it. Samsclub doesn't have it. Where should I try else--any other places that might have it in town? at walmart, one lady didn't know what I was talking about, at the other, the lady told me that it was a seasonal item and they didn't have any. Or, what else could I make a "Grady's Diner" sign out of that looks like neon? (50's style diner) Thanks guys!

[sound_nerd]

Depends where you live. I'd try Canadian Tire. If you use ropelight, try and cover it with something to spread out the light source. "frost" it up a bit or something.

[wolf825]

Originally Posted by JahJahwarrior

So, I gave up on a pepsi or coke sign and decided to try to make a fake neon sign, possibly with ropelights. Well, I need the stuff by tuesday or so, an dI need it cheap. Walmart.com doesn't have it in stock, and neither local walmart has it. Samsclub doesn't have it. Where should I try else--any other places that might have it in town? at walmart, one lady didn't know what I was talking about, at the other, the lady told me that it was a seasonal item and they didn't have any. Or, what else could I make a "Grady's Diner" sign out of that looks like neon? (50's style diner) Thanks guys!

Home Depot and Lowes are carrying rope light type of stuff...and Spencer Gifts are a fun place too if you know of them. If you get white rope light, wrap any colored gel and diffusion around it (unless you want to see the little bulbs--then lose the diffusion) and viola...you have an instant "neon-esque" sign.

Of course cold-cathode tube lights are just as fun and easily availabile from many computer hobby stores for fxing up your PC. Similar to Live-Wire products--cold cathode tubes come in many colors and a nice benefit like Neon they give off no heat. You can also try some Car Audio specialty stores that sell that non-neon stuff for folks who like to "pimp their rides"...

Failing all that--roll your favorite colored gel into "tubes", tape them into place and light them with an MR16 or Inkie or better yet use a mini mag light to light up the tube. Drawback to this is doing curves is difficult..but clear plastic tubing from a hardware store can work with the same idea, if you wrap the gel around that too.

good luck....
-wolf

[sound_nerd]

stained glass spray paint could be an option to diffuse the source.

[The_Wiz]

this probably wont help in your case, since it would have to be ordered, but side-emitting fiber, is a very good looking neon substitute. google to find a supplier.

[JahJahwarrior]

so, home depot might have ropelight? I have them and Lowes in town, I'll hit them tomorrow.

I thought about getting some tubing, maybe 1" od and spray painting it...it wouldn't be lit up, but it could work.

With the light source, I'm not going to worry THAT much about masking it any. I have less than a week to do this, and no budget to go out and buy gels to color it. I hope to find colored ropelight, but if all I can find it white...well, then I'll have to see if I'd rather that or try to spray paint some tubing. I could also take some tubing, and fill it with water mixed with highlighter ink. Works well for some cool effets. I've only done it with tiny tubing, it would probably be hard to seal the ends of bigger tubing, but it could be done. I'll try home depot. Thanks!

[wolf825]

Originally Posted by JahJahwarrior

so, home depot might have ropelight? I have them and Lowes in town, I'll hit them tomorrow.

I thought about getting some tubing, maybe 1" od and spray painting it...it wouldn't be lit up, but it could work.

With the light source, I'm not going to worry THAT much about masking it any. I have less than a week to do this, and no budget to go out and buy gels to color it. I hope to find colored ropelight, but if all I can find it white...well, then I'll have to see if I'd rather that or try to spray paint some tubing. I could also take some tubing, and fill it with water mixed with highlighter ink. Works well for some cool effets. I've only done it with tiny tubing, it would probably be hard to seal the ends of bigger tubing, but it could be done. I'll try home depot. Thanks!

You can buy flourescent paints for the tube and if you use a congo blue for some pre-scenes or changeovers, it will glow like UV...

goodluck with the project...
-w

[techieman33]

I made some signs out of rope light this fall for footloose, and they looked great, you couldn't really see the individual bulbs from the house.

[JahJahwarrior]

sweet, called Target, they have ropelight! here we go!

[Mayhem]

One thought that I had was to use flexible clear plastic tubing and fill it with water and food colouring (or fill it with paint (enough to coat the inside) and tip the rest back into the pot). If using water, do not fully fill to allow for some expansion.

You should be able to get the little rubber stoppers or make them out of dowel. Just put a tack (or similar) through the tube and into the stopper to prevent it from working loose.

Make a backing board out of plywood or MDF and cut the shapes that you need with a jigsaw so that when you lay the tubing onto the board, the tubing sits on top of the the cut. For example, it you want to make a letter “T” just cut the single lines, not the outline

Then back light the board.

I think that this would give you the depth and the effect but may be a bit fiddly but might also be cheaper than rope light. I guess it depends upon your time, budget and inclination. I know that I am too late in posting this but I thought that I would throw it up anyway.