Neon Numbers

It’s a super look without the expensive custom neon. Looks like neon and is going to last longer than you will :blush: When you sell your house and move to your next one it’ll be hard to leave it behind.

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uh… how about some videos of that too. :slight_smile:
the poofers that is.

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That is glorious! I’m taking a “vacation” next week, which just means not working, and pottering around the house. This post has inspired me to try to gussy up the house numbers.

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It is super easy. I measured the width of the neon rope then adjusted the size of the font until it was the same width. Then I saved it as a PDF and sent it to the Glowforge. I did do a test cut first of one number to check the width. My first cut was was a bit too wide. I also felt the sharpest corners were too tight so I rounded them off a bit.

On one of the last number you can see I added a small rectangle. This was to fit the connecter at the end of the strip. I figured it would save me soldering three extra wires. I was also not sure I had enough length so I didn’t want to waste any of the LEDs by cutting the connector off. You can also see a small circle across from the connector cutout. This was to allow me to route the wires next to the neon strip. If I were to do it over I would buy a much longer strip and cut and finish the ends so I wouldn’t need those cutouts.

I glued two of these together to make some depth and the just pressed the neon into the slot. The only difficult part was soldering the strips together.

One additional note is that when you are using rattle can automotive spray and it says to let it cure for 48 hours don’t try to rush it.

Here you can see where I masked it after 24 hours so that I could paint the black numbers. When I removed the tape it messed up the texture of the white paint. :frowning:

I later resprayed it to even it out some. Here’s another shot from the workshop with the lights out. It really doesn’t look like LEDs.

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Great write up @lairdknox, thanks for the tips.
Your work came out great!

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I’m only half evil. :wink:

Unfortunately I might have to sell in a few years and then I can watch as they bulldoze the numbers along with the house. :cry:

They are working to redesign the highway through downtown. In one plan these three blocks get wiped out. In the other two plans the street to the south is blocked off so that means that the people on that block will probably have to relocate but I open up on the cross street so I don’t know what that means. I’ll find out in the next three or four years.

I don’t mind the highway. The house is brick and the inside walls are framed and covered in sheetrock. I don’t hear anything. I would never be able to get into another space like this one. I got really lucky. The plan is to pay it off in the next ten years. I don’t want to reset that timer.

So no major improvements until I find out what’s going to happen. I don’t mind the smaller projects. Anything that doesn’t cost too much and makes it look better will only help the appraisal.

Poof, there it is!

This was just the proof of concept. The plumbing is slapped together and it is too short. The idea is for a tiki torch / poofer. The tiki basket is a stainless steel utensil holder from IKEA. :wink:

A friend thinks I should make an animatronic tentacle 6-8 feet tall with a poofer at the end to put on the corner of the lot. :astonished:

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that is just too cool. now hmmmm a ring of those around my pool deck…

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It actually wouldn’t be that difficult. :wink:

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you are not helping :slight_smile:

though setting up 20 or so to music would be kind of cool. likely flip out the neighbors though.

much like my friend’s suggestion on mole eradication. spotlight with a shotgun he says. look for moving ground.

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I’ve looked up direct burial gas lines and it is reasonable. With 20 or so you are stepping it up a notch. You would need at least a 100 pound propane tank and some way to keep it warm. I’ve frosted up a 20 pound tank on a chilly night with just a single poofer. It certainly could be done but it won’t come cheap at that scale. Convincing the zoning board might be a bigger challenge. :smiley:

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I think I will just stick to an LED light tube system I designed. but have yet to build :slight_smile:

The power of El Pulpo Mechanico compels you!

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Wow this is amazing, as someone with a real neon sign in my house I am a massive fan of neon! This is so good. :bowing_woman: :bowing_woman: :bowing_woman:

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Way too technical for me to ever do, but what an awesome project! Very unique and awesome!

That is WAY cool! Don’t think I’m up for the electrical challenge… but enjoyed your project!

WOW. that is a large amount of propane right there. :slight_smile:

Ha that made me laugh too hard.

Really great looking sign! Has a wonderful neon look.

If/when you decided to use your own controller, if you use the FastLED library, feel free to swing by the Reddit FastLED group with questions and to share your project.

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What a great job!! I love this project!