Introduction: Faux Neon Sign (Easy)

I wanted to make a faux neon sign for our gaming room. This project will take about 30 minutes to an hour, and can be adapted into any shape and can be mounted on multiple materials, not just wood. To begin, let's start with supplies.

Supplies

Materials will need:

  • EL Wire and Power Pack, Color of your choosing.
  • Batteries
  • A Wooden Plaque, preferably a deep one with a hollow back, to hide the power pack.
  • 1" Nails
  • A Template/Design
  • Cardboard (optional)
  • Superglue
  • 1/8" Drill Bit
  • Drill
  • Scissors
  • Hammer
  • Safety Glasses

Step 1: Step 1: Print and Apply Your Template.

The first thing you want to do is make/find an image you want to put on your sign.

I made a d20 dice in a drawing program and printed it out. You can use some scrap materials to figure out where you need to put nails and drill holes.

Once you have the process figured out, mark out the nail locations on the plaque and hammer in the nails. Make sure to wear safety glasses when you do this part!

Then drill out the holes with the 1/8" drill bit, where you need to feed the wire.

Step 2: Step 2: Add the Wire.

Before you start feeding your wire through your first hole, you will want to remove the little plastic bit on the tip of the wire. Set this aside, as you will need it at the end. It keeps humidity out of the wire, so we will add it back on once we have trimmed any excess wire.

Begin by pushing the wire through the first hole from the back, pulling all of it through. Follow your predetermined path and loop the wire around the nails. You do not want to create angles that are too sharp, as it can break the wires, but the wire can withstand being pulled taught around the nails. Once you've finished your design, you will want to push the remaining wire through a hole, so the excess is on the back.

You will want to trim the excess with scissors, leaving an inch or two. Replace the plastic cap on the end of the wire and tape it down.

Step 3: Step 3: Add Power and a Back.

Attach the battery pack to the wire connection. Mine required two AA batteries, but your's may be different.

Some of the nails were poking through the back, so I added several layers of cardboard to protect anyone who might be reaching around the back.

Once you have created the cardboard backing, you can glue the power pack onto the cardboard with superglue. You will want to leave enough room for the battery cover to be removed so that the batteries can be replaced in the future.

Step 4: Step 4: Finishing!

Now for the final step! You should be able to turn on your sign and hang it. You can also insert small items under the wire, to create a small message board. The possibilities are endless!