Updated for 2012, this guide covers how to estimate, warranties and quantity discounts, an estimate form, design and engineering fees, service and installation hourly rates, a letter footage chart, and ...
Don't do this, unless you're a plumber.
Because August is vacation time for many, it's time to think about major projects you normally put off, er, "don't have time for." Like moving, remodeling a shop or starting a new business.
Investing a little foresight into planning the neon-workshop layout and gas/air installation can save considerable labor and frustration in the long run. Excluding hands and eyes, the neon bender's primary work tools are the fires. If they're not constant or easily adjustable, even the best bender can't perform well with them. In many shops I've visited, the gas and air plumbing caused inconsistent flame settings.
Don't toy with gas plumbing. A plumber who's licensed by the local gas company should set it up. Most residential gas explosions result from unprofessional homework on gas systems.
Natural gas vs. propane
In most commercial and residential areas, natural gas is piped into build-ings. If natural gas isn't available, use a tank of propane in an out-door shed. Some municipality regulations require special tank-storage cabinets.
Propane flames, which are hotter than natural-gas flames, require a different gas/air ratio in the mixer (see ST , July 2000, page 36). Because propane is stored under high pressure in the tank, in liquid form, you need a "reducer" (regulator) that normally produces a pressure of 0.8-1 psi. Special, high-pressure installations run up to 20 psi. When selecting a regulator, make sure you can crank up all fires and still have some capacity to spare.
Gas booster
Normally, a gas company guarantees a roughly 0.3- to 0.5-psi pressure (which appears directly behind the gas meter). If your shop is in an industrial zone in which other, large, gas consumers are frequently switched on or off, or if you're located so far from the gas works that the pressure is very low, or your neon area is 100 ft. or more from the main gas meter, consider installing a gas booster.
In the winter, I saw a glass-melting furnace stop due to low-pressure conditions in the gas line — in Brooklyn! Thus, to regulate gas pressure in your area, ask a licensed plumber if it's advisable to install a gas booster, which is merely a gas-tight roots blower (a positive displacement pump with two lobed impellers, shaped roughly in a figure-8). The regulator must be a closed-cycle model that feeds surplus gas back into the booster's intake.
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