Saturday, January 14, 2012

BL Neon!

I was lucky enough to visit a fantastic neon sign company this week. Bernard, the owner of the company BLneon was kind enough to give me an in depth and fascinating lesson in many aspects of neon work.

Below is a picture of a piece of neon he made for me there and then as he explained the process of how a neon sign is made.
My first contact with BLneon was a cold call a couple of weeks ago. I was looking for a used 15kv NST as a laser power supply. (I'm trying to eliminate possible problems with my currently non-functional laser.)
I explained what I was up to and Bernard was bemused but interested in what I was badly describing over the phone. Without hesitation he offered me a visit his workshop in Celbridge and I jumped at the chance!
This is a shaky shot of Bernard and his son Keith with the freshly made neon tube!

Visit BLneons Website: www.blneonsigns.ie

Ciaran looks after the digital end so don't forget they do normal signs too!

I was very touched by the generosity and openness of the whole family on my visit. Unfortunately a lot of companies in Ireland have become very paranoid and secretive over the last while, fearing I assume litigation or thievery from everyone who isn't a straightforward customer.
My visit to BLneon rekindled my faith in Irish companies. Perhaps when the focus is on quality and craftsmanship instead of money, there is far less to fear.

Many thanks to Bernard, Keith and Ciaran!

No comments:

Post a Comment