Tutorial

Warren Wilson, one of our Glowire artists, has been so kind as to document his construction details for the beautiful Santa he created.  Thanks Warren!  Hope these will be helpful to anyone interested in trying to create similar figures.

Glowire

Electro-luminescent wire.
It's easy to work with, moderately priced, predictable results.  As with almost any "how-to-do" article it's highly recommended that the article be read in it's entirety first.  Applicable information is scattered throughout.

Tools & consumables:  artists knife with a very sharp blade or single edge razor blade; 25 watt soldering iron and a large iron of about 100 watts or soldering gun; solder with rosin flux; liquid flux, fine grain emery paper, nylon upholstery thread; fingernail polish; fine gauge of insulated wire for leads; a large pair of tweezers with serrated jaws; some means of adjusting power to the lower wattage soldering iron is desirable.

Frame
Obviously every project is different and therefore each support will be different.  The frame described here is what I've used for three figures.  For starters examine the way neon signs in store windows are made.  There are a lot of similarities.  Glowire should not be tightly folded back on itself.  Glowire lends itself very well to two dimensions.  That is a flat display.  Mine stand upright and have a wood base with multiple vertical supports of a heavy gauge solid copper wire.  Construction supply houses, home improvement centers, sell it as electrical grounding wire.  Drill holes in the base just large enough for the wire and do not go all the way through the board.  If you do, find a washer that will accept solder and solder it on the wire as a depth stop.  Lighter frame is 16 gauge solid copper wire.  A 100' spool is inexpensive.  The insulation must be stripped from the wire.  To remove the small variations in the wire, roll it between two boards and it will come out nice and straight then it can be bent to shape.  For the heavy wire try not to let the clerk roll it too tight as it's more difficult to make straight.  This is solid wire, not multi-stranded as it's too flexible.

Shape
Again this is widely dependent on the builder's concept of what's wanted.  My work involved three figures which were flat.  For two, the pumpkin and Santa, I took a page out of a child's coloring book.  These were enlarged on an engineering copier until it was the size I wanted.  The Orca or killer whale was enlarged from embroidery on a shirt.  Those with an artistic touch can do their work freehand.  Unless you have space constraints, make it as large as possible.  Mine are all about a yard.  Lay out the support wires over the pattern backed by a large piece of cardboard, tape them down then take the lighter wire and bend to shape.  When the lighter wire crosses on top of the heavy wire solder the two together with the large soldering iron or gun.  Apply a bit of flux and solder.  If the wire is oxidized it may need cleaning with an abrasive first.  Continue and add braces as necessary to have a rigid frame.  While bending and soldering keep imagining how you are going to route the Glowire.  If the frame is to be suspended it need not be as rigid as one having a rigid base.

Attachment
Yet again the individual builder may have different and potentially better ideas.  I used heavy gauge upholstery nylon thread of a light color.  Tan in my case is what the store had.  I used a locking know that I learned as an apprentice building electrical cables for flight test aircraft.  The thread is strong and will hold the Glowire to the frame and at a distance won't be seen when the object is illuminated.  I use the small soldering iron, at lower heat, to melt the thread when the knot is completed.  This is quick, easy and prevents the thread from unraveling.  As an aid in tying the knots I use a large pair of tweezers with serrated jaws.  Before attaching the Glowire, I terminate one end and leave the other end free, cutting it at the end when finished.  Because I wanted my objects to be essentially the same from the front and back I laced my Glowire to the outside bend of the support wire.  For visibility from one side the Glowire can be tied to the front of the support wire.  To interrupt or break closely spaced segments of the same color, slip a length of heat shrink tubing over the Glowire.  I haven't found it necessary to shrink it.  This can reduce the need to start a new segment.  If a know is trimmed a bit close and you think that it may unravel, put a small dab of fingernail polish on the knot.  On curves it will be necessary to apply ties closer than on long straight sections.

Lead wire
A wide variety of different lead wires may be used.  Much will depend on the job and naturally the fabricators resources.  For places where the installation won't likely be handled much, magnet wire, which is insulated, can be used.  About 24 gauge or finer.  For places subject to more rigorous a heavier wire may be called for.  Many times the wire removed from a length of telephone interconnect cable works well.  You know, that's the flexible cable between the wall and telephone.  Remove the outer jacket and you have 2 or 4 insulated wires of different colors.

Connections.
Generally every manufacturer has recommendations regarding their product.  Glowire is no different. Sometimes variations are permissible.  It takes time to make each connection and each has a certain size.  For my use of Glowire I've found it possible to vary their method.  Each connection to the Glowire requires approximately 1/2 inch of Glowire minimum.  It's recommended that you make the connection, tie it to the support frame before cutting the Glowire to the final length.  Depending on your skill and confidence, it wouldn't hurt to practice.  With the razor cut around the outer jacket about 1/2 inch back.  Until you gain experience cutting don't go too deep.  Under the outer jacket is another thin jacket, two very fine wires, phosphor and the inner conductor.  Remove only the outer jacket after cutting by pulling the slug off.  If it doesn't come off readily, cut just a little deeper and then try again.  Removing the inner jacket is done with the smaller soldering iron.  With the small soldering iron operating at about 2/3rds power lay the wire at a 90 degree angle on the hot tip a bit back from the very tip and quickly rotate the wire a full turn.  Quickly lay the iron down and pull off the thin jacket.  This will reveal the two fine wires and the phosphor coated inner conductor.  Bend the two fine wires back about 90 degrees and twist them together.  With the razor blade of artist's knife, scrape the phosphor off of the wire for a distance of about 1/8th of an inch.  Be sure to remove the phosphor from all the way around.  Take a length of lead wire.  If it has plastic insulation strip about 1/16 of an inch off.  Test to see how much the insulation will shrink back additionally when heated and compensate.  If using magnet wire the insulation must be carefully removed all the way around.  Apply liquid flux and tin both wires.  Lay the two wires alongside each other and then solder.  Slip about a 1/2 inch length of small heat shrink tubing over the connection just made.  Make sure that the two fine wires are sticking out before shrinking the tubing.  Fold the fine wires parallel alongside the tubing and apply flux and tin both wires.  Lay the two together, parallel and solder.  Put shrink tubing over the entire junction and a short ways over the outer jacket of the Glowire.  This makes a small strong connection.  When I first started using Glowire, I tested each segment before putting it into place.  After gaining experience I was able to eliminate this step.  I "lit" the wire but an ohmmeter should work well with an open or very high resistance being indicated.
The far end, after installation on the frame is cut off.  Seal with fingernail polish.  Use dark color if the color at the end isn't desired.
Segments of Glowire  can be connected in series.
When all of the segments have been put on the frame all of the lead wires can be brought together.  I connect all of the centers together and the fine wires together.  I avoid neatly bunching the lead wires together.  My figures are seen at night with a very dark background and the wires which are loosely gathered aren't visible.

Inverters
My systems operate from a 12 volt source and have more than minimum length recommended for the inverter.  An inverter can be operated at lower input potential if the minimum length of Glowire isn't used as in a small object, or if full brightness isn't needed.
One figure has motion in that some segments are turned off and others are turned on.  I use a small SPDT relay.  The relay contacts must be rated for a minimum 120 volt AC.  The coil according to the application.
Every guide can't cover all situations, however this description covers my experiences.  I look forward to further and different applications of electroluminescent wire.

Warren L. Wilson
November 2002

Click on pictures to enlarge