Podcast EP1 – Pat Collentine – Traditional Neon and Plasma

Finally, It’s here, the first podcast episode of Taming Lightning! Thank You for your patience and your support. It was a lot of figuring out how I would like to the podcast to run, as well as recording, editing, and publishing!

You can now reach this page by using the address www.taminglightning.net!
Note the image at the top of the page, submitted by James Akers’ work Emoticon Hieroglyphs, who will be one of our future guest on the podcast.

The timing for this episode is something special, it’s the birthday of Nikola Tesla, who is integral to the process of neon and plasma as the inventor or the Tesla Coil, the original Lightning Tamer. Who is one of the many inspirations to our guest for today’s podcast .

Show Notes

Intro Music: Boost by Jakim Karud
www.joakimkarud.com
https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud

Outro Music: Re-Entry by Lapse
https://soundcloud.com/lapse

The intro is Boost by Jaokim Karud, selected by your votes and participation in the Intro music poll for Taming Lightning. Jaokim Swedish artist that love to produce chill and happy music, and does so for copyright free use. Be sure to support his music by crediting his use, subscribing, and or by donation. If you like what you hear, you can find him on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Spotify.

In today’s podcast, we’ll be talking with Pat Collentine about the differences between traditional neon and plasma, as it relates to both art and lighting. Unfortunately, due to software issues we were not able to record the entire conversation, but today’s topic will be covered in full.

Pat Collentine is a Glassblower and sign maker of Tesla Neon Studios in Chico, California, as well as an is an artist and educator experimenting in Plasma Neon. We met back in 2014 at Pilchuck Glass School, where I took his class called Interactive Light. It was my first introduction in what plasma is, and it spurned my interest in neon and doing it myself. In that process, he’s been a great friend and mentor.

Traditional neon

Relates to tube bending and signmaking
Advertising medium foremost- historically
Bright as possible, visibility
Only use the gases Neon(Ne) and Argon(Ar), with small amount of mercury with Argon. (florescent tubes has a small bit of mercury)
Phosphor powders will enhance the brightness of the tube.
Electrodes at both ends, Flowing from electrode to electrode, to make a bright tube
8mm to 15mm
Cold-cathode, larger diameter tube, used primarily for older tube illumination in architecture
Powered with High Voltage
Requires proper processing, very little room for error.
Converts wall current 110vt in US, 4kv to 15kv

Plasma Neon

Powered with High Frequency Electricity, that illuminates with radio field
Uses the Noble Gases: Neon(Ne), Argon(Ar), Krypton(Kr), Xenon(Xe), as well as other gases like Nitrogen(N)
Largely unexplored
One electrode – internal and external electrode (no electrode).
- Electrical Conduction for illumination
Energy is sent into the airwaves
The Transformer acts as radio transmitter, while object is an antennae
Tactile sense via virtual ground

Thank you for listening to the first episode of Taming Lightening Podcast, we have many more guest to come, and some returning to expand on questions and practices of variety of subjects. I like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as well as encouraging me to pursue this project. We have just begun, but have already gathered interest in hosting instructors for the next summer classes. Also, I’d like to thank Pat Collentine for his time and his mentorship, as well as the Plasma Art Alliance whom many of my guests are connected through.
Feel free to send your questions to this email, share, and comment!

Thank you,

Percy Echols II
Sorcerer Apprentice ⚡