Sometimes CRT monitors break. Repairing them is always the first option, but if that isn’t possible because of irreplaceable, unavailable or too expensive components, there’s nothing left to do other than recycling the device. Until now the circuit boards have been used in CircuitFreax installations to create cyborgs and panels. Casings are used as picture frames and storage bins. Cables are used for circuit bending other gear, repairing other cables, etc. The only part left are the CRTs themselves. Until recently I had no idea what to do with these fragile, heavy and bulky glass objects, apart from throwing them away.
First install of three Lumitubes at De Nijverheid, Utrecht
Turns out they make cool lamps! To prepare the tubes it’s needed to remove the electron canon on the back and the shadow mask and phosphors on the inside. To diffuse the light I used transparent ice frost spray paint. Hanging the tubes is done with old cables. Except for the lightbulbs and spraypant, everything is made out of recycled materials.