Sight Glass

This might interest some people. I am restoring a 5hp "S" Type Petter, its a 2 stroke semi deisel oil engine with a mechanical oiler. This oiler is a cast iron box (if you like) that has a sight glass fitted to one side to allow monitoring of the oil reserve. Well the sight glass was missing, and the hunt began for a new sight glass. Impossible to get an original, and asking a couple of local restorers rounded up a couple of peices but were the wrong size. So I thought, Okay I will have to ask at the glass shop. The tube I needed is 125mm long by 12mm wide, (5in x 1/2in). I couldnt beleive it, they wanted $90.00 Aust. Thats like about $50.00US. I dont know about you guys but this seemed like a hell of a lot of money for a 5 inch long glass tube. So not to be out done, the mind pondered a little more. I was at work and noticed our neon light, it was basically what I was looking for. I contacted the guy who made the sign and asked for a blown/broken neon light tube and he had one. I got it cut to length, cleaned it, and it fitted purfectly. The best thing was that my $90.00 dollar job only cost me $3.00!! Russell