New Product OK Used Cars Restoration Part 3

[TheNeonShop1985]

See Part 1 and Part 2 for previous steps.

Now all we have left to do is mount the glass and build the crate. we start with the bottom of the crate and then move the sign. We will mount all out glass before building the rest of the crate.

What a difference!

We do our final inspection and touch ups before finshing our crate with runners to screw the eyebolts into. This will ensure the sign isn't jostled before reaching its destination.

What a great Project! We are Glad we could share this process with you. If you have any questions about our process or sign making in general feel free to contact us (517)-420-1207 or theneonshop1985@gmail.com Also Check out our social media and business page.
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[JBurton]

This sh*t really tempts me to toss the plotter and start learning neon. If only there was still someone bending in AR at all...

 

[Stacey K]

WOW! That's way over my head. You appear to be part neon-bender, part magician! Thank you for sharing, very interesting process!

 

[TheNeonShop1985]

This sh*t really tempts me to toss the plotter and start learning neon. If only there was still someone bending in AR at all...

I'd be happy to bend your glass for you, load us up and make the drive worth it for you. you could pick everything up at one time.

 

[JBurton]

I'd be happy to bend your glass for you, load us up and make the drive worth it for you. you could pick everything up at one time.

Luckily enough, I have a guy in Memphis and one in Texas, though I have to ship them patterns instead of being able to email scaled drawings. Do you have a plotter at least?

Also, I've never seen someone do a double back into a pk housing like this. I'm assuming it's to miss the painted features, like 'used cars', and to put the housings in the background regions. But for the life of me I can't figure out the two end units being broke in half like these. No, wait, it just occurred to me, you aren't going to flex the neon to get it into the pk's if you did the end semi circle in one piece.
Also I forgot to out right say it, this is a fine looking piece of work!

 

[Boudica]

That looks really nice!

 

[garyroy]

Ka-Razy sweet. Really nice. You guys do some good work.
That sign brings back a lot of memories.
Of course the process was quick, right, I saw the Road Runner there helping. Beep Beep

 

[Mike Paul]

Awesome

 

[VizualVoice]

what a cool project. thanks for sharing!

 

[The Sign Goddess]

Our shop replaced the neon on one of those too! Last I heard I think the sign went to Kentucky at auction. Sweet sign!

 

[MGB_LE]

Novice question: would LED not be easier to work with, in some ways? Would there be a case for restoring such a sign using LED strips as replacement/upgrade in capabilities?

 

[AndersHerp]

Novice question: would LED not be easier to work with, in some ways? Would there be a case for restoring such a sign using LED strips as replacement/upgrade in capabilities?

You can, we have done it our shop before. It just doesn't look the same since neon stands off of the backer and you get a halo effect from it. But you can still do some very cool things with it as well.

 

[Stacey K]

Novice question: would LED not be easier to work with, in some ways? Would there be a case for restoring such a sign using LED strips as replacement/upgrade in capabilities?

I wonder if it's more of an "age" thing going with the neon vs LED? Older folks remembering their youth with all the cool neon signs and then as an adult being able to capture that little piece of history? Personally, I would just opt for the LED but I'm not old enough to remember all the cool neon signs.

 

[JBurton]

I wonder if it's more of an "age" thing going with the neon vs LED? Older folks remembering their youth with all the cool neon signs and then as an adult being able to capture that little piece of history? Personally, I would just opt for the LED but I'm not old enough to remember all the cool neon signs.

I'm in the camp against faux neon. It is nowhere near as resilient as glass, modules start going out leaving a real garbage look, none of the products are clear when not illuminated, none of them evenly glow out 360 degrees for a simultaneous back/front light effect, they are great for cheap signs that won't last very long, even when interior mounted on a window.
Plus, seeing it lit up right in front of you, it's magical. You can see through clear glass pieces, and yet it's emitting light, blues, purples, and ruby reds where always the coolest pieces.

 

[TheNeonShop1985]

Luckily enough, I have a guy in Memphis and one in Texas, though I have to ship them patterns instead of being able to email scaled drawings. Do you have a plotter at least?

Also, I've never seen someone do a double back into a pk housing like this. I'm assuming it's to miss the painted features, like 'used cars', and to put the housings in the background regions. But for the life of me I can't figure out the two end units being broke in half like these. No, wait, it just occurred to me, you aren't going to flex the neon to get it into the pk's if you did the end semi circle in one piece.
Also I forgot to out right say it, this is a fine looking piece of work!

yea i have a plotter its older but it gets the job done. Alt of times were having to hit the previous/original sign pk's, like in this case.

 

[ProSignTN]

Novice question: would LED not be easier to work with, in some ways? Would there be a case for restoring such a sign using LED strips as replacement/upgrade in capabilities?

No!

 

[neon benders]

I'm in the camp against faux neon. It is nowhere near as resilient as glass, modules start going out leaving a real garbage look, none of the products are clear when not illuminated, none of them evenly glow out 360 degrees for a simultaneous back/front light effect, they are great for cheap signs that won't last very long, even when interior mounted on a window.
Plus, seeing it lit up right in front of you, it's magical. You can see through clear glass pieces, and yet it's emitting light, blues, purples, and ruby reds where always the coolest pieces.

Yes you are right, I am in Texas and ALL the led installs go out and do not "glow" like neon. The only good install I saw was a Winky Lux POP display at Target in 10mm faux-neon on top of a feather background in cosmetics. The PTerrys burger places are will designed in faux-neon. Great designs.

 

[JBurton]

Yes you are right, I am in Texas and ALL the led installs go out and do not "glow" like neon. The only good install I saw was a Winky Lux POP display at Target in 10mm faux-neon on top of a feather background in cosmetics. The PTerrys burger places are will designed in faux-neon. Great designs.

About the only great use for faux neon that I'd wager neon benders can also appreciate is the liquor store signs. Never met a neon guy who was thrilled to price a replacement unit for one, and everybody and their brother wants their beer sign fixed.

 

[neon benders]

Beer sign repair is pretty lucrative $$ in most instances. We used to repair signs for the local beer distributor. Good money, you need a dip tank though and delivery method to pickup and drop off repaired signs.

 

[JBurton]

You find folks that will pay??? I guess rather, they find you, most folks who walk through our doors carrying one expect it to cost less than what they paid for the sign, which often is $50 at a garage sale, or some going out of business sale, or it was given to them by their uncle, or it's been in the volunteer fire station for years until Chet Elderson left it plugged in and it burnt down the entire Arlen volunteer fire station.