Hi GCS2000 ,

My name is Ryan Claytor. I'm a university professor, comics artist, as well as a pinball and neon enthusiast. As someone mentioned (thanks a bunch, ckcsm ) I design neon signs in collaboration with a neon fabricator, Josh Goodacre, who has over 30 years of experience bending neon. If you'd like to take a look at a few of our collaborative designs, you can see several of them here:

http://www.tinyurl.com/clayacre

Josh, the neon fabricator, can do anything (restorations, repops, repairs, etc) but the thing he and I love doing most are custom signs, like they one you're describing. We've got quite a few of them under our belt and even more that are being worked on RIGHT NOW. All that to say, we'd love to work with you.

You also asked...

...and meSz was right, that there are...

...namely:

- amount of glass
- size
- amount of animation (every step or frame of animation requires another transformer, and that can mount-up quickly with complex animation)

The number of colors in a neon sign doesn't affect cost...at least not our cost. The exception to that are specialty colors, which are a little more expensive, but not enough to make a big dent in the budget, like the things mentioned above.

In closing, if you (or anyone else) are interested, I'm happy to chat more specifics about your project privately. GCS2000 I just sent you a Pinside message to get things started.

Hope this finds you well,
Ryan ClaytorClaytorArcade.gif
claytorArcade_2000px.jpg

Wow! That has to be the nicest neon I have ever seen!

Yes, NeonTech is correct. They were beyond great to work with!

I’d love to find a bud light play pinball one

The two I pictured I sold. They were signs that originally depicted the names of local bars on them. I purchased them and had the manufacturer make the PLAY PINBALL tubes. So look for a neon on CL like that and just have a tube made.

It will cost little more money but ask Ryan to make you one. This would be the way to go as you can have him make what you want as opposed to settling for BUD LIGHT or some other brand you don't necessarily care for!

I used to have one and sold it lol

In other news, Josh and I just finished a non-personalized arcade sign that I designed.

arcadeTealPinkFinal (resized).jpg

This is a completely new and original sign, designed by me...

arcadeArrowPinkTeal (resized).jpg

...and expertly realized by Josh Goodacre of "The Neon Shop".

Our original idea was to have this for sale at show or two during Spring 2020, but...well...you're living this reality, too.

But that doesn't mean you can't have this sweet sign decorating your arcade. It's made in a retro-perfect 1950's-inspired teal and pink color scheme and hand-crafted in bona fide gas-and-glass neon by a master-bender with over 30 years of experience.

Price: $695
Dimensions: 2' wide x 1.5' tall

So what power supply do you use and what are you using for a frame? Hard to tell from your picture but it looks at if your standoffs are the ones that glue to plexi

I like this a lot! I need to come up with something . This is close, but wouldn't go where I am wanting. Would rather have the "real thing" like this than the stuff that is imported.

Now you have my wheels turning...….

That price is good for a custom bent neon sign. Do you know what shipping would be on something like that?

Chris

Just got some answers from Josh Goodacre (Owner/Fabricator of The Neon Shop):

theNeonShopAnimated600.gif

Josh says, "The tube supports are screwed in."

First, thanks for the kind words, SilverUnicorn ! I think I may have mentioned this, but...

So...when you're ready, let me know.

Also...

Josh says, "I'm completely guessing on the shipping, I'm thinking 1 to 150 to ship and 1 to 150 to package. If someone is really serious I can get an exact price, but it will take me a couple days. But I think between two and three, I would not expect more than 3"

P.S. This just in (perhaps it will help answer some of your questions, meSz )
arcadeTealPinkFinalOff (resized).jpg

Anyone familiar with this company

01313_ifMa37wJ2rz_600x450 (resized).jpg

00R0R_9xe3JOceaPz_600x450 (resized).jpg

Zeon Neon is a neon manufacturer that was bought out by Antigo, now called Antigo Zeon (https://www.antigozeon.com/). Big manufacturer of beer neon signs. They make some really nice neons but one of the downfalls of Zeon was their use of the Hot Swap Power Supplies. They just never seemed to last!

Does that pic show that ....?
It's a really nice neon.
I believe this sign is an older original

Show what? Not sure what you're asking here?

Depends on what you call old as the sign was manufactured in April 2009 so it's just over 11 years old.

Have to take your word as we can't see the neon from the two pics you provided.

Sorry could not figure out how to add entire link...

00R0R_apIgyCcm6e2_600x450 (resized).jpg

29" x 22"

I'm from SB
Went to SBHS

There we go ... the Fat Tire neon was made by a few different manufacturers but yeah Zeon was one of them. So your's is an "original" in the sense that's it not a knock off but it's not one of the first neon signs produced.

Really like it here! Moved out about year n half ago. Great place to be quarantined but, as you know, its not cheap! Not to mention pinball doesn't have a presence here......very little.

Chinese neon. I gave one as a gift a couple years ago and got one for myself at the same time. 18w 0.92 power factor uses 2 hongba 3kv power supply.
20200515_010946 (resized).jpg

Thread makes me want to find a couple old ones.

One of my neons that a secret santa gave me this past Christmas. Thanks again Santa.

thumbnail-1 (resized).jpg

I have had ZERO problems with Chinese neons. Keep them on 24/7 and have 7 of them with the same style HONGBA power supplies. They work perfectly and add background lighting ambience to the room. They have been running continuously for the last five years non-stop.

Highly recommend these.

Found this yesterday

D2E6DB9D-69EF-48D4-A5E4-3B889842E2D3 (resized).jpeg

Go grab the anchor steam if you haven’t already. It appears to be the smaller size version, maybe 8x8ish. Those small ones very hard to come by. I have the small Anchor and it’s one of my favorites. Great color and small to fit into the right space.

Here’s my smallest and my largest neons.
71A8DAD7-2C00-4A55-AC81-0D92F7FA65B8 (resized).jpeg

Your Sunkist guitar is sweet.
Never saw that one before.

I've got some of the parts for my Godzilla neon I'm making. I think It's going to work.

IMG_0332 (resized).jpg

Effin eh!!

Can you supply a list of parts that you used?

I found a neon sign that I want but it is a few states away and I do not want to drive to get it. I would like to get it shipped. Does UPS pack and ship neons? Any recommendations on professional packers/shippers?

I believe that a UPS store will pack and ship for you. Also, unless they have specific rules for glass, they will insure it so, in theory, there should not be a problem with a claim if they break it.

Great! Thank you! I will check into it.

UPS requires a minimum of 3" of protection on all sides of the neon. So if you're shipping a 24x24x6 neon your box should be a minimum of 30x30x12ish. Typically the best thing to do is ... box the neon in a box that is exactly the size of the sign and then place it in the bigger box with the minimum of 3" protection on all sides. Even with this.... if the neon is broken they will deny your claim at first. you will need to fight with them but as along as you follow their guidelines they will pay out in the end.

I can tell you the 2 UPS Stores close to my place, back in Pittsburgh, stopped shipping neon signs about 3 years ago as they had too many claims.

I bought a NECA 1962 Godzilla figure on Amazon for $23. A 12 inch 12 Volt Neon tube kit on Ebay for $9 and had the 12 V power supply from some appliance at home. I'm still looking for a good box to put it all in. The one pictured is just a temporary shoe box. I still need to get a female plug for the box when I get it.

IMG_0334 (resized).jpg

Thanks for the info. I may make one as well!

Found the Godzilla on Amazon but having trouble finding the Neon tube kit - can you post the link? Gonna have to try this myself

Same here.

Its Ebay item # 222156901884. I think the 6 in. one is to short so you need 12 in. in red

And ordered, thanks! I saw that one but it looked like from the picture and description two 6" ones not a choice between 6" and 12". Now I have to wait till the end of July to receive...

Theres a choice between 6 and 12 . Did you get the 12 ?

Is the 12inch one piece? The description is confusing yet they show a picture of a 13 inch piece? lol

Yes, got the 12", red. Ordered Godzilla from Amazon too. Lots of choices there, but the one you got seemed the best, so ordered that. Like most, got a box full of 12v converters so ready to go when the neon comes in

There are drop down boxes next to the description/pic to select 12" and the color.

Yes, you get two.

That's the best Godzilla for this because it comes with a Atomic Breath thing that fits in the back of his throat. The hole back there lets the neon tube fit better.

Everything had been ordered. I'm planning on building a destroyed city around Godzilla as well. Just not sure how I'll make the buildings yet.

I was thinking the same thing. I was looking at model railroad landscaping kits on Amazon. The company that makes the Godzilla makes all the other monsters too.

I just found walthers.com

It's an online business that sells DIY model railroad buildings and scenery.

Me thinks that may be the way to go.

Godzilla will be delivered tomorrow. Too bad it takes so long to get the neon. It appears most are using N scale train buildings with these size Godzilla figures. I actually already had a few Godzilla figures but bought another for this project.
I also have all 3 Godzilla actor’s autographs.

Yeah, it took a month for me to get the neon.

So, Godzilla size has changed through the years, but the early movies he was about 50 meters (164 Feet). N size railroad in the U.S. is 1:160, so a one foot Godzilla Figure would be about 1:164 - pretty good match for N scale.

84393536_2702420903205990_8566940342119563264_o-2 (resized).jpg

Nice to see an original neon picture posted, conformity is boring.

John