I never mess with them. I cut the cable from the old transformer and neon tube and splice in the new cable. Solder the wires, heat shrink over the repair.

LTG : )

I use a heat gun to get the boots good & hot and if need be get a pick under the boots to get them to break free.

Good job UPS, good job. Well packed, lots of Styrofoam.

Junk.

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Thats a bummer. Prolly wouldnt bee too pricey to have someone bend a new tube.

I'm sorry it happened.

A company that made some of my neon signs won't ship them. He told me that even if you do a good job, half won't make it intact.

LTG : )

love my clocks .........em's and neon

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Finished restoration on this 1950’s Crouse Hinds WAIT WALK neon pedestrian signal.

I'm thinking about contacting the company that made the sign and see if replacement glass is available.

I'm doubtful but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

OK... what time is it?

love my clocks .........em's and neon
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GTO owner here, love seeing the Pontiac neon

Looks like there are a few neon shops near Montville after a google search. Its a small one tube single color, prolly wouldnt be crazy to have one of them fix it.

Dude, that sucks! Hope someone local can help repair it at a cheap price. If not, throw a baby doll in there and call it “test tube baby” for Halloween

Unfortunately Rolling Rock is a AB product. All AB neon parts, including tubes, were made by Everbrite. Everbrite has ceased their neon facilities, including the old Mr Vernon plant, so they will not make you a replacement tube.

Well that answer that question.

Unfortunately I don't know anyone whom makes signs or repairs in the area.

This place is an hour from Montville
http://neonsigns4u.com/
There are a few other neon shops a bit further out as well. Just google neon repair in your area.

Whether in the area or not what you want to do is, take the broken pieces out of your sign and save them. Try not to break it any more than it is. Anyone who makes neon tubes will do a better job having the original tube then trying to recreate what was there. In short, they can make a pattern from the broken tube.

A win for the day after chasing down 2 leads for months.

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I'll set them aside. For all I know UPS will collect the damaged sign when the pay out the claim. If.

Put the claim in and when they advise they’re going to pick the sign up, which they will, advise them there’s is broken glass. When I have done this they advised to just throw the sign away.

Looks like a box of confetti to me, not optimistic

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I

They can copy the first "3" and duplicate it. If all else fails the Chinese neon manufacturers could make you a "33" and you could mount it inside. It'd be smaller diameter tubing probably and a separate power supply, but doable. Honestly, I think what you have is enough for a local shop to do.

Yeah this is where I was going. Even though that second piece is half intact a neon guy can use the rest of the tube to make a new one.

Drawback to this is, the housing of this sign is larger than the neon tube itself, the smaller neon tube will make a difference in my opinion. There's a lot of people out there that can duplicate this, he might have to just ship it out to someone. I use to use a guy in IL for years, his prices made it feasible for me to ship the broken tubes to him and then he would ship the new one back in the same box.

I have no problem shipping out if you can point me towards a vendor.

This guy is an hour drive from Montville.
http://neonsigns4u.com/

Send him an email [email protected] and show him the damaged tube. Give him approx dimensions and ask him if he can make you a replacement tube.

I would perfer someone pinsiders have done good business with, have you utilized the service before?

I'm sorry if this has been answered already but are Neon signs silent? I'm really thinking about adding one but I record a podcast with my machines on behind me and don't want to add a buzz or hum that I'd possibly have to remove.

I have not! I always try to get someone local that you can build a relationship with. Like pinball, you're not going to have one sign and the likelihood of only having one tube ever break is not going to happen. Plus, it avoids a lot of shipping cost and most importantly breakage.

When I fixed neon signs for a wholesaler I had accounts with all neon manufacturers to get replacement tubes from. Of all the tubes I received over the years the freight companies (UPS, FedEx, DHL etc.) ran about 65% in getting tubes shipped to me intact. These are the neon manufacturers shipping tubes in packaging specifically designed for shipping and they still arrived damaged 35% of the time. Again, I would strongly recommend locating a local place to you.

Gest of luck and let us know what happens.

yes and no! All depends on the sign and transformer that's used.

None of mine are noisy but they are all brand new. I had an older “Coke” one that was buzzing but the arcades (for the most part) drown it out. I gave it to a friend that collects “Coke” stuff.

I use to work at an electronics store way back in to 70's. When they closed, I was able to grab the neon sign ("Electronics Center") from the window. I use to have the transformer, but I used it on a Tesla Coil and it eventually moved on with the Tesla coil (ended up in a Haunted House).

So the sign has been hanging on walls ever since, never turned on (worked when last used). I figured it's time to do something with it, but not sure what. Sell, give it away, who knows what?

Any experts around that can help out?

Lousy picture, will update later.

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First thought is to tell you to buy a new transformer and light it up. If you're looking to sell it, a buyer is going to want to know if it works or not. Without knowing if it does then they're going to want it cheap in case a tube has leaked the gas out of it. Shipping something like this is not advisable so you're looking for someone willing to pick it up.

If you're not worried about making money off it (give it away) then post here and give it to a Pinsider in as is condition. This will save you any work.

Not saying the above is the only way to go, just some input.

So sad. Someone accidentally ran into on of my signs and cracked it. I may have a hook up to fix if but seeing if anyone out there has any recommendations.

Thanks,

Mike

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You'll have to get a new tube made, or that one patched at a neon shop, sadly. A patch would work, but the seams would be noticeable.

Yeah, I figured the transformer was a big hiccup. But if someone was into neon, they could always bring a transformer to test. When I loaned it out, I didn't realize it wouldn't eventually return. Oh well.

Or they could test it with a neon tube tester. I keep one in my truck for just such emergency in case I come across one at an auction or some place.

John

Only on Pinside would you read about someone always having a neon tube tester in case of emergency purchase

I actually just picked one up 2 weeks ago, lol.

They're cheap and really good to have. The only downside to them is, if a tube has leaked out some gas the tester will still light up the tube giving the impression that it's good. The effects of the gas leak wont be seen until a constant flow of electricity is put to the tube.

They’re generated with A.I., but I’m getting some terrific ideas for a custom neon sign!

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Pretty neat Tom. The first one would look neat if you had flippers in the bottom corners

My name is Tom and I vote for the last one.

I bought the red arcade sign off CL a few years ago for a song. Its transformer died a year ago. A friend took it to his neon guy and added my name above it in fat tube and gave it back to me as a gift. Thanks Nick!

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I like Bally machines so the Tom’s Bally Basement sign is cool too.

Picked up this non working vintage sign. Why? Because I do not own a flasher sign. Seller stated the cord was dry rotted and it had to be rewired. When I zapped it with my tester I was surprised that both tubes were good.

New power cord revealed that the flasher section worked but the 5kv section that was constant was open. No output. After lots of hacking inside the transformer and the addition of a new ebay transformer it lives on.

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Been looking for a reasonably priced bowtie and one finally popped up today.

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Scored a old school Firestone Walker sign off Craigslist for $75.

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Just finished up a fun project with a fellow pinsider. We made an alternative translight for my Barbwire and custom designed a brick background with custom neon signs. We exchanged lots of emails back and forth trying to find the perfect neon signs to add. We probably went through twenty renditions to get it perfect. We added Subaru, Honda, and other car signs but wanted it to feel like a 1980's bar backdrop and so they were removed. I think it turned out great and I am happy with it. I had to redo the backbox lighting to try and make the neon signs pop better. Makes me think I need to find a real Miller or New Castle sign to go in the gameroom next.

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Won this today at the York pinball show

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Does anyone know of a good cheap blockout paint that would work to re-dip an older sign? I am not going to pay for Stazon brand waterborne paint + shipping only for it to dry up before I need it again. Would there be a decent product avail from a local store?

Normally I leave them all original and appriciate their aged petina, howeverI have two signs that someone did some terrible painting on and another that needs all new tube supports.