Rustoleum black enamel paint will do the job.

My neon sign guy said plain old Rustoleum to touch up areas.

I tried it, it works. I brushed it on with the sign turned off and let it dry before turning the sign on.

LTG : )

I need smoke grey and will be doing the dipping. Too far gone to brush.

When I worked with a neon shop, I was told to use any black latex paint. Provides the same result, and is cheaper than any of the other stuff out there.

Secondly, has anyone found any kind of tube paint to replace the yellow? So when the sign makers started getting to be cheap skates, they stopped using yellow phosphor tube and started dipping white tubes in yellow paint. The issue is this is done AFTER processing the tube. I need to get one processed and when we run it thru the bomarder machine it will get hot, and the paint will burn. Would be nice to scrape it all off and start over.

Any high temp paints like for car engines ?

LTG : )

Rustoleum enamel paint comes in grey and black. Works perfect for dipping the tubes in.

It wont let the light thru. Its like a plastic / rubber coating.

Today's pickup, been in Army vets home for 30 years!

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Search for translucent paint for glass.

Amazon lists some.

LTG : )

Left it on overnight to burn off so it's of equal and proper brightness now.

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Love odd classic advertising

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I got a new sign... boy, new signs are bright! I can't swap out a power supply to make it dimmer correct? Maybe the dust will settle on the tubes fast and tone it down a little.

You can swap the power supply for one with a dimmer

Thank you! I did not know that was a thing! I literally hung the sign and just left it turned off, its so bright it changes the whole video of the room. I'll be ordering a dinner transformer today!

Mmmm, wondering what you would cook with that “dinner” transformer. Hopefully it’s edible! LOL

You can also look for a neon sign dimmer that plugs into the wall then the sign plugs into it. Has a dial on it that you can regulate the brightness of the sign.

This site will show the dimmers but at the prices I would look to the secondary market.
https://www.firehouseneon.com/search?q=dimmer

Oh, that's cool, didn't know that was an option either! I already ordered a dimmable transformer off of Amazon. Should be coming tomorrow. Gonna keep me eyes peeled for that option though because I can't get another neon unless I know I can keep it dim. Super excited to learn this is something you can do with neons!

Okay, dinner is served! the dimmer came, wired it up, works great...BUT there's a green ground wire on the dimmer unit. The stock unit doesn't have any wires going to the frame that I can spot. Is that where the ground wire should be attached, the metal frame of the sign? Definitely hum when I dim it, but it does the trick!

I have 2 signs with dimmers and they both humm when dimmed.

Take the ground wire and put it to one of the two screws that hold the power supply on. On most power supplies there will be a contact on one end of the power supply that will ground out the sign.

Good sized sign!

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Everyone needs a flux capacitor!

I got his hand me down.

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Newest addition! Brand new as well.

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Got a nice sign today, my second one (although my first is a cheap Chinese sign). The addiction begins….

A few questions. First, I assume it’s safe to clean the tubes with a paper towel that is slightly wet with windex?

Second, at the tube attachment points it appears there were rubber bands used to more permanently attach the tubes to the mounts. The bands have disintegrated. I’m thinking maybe fishing line as a replacement, although I’m not sure it’s even needed in home use. Anyone run into this?

I’m stoked. The sign is in great condition. I don’t drink anymore, but Dos Equis was one of my favorite beers.

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Yes. New rubber bands, more flex. Fishing line might be too tight.

LTG : )

They’d have to be some small rubber bands, like the kind I had for braces as a kid. I’m sure I can find them somewhere…

I use to clean neons a lot and always just dismantled the sign and dipped the tubes in water then lightly clean with a sponge then dry them off. The one thing to be careful with is the tubes that are painted (i.e. the XX is painted red). Water can break down the paint thus the reason a quick dip and lightly sponge them.

You're spot on with using bands for braces. The issue with bands is the fact that the tubes get warm thus they dry out and fall off. Best to use wire like they always used in the past. You can use wire like used for making jewelry. But, again, to your point it's not even needed in a home environment as the tube actually snaps into the supports. The wire or bands are a precautionary measure.

not to be downer but if you purchased this sign were you aware the acrylic beer glass is broken just above the left X ?

Lol, I didn’t notice it was cracked. I was so focused on the neon working. Ah well, it happens. I still like the sign.

Thanks for the other advice. I’ll probably forgo bands or wire and just hang it up. $10 says most won’t notice the cracked part, and if they do, eh. I’m easy going enough to not care.

I use a soft paint brush with windex sprayed on it or just a glass of water and dip the brush.

If it doesn't bother you that's all that matters.

If it does, keep an eye out for someone selling a broken one that you can pick up for few $ and swap the parts. I actually see one on LA Craigslist that's broken but the piece you need is intact.

I see it on LA Craigslist. Wow, they want as much for the broken neon as what I paid for my working sign with a damaged backdrop.

It really doesn’t bother me enough to do anything about it.

Give it a few weeks when no one buys it and several people tell him he's nuts.

I the neon shop finally got around to making my replacement ring for the clock. I didn’t see the “now playing” sign when I was in there before, but bought it off their wall when I did.

The honorable mention is the chili dog sign. Graphics on it really pop IMO

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The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, OH has started construction on Phase 2 that will add 16,000 sf of exhibit and event space opening July 2024. I am fortunate to be the hands-on project manager for my company that placed 280 cy of new topping slab yesterday. This cool Loyal Order of Moose sign from Lansing, Michigan Lodge 288 will be lit and on display in the new addition. IMG_5188 (resized).jpegIMG_5191 (resized).jpegIMG_5195 (resized).jpeg

On a roll this month, the bud one is new in the box.

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Brother, it seems like the past 6 months you have been adding a sign once a week. How many are you up to ?

38 actual neon items.

40 now.

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My first Neon sign...from Neon warehouse (vender) during pinball expo

Perfect size for room

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Careful, they breed like pinball games.

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I’ve been back and forth with this guy for a week. He doesn’t want to ship the flat piece and apparently thinks he’ll get a decent price locally. Thinks the broken sign is worth as much as a working one.

I offered him stupid money to ship the flat piece only to me. Nope.

Frustrating.

When collecting neon signs? Be patient. Might be a few weeks or a few months but an opportunity will present itself. The majority of the signs I have were purchased for $50 or less. Very few were more than that and usually because it was a particular sign that was rare like the "Team Neon" which I paid $100.

Make your final offer to the guy and move on. Maybe he will come around in a few weeks, maybe another will pop up.

I should have put my post in context. My sign is damaged; if you look above the left X, a piece of the beer mug is missing. There’s a guy in California with the same sign, but his neon is shattered. So I tried to get him to sell me the flat plastic piece and ship it to me. He thinks someone will buy his and fix the shattered neon. Seems unlikely to me. Then again, I’m a bit bitter that he won’t sell it to me, so whatever he’s doing isn’t right by me, ha ha.

Water under the bridge anyhow. I hung my sign today and my motivation to take it back down will be low. It does cause some reflection on the glass of TZ. Not too back, but noticeable. Kinda stinks.

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I’ve been trying to use a few as toppers, if I can find some related to the theme of the pin.

Bobbleheads make fun toppers too. Makes nudging more fun! LOL

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Picked up a couple last weekend in Glendale. Pretty much the last of that honeyhole. The good news is that he has another collection the next state over. These got delivered today. The clock is a ‘50’s Advertising Products Double Bubble Iroquois Beer and Ale. Not neon but cool.
I have a ruby red Pearl so I thought I would pick up the ‘70’s Lone Star. Andecker dates to ‘76. Ruby red small Budweiser looks like new.

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So I thought it was gonna be an easy fix on my Tito’s sign. The neon maker I have used in the past could not recreate austin texas portion on the bottom because it is smaller neon. I really value this sign.

Do you have any suggestions on how to get this fixed or if it is even possible to do so?

Thanks,

Mike

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