Jump to content

ELECTRIC SIGN SUPPLIES
If You're Looking For Premium Electric Sign Industry Components From Trim Cap, LED's, Neon Supplies, Power Supplies, Pattern Paper.  Then Please Visit Our Online Store or Feel Free To Call Us For Inquiries or Placing an Order!!
Buy Now

SIGN INSTALLER MAP
Looking for a fellow Sign Syndicate Company Member For A Sign Install or Maintenance Call?
Click Here

For Sign Company's Who Work As Subcontractors
Before You Work For A National Sign & Service Company You Need To Look At The Reviews Of These Companies Before You Work For Them. Learn When To Expect Payment From Them and What It's Like To Work For Them, The Good, The Bad, The Ugly. Learn and Share Your Experiences Yourself For Others

Click Here

Search the Community

Showing results for tags 'neon'.

  • Search By Tags

    Type tags separated by commas.
  • Search By Author

Content Type


Forums

  • Site Information
    • Board News, Advertising & Board Function Information
    • Test Forum
    • The Order - Private Discussion
  • Sign Discussion
    • General Message Board
    • Joe Wartman's Electric Sign, Neon & Lighting Forum
    • Non-Illuminated Sign Discussion
    • Electric Sign Industry Articles
    • Trade Questions & Answers
    • Message Centers and Digital Signage
    • Sign Shop Surplus Inventory For Sale
    • Classifieds
    • Sign Shop Safety
    • Cranes, Buckets, & Trucks
    • Employment Job Listings
    • Sign Project Share Forum
    • The Hall of Shame
    • The Bid & Project Board
    • Government Legislature & Regulation
    • Sign Design, Environmental Graphic Design & Structural Planning
    • Board Vendor Directory
  • Off Topic Discussion
  • Contractor, Subcontractor, & Distributor Review Forums
    • Review Lists General Discussion
    • National Sign & Service Co. Review List
    • Subcontractor Review Forum
    • MFG, Wholesaler, & Distributors Review Directory
  • Board Tutorial Discussion Forum
    • Tutorial Support Forum
    • Tutorial Section Public General Discussion
    • Light Source Testing
  • Industry News
    • News
    • Trade Magazines

Blogs

  • Westcoast Sign Guy's Blog
  • RayofLight's Blog
  • Kirstie's Cafe
  • joemomma's Blog
  • cateran's corner
  • Sign God's Entertainment Review
  • janelingling's Blog
  • Signguy history. Johnny
  • DAVE THE NEON GUY's Blog
  • Honeybell's a Medic
  • <HV>'s Blog
  • JulieVan
  • keithwesternsign's Blog
  • big E's Blog
  • Neonleon2009's Blog
  • paul321's posts
  • Mike Kelley's Blog
  • Canadian installs
  • jhogsten's Blog
  • Phunkybones' Blog
  • G TSSI's Blog
  • etecdisplay's Blog
  • furneauxj's Blog
  • Signworksinc's Mississauga Ontario
  • Sign-Guy's Blog
  • The Chelsea Property Group does not pay its vendors
  • bubba's Blog
  • **Lumiron**'s Blog
  • Big T
  • signman1812's Blog
  • Imageoneind's Blog
  • Robert@SoCalSignGuy.com's Blog
  • tsimmons' Blog
  • gregnelson's Blog
  • Digital1's Blog
  • Advent Signs' Blog
  • Allstate Sign Co. Clare, Mi
  • Signs of Life
  • jlg64's Blog
  • SignsoftheTimes' Blog
  • yonstar's Blog
  • Glenda Pitts
  • Suncoast Neon's Blog
  • Looking For
  • High Voltage's Blog
  • Chatterbox's Blog
  • Chatterbox's Blog
  • Northern Sign Rick's Blog
  • mark.yurik@signswest.com's Blog
  • Permitguy's Blog
  • NeonGirl's Blog
  • arkmartin's Blog
  • Free LED Lighting and Discounted LED Display Signs
  • marknb@rogers.com's Blog
  • signman50's Blog
  • Matthew Ota's Blog
  • The EMC advantage
  • the sign lady's Blog
  • Hi Tech Displays - Parts needed
  • billsign's Blog
  • Randall1947's Blog
  • Milliken Distribution
  • signguy1968's Blog
  • susie@lnssigns.com's Blog
  • Corky Schauer's Blog
  • Sign Company In Houston Hiring
  • Triangle Sign and Service
  • stock
  • Hiring all Positions- Myrtle Beach
  • Sign Manufacturers
  • JS Crane Sales=Jimmy Smith & I-Crane=Bobby King
  • Capitol Neon

Find results in...

Find results that contain...


Date Created

  • Start

    End


Last Updated

  • Start

    End


Filter by number of...

Joined

  • Start

    End


Group


AIM


MSN


Website URL


ICQ


Yahoo


Jabber


Skype


Email Address


Name


Company


Job Title


City & State


Interests


How did you hear about The Sign Syndicate.com?


What Products or Services do you offer/sell to the sign industry?


Contact Number


Address


Equipment

  1. When signs were an art form, when you had truly "skilled" employed help and NOT just popped a light box on a wall. Here's a video I came across on my own local town. It kinda blew me away because we're no longer allowed to have any outdoor animated signs, but wow at the creativity it took to make these. Truly it can be said, "The good ol days"
  2. I Received this letter from Herb Moulton of Masters Technology that I thought would be a good idea to post, Masters Technology is a Neon component manufacturer and they have some big concerns on how our industry promotes Neon to the business community, or consumers/specifiers. Anyone interested in giving some feedback/suggestions I suggest commenting, replying on this thread or contacting Herb Directly 1-THE SIGN SYNDICATE FINAL R1.pdf
  3. Quality Long Life Channel Letters What does that take? The short answer is....always use the best light source according to the project application. I've been busy and took some time away from the Sign Syndicate to take care of a few accounts & live real life. I decided to maintain two good accounts and shut down my shop all the while turning down work from my regular clients and referrals until the jobs were done. The good thing was, I had some good loyal clients who waited for me until these projects were over. I had over 250 channel letters ranging from 12" to 46" and I did all of them myself and by hand instead of subbing them out. Why? I wanted something to do! On one of the accounts which I'll post soon I used LEDs for the obvious reasons, the stroke is too thin for Neon components, but there is something really awesome about these LEDs that I had a personal hand in but that will be a separate thread I'll post later. But for now I'm going to talk about this one, which is focused on Neon illumination. Neon illumination what??? A request by the client who owns a large national high end furniture chain that stems from the west coast to the east coast. I did their first job which was a entirely new location a couple of years ago which I posted here. They came to me by referral and they wanted Neon, NOT LED. They were real specific, reason been IS...they heard all the marketing claims made by sign companies who in turn heard it from the LED manufacturers about saving energy, prolonged life, yadda yadda over fluorescent lamps & Neon. A very topic we discussed in a topic "General LED Channel Letters On The Rise". They had a lot of signs made and retrofitted and well.......time went by and all the failures started to happen across multiple states in their wall signs and pylon signs. Enough was enough, they wanted to go back to light sources that they know always worked and never let them down , and that brought me to a group of stores right here in San Diego. They were making a name change re-brand over so I had to remove all the existing signs which were Neon illuminated. They were installed right for the most part and they didn't really have issues over time. I just improved what was used before, shorter runs, better material, making sure all circuits were properly loaded and going from single halo-phosphate (6500K) lamps to Tri-phoshor coated lamps. My first job for them I used FMS Neon's BL6500 in 12mm, I just continued that for this job. Wow, why 12mm? The Sign faces are day/ night, 3M perf over white. Using 12mm the appearance looked like 6500 white behind white acrylic, and it just a little more load than using 13mm. Seriously, it's that bright. I just happened to put these signs where a lot of the competitors also used 3M perf faces. They used LEDs, we used Neon, the result is now like someone sprinting past a jogger....with the jogger jogging backwards. No competition.....Truly! Using the Tri-Phosphor lamps each letter will be uniform in it's entirety, no need to worry about any individual letter light output degradation. When you have 15' of linear lamp for a letter you only have one single light source, or two depending on how you break it down per letter. For LEDs you would have over 67 individual modules with over 134 individual diodes that can break down, degrade, have irregular lumen maintenance and or fail showing uneven lighting over the years, which is not good for a high end furniture store This high end furniture chain wanted none of that, nor do I, especially with the spec of the sign having day night faces. Now, If I could have done some things different I would have used the Axioms AXLE 9XB's for one of the signs that was on a tilt up wall, that one would have been perfect because some of the letters also had a 1.5" stroke and the stroke was real small for the field installation as well is hitting rebar almost every 8", after all the Axioms are one of the rare LEDs thats as bright a 13mm Tri=Phosphor lamp running on 60ma. The Axiom AXLE9XB LEDs would be perfect, who wouldn't want Nichia of Japan LEDs in their sign? But, again...it was Neon specific so it just took longer to install, no biggy! Back to the illumination at night, it's even, it will stay even, the Tri-Phosphor lamps will stay whiter longer over time than the standard 6500 white. As if 6500 white didn't already stay white long enough. But Tri-Phosphor Whites can be 2 to 3 times brighter and stay white longer 2 to 3 times longer over time before the phosphor coats break down. I had a fun time on this project, 6 sign locations, plenty of 3'x16' monument aluminum faces and smaller to go with it. I had my kids who wanted summer money helping out in trim capping, channel letter fabrication, sign removal and installation. I can't post pics of all sign locations so I'll just keep it simple and it would just be redundant, I've posted this job before but on the initial job, this is more of the existing store chain locations making a rebrand. I'll start from the beginning. The removal My Second oldest getting involved Patterns on the wall Always double nut the system ground, bottom ground for the panel, top for the tranny! Plenty of head room for installation Part of my work organization Racks and boxes of Neon Load Plan Silicone GTO & electrode caps Letters and GTO up! C'mon Neon Day time shot Night time shot How the competition looks at night
  4. Came across this for those who enjoy Neon http://www.fastcodesign.com/3050290/a-new-book-documents-san-franciscos-disappearing-neon-signs
  5. From the album: Tako Tyko Signs and Lighting

    https://twitter.com/tako_tyko

    © Tako Tyko

  6. General LED Channel Letter Failures On The Rise Been getting a lot of calls to retrofit channel letters that are having failures. It seems like that short time period of three to five years has finally come around to where the sign user who bought from the lowest bidder or bought into the idea of "saving money....more efficient mantra" is coming around to bite them in the ass as well as the sign shop who made a poor choice in using the inexpensive most likely Chinese LEDs. The reality is, there are very few LED manufacturers I would personally EVER use for sign projects that I build. I base that based on our very own Sign Syndicate Light Testing Projects where we test just about every LED on the market and have been doing so since 2008 The failures I see out on the field do nothing but support those results . LED Modules are great for peeling and sticking, spending more time in the shop than out in the field but they should not be used for everything. Too many sign shop are lazy, they look for an "easy way" to stay in business, that's the plain truth of our industry. The Sign Syndicate's Neon & LED Test Comparison "The Great White Hope" (2012 Shot) Our enabling of LED manufacturers inflated, exaggerated, and even misleading marketing points is what help kill our own industry, and now those chickens are coming home to roost. Those 100,000 hours, 80,000 hours, 60,000 hours, 50,000 hours that a lot of sign shops within our industry have financially sabotaged, and screwed the consumer. The LED powers supplies have gotten cheaper, so have the LED modules, shops scramble for the 50¢ modules, the plastic $20 power supplies and a few years later...Waalaa.... individual diode failure leading to inconsistent lighting and power supplies that truly couldn't handle the heat of the load. I've seen this rise in retrofit the retrofit and I'm only in 70˙F weather all year around in just that last couple of months. For Red LEDs that were supposed to last sooooo long, well now those same channel letter faces that were so evenly lit are now hot spotting. The LED Sign market if you don't know as it relates to the sign industry is a crap shoot. Very few reputable companies like GE and others, don't even want to be in it any longer, they would rather be in general lighting. Why? Too many cheap consumers, too many sign companies that don't make wise decisions get lured and duped by the ever growing and disappearing market of what was once here today is gone tomorrow. Sure, a lot of manufacturers tell sign shops their components are warrantied for 5 years BUT, do they, do YOU replace those parts for free to your client? Chances are like most of the scenarios that call me say no, "I still get charged labor" Shame on those companies and shame on you if you're one of those companies. You planned out your project, you spec'd out your project and there is absolutely NO reason why a electric sign should not carry a 5 year "worry free" electrical warranty. This industry has plenty of quality components that are built to last, and Neon is still a VERY viable option especially when it comes to consistency in longevity as well as lighting, unfortunately that is no longer an option for a lot of shops because they lack the "know how", or willingness to learn, even worse..they only posses the laziness and willingness to collect a check and walk away. Today I still continue to install the right light source based on the application, that goes for using LEDs, Fluorescent or Neon. 20+ years later I get very few failures , VERY few. I have signs that operated for 18+ without a single maintenance call. I know I may work a little harder, pay a little more, even spend a little more time with each project BUT...I do sleep easier at night, I don't have to worry about taking those calls about having to come back, and I have happier clients that have stuck with more for my 20+ years that I've been in business. Just some Thursday food for thought to chew on.
  7. Here's an article about someone I'm familiar with for anyone interested about some hands on Neon workshops. Now might be a VERY good time to start getting into the trade with the demand for Neon starting to rise!
  8. PSFS lighting: Committee rejects switch from neon to LED http://planphilly.com/articles/2015/05/27/psfs-lighting-committee-rejects-switch-from-neon-to-led Four letters have spelled Philly since 1932: PSFS. High above 12th and Market streets, two 26-foot high PSFS signs have been illuminated by parallel tubes of red neon for 83 years. Now the landmark building’s owners and consultants contend that the sign lighting systems are at the end of their serviceable life, and it’s time for a 21st century replacement. The PSFS building was individually listed in the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places in 1968, and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976. The local designation means any changes to the exterior require Philadelphia Historical Commission approval. On Tuesday Heritage Consulting Group presented an application on behalf of Loews Philadelphia Hotel to the commission’s Architectural Committee to convert the PSFS sign’s illumination from neon to Light Emitting Diodes (LED) designed to closely match the original color and intensity. The committee, which offers advisory recommendations to the commission, unanimously rejected the LED proposal voicing several concerns. Commission staff did not recommend approval of the application because the applicants did not demonstrate that it is not feasible to restore the sign. Loews, which has operated the PSFS building as a hotel since 2000, argued that safely maintaining the sign is a challenge, as is keeping all letters illuminated. What were once parallel tubes of neon have been reduced to disjointed single runs of neon, the result of years of temporary fixes aimed at keeping the lights on. The application package states that the building’s head engineer says the sign can’t even be powered down at this point because “each time the power is cycled, at least one section of the sign goes dark due to damaged electrical wiring.” Though neon restoration could be cheaper the applicants said the conversion to LED would help Loews meet its corporate sustainability targets, save on energy costs, and require less frequent repairs. “Loews is committed to keeping the sign lit,” Danny Smith, a Loews representative, told the committee. Heritage Consulting’s Cindy Hamilton noted that Loews is trying to be a good Philadelphia citizen, but it is under no obligation to keep the sign illuminated. Indeed before the hotel conversion the letters were dark for most of the 1990s. While some committee members were open to the idea of LEDs, they were not persuaded by the application. The applicants, they said, had not demonstrated that replacing the neon in-kind – which would effectively require rebuilding the neon system – was infeasible. The proposed LED design would mimic the neon tubes with two lines of light set in a box. Committee members felt that an LED mockup installed on one section of the sign looked convincing when viewed head on, some had concerns about how the sign would be visible from oblique views. While tubes of neon are meant to reflect off of the coated surface of the sign’s letters, they wondered if the boxed LEDs would glow as visibly. (As of this writing, the mockup is still on the sign – bonus points for the person who can name what letter it is on.) The application argues that unlike art neon signs, the use of neon on the PSFS sign was simply the chosen vehicle for illumination. Commission staffer Randal Baron said, however, that staff regards the neon as an artifact in its own right. The PSFS sign was a pioneering example of integrating illuminated graphics into architecture, designed as part of George Howe and William Lescaze’s bold International Style skyscraper. The sign is a defining feature on the most important building added to Philadelphia in the 20th century. “This is an icon we need to treat as respectfully as possible,” said the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s Advocacy Director Patrick Grossi in a public comment. The owners, he said, should make every effort to restore the neon. Plus, he expressed trepidation that an LED sign could open the door to different colors being programmed instead of the sign’s trademark red. (Imagine a green PSFS on a big Eagles game day.) Neon artisan and historian Len Davidson also commented that the PSFS sign’s neon system has been so badly compromised and rigged that it’s stressed, by design. In his estimation a rebuilt, well-balanced neon system would be more enduring than LEDs, which do not perform especially well in high-humidity, bad weather, and high-up installations. Neon, Davidson said, has a long track record while we don’t know the true longevity of LEDs. The Historical Commission will review the application to turn PSFS from neon to LED at its meeting on Friday, June 12.
  9. Erik Sine

    Back to Good

    After some testimony on this subject the panel voted to stick with Neon after all, a VERY wise decision. Good for Lenny to step in. It's too bad they thought they were limited in vendors to choose from to come in and complete the job and restore the Neon. They just need to pick someone who continues to manufacture Neon projects, theirs plenty of them out there and supplies aren't that hard to find especially for this one. Glass, glass housings, GTO & Transformers aren't that hard to find....maybe not looking hard enough or just looking for an easy way out. Just hope who ever does the work re-engineers the tranny runs and does it right. Loews would replace neon PSFS sign with LED letters http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20150527_Loews_would_replace_neon_PSFS_sign_with_LED_letters.html The Loews hotel chain has tinkered for 15 years to keep the neon PSFS sign aglow on Philadelphia's skyline, but officials said Tuesday they believe the time has come to do away with the old and bring in the new. Arguing that the 83-year-old sign has become too costly and burdensome to maintain Loews representatives asked the Philadelphia Historical Commission for permission to replace the neon tubes and transformers of the signature red sign with LED lights. The commission's architecture committee voted unanimously against the idea. The 27-foot-tall sign, atop the skyline since its installation in 1932 by the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, they argued, is a historic artifact that can, and should, be fixed. "The standards are very clear that it's better to repair than replace," said committee member Suzanne Pentz, referring to preservation rules in place. "The neon is its own artifact," said preservation planner Randal Baron. The PSFS matter came during the fifth hour of a busy meeting during which the committee also voted against a high-profile plan for Center City's nearly demolished 1920s-era Boyd movie palace. That proposal, by Jim Pearlstein's Pearl Properties, seeks to build an apartment tower and street-level stores where the Boyd formerly occupied a large section of Chestnut Street between 19th and 20th Streets. The committee expressed a number of concerns, ranging from what materials might be used on new facades, to whether to install a glass enclosure leading into an arcade entryway beneath the theater's original marquee. Both proposals were scheduled to come before the full commission for a vote June 12th. But where the Boyd for years has been a lightning rod of debate and scuttled redevelopment plans as preservationists squared off with developers, the PSFS sign proposal shed light on the fragile goodwill that has kept the unmistakable and enduring landmark visible on the city's skyline. Before Loews moved into the dormant PSFS building in 1999, the sign had been dark for a decade, noted consultant Cindy Hamilton, representing the hotel. Loews has no obligation to retain the sign, let alone keep it lit, despite its prominence and the company's decision to include it prominently on the hotel's Philadelphia website. And yet, the company stitched together a fix here and there for years, until deciding it did not want to spend a hefty sum to rebuild it entirely as a high-wattage neon structure. Now, amid increasingly scarce suppliers of neon, the hotelier said it was eager for an alternative to keep the sign lit. Officials said it would be cheaper and easier to maintain the PSFS sign if it were replaced by a system of lower-wattage LED lights, as was done years ago on Boathouse Row. The popularity of LED has become so great it has contributed to the dearth of once-prevalent neon, said Danny Smith, the hotel's director of engineering. Where there used to be many suppliers, there now is only one for the PSFS moniker, said Patrick Hoban, of Philadelphia Sign Co., whose employees scale and sometimes dangle from the letters to conduct tricky maintenance work. "It's getting harder to get neon components," Hoban said. "It takes me weeks to get the neon to come in," Smith added. Len Davidson, who refurbishes neon signs, did not buy the scarcity argument. Neon for his projects, he said, has been readily available. "This sign is a great example of demolition by neglect," Davidson said. "The sign has been compromised terribly."
  10. Vern Walker's Enormous Automotive Neon Sign Collection Sells For $4.65 Million http://www.hotrod.com/features/automobilia/1504-vern-walkers-enormous-automotive-neon-sign-collection-sells-for-4-65-million/ Mecum Auctions is well known among street rodders for its live auctions of street rods, hot rods, classic cars and trucks, muscle cars, and collector cars. Attending a Mecum Auction is like going to a top-level car show, except that virtually every vehicle will leave with a different owner than it arrived with. In March 2015, Mecum hosted an auction in West Memphis, Arkansas, where no automobiles but some impressive cherished automobilia was up for sale. It was the huge collection of vintage signs belonging to Vernon Walker. Walker is the man behind Walker Radiator as well as a co-founder of the National Street Rod Association. He was a relative young gun when he started collecting vintage signage from businesses, such as dealerships, drug stores, gas stations, repair shops, and restaurants, as well as products ranging from motor oil to beer. His interest was a combination of an appreciation for a historic style and a desire to save the rare porcelain neon signs from destruction. "Being a car guy, I thought owning some of the dealership signs would be something fun to get into. I quickly found that the future of these signs was not shaping up to be such a pretty picture." Other collectors were buying the rare double-sided porcelain signs and splitting them apart in order to re-sell them as two signs. "They were destroying the history of these signs, so when I realized what was going on, I just went crazy buying signs." After almost 50 years of going crazy buying signs, the Walker sign collection had grown to more than 400 pieces of nostalgic commercial art. So why sell them now? "It's certainly not that I don't like them anymore," Vern said. "It was just that I figured they should be hung up so people can enjoy them." That's where Mecum Auctions comes in. On March 27-28, 2015, 421 pieces from the Walker Sign Collection were sold for a total of $4.65 million. The top seller of the event was the Weakley Equipment Co. Lawn Equipment sign, which sold for $125,000. The signs shown here were among the top 10 highest priced items at the Mecum auction.
  11. NEON FIRE SALE!!! LIMITED SUPPLY AVAILABLE - SHOPPING CART LINK
  12. From the album: Installations

    Paul Signs Inc. removal of the iconic Wonder Wheel sign in Coney Island in May of 2014. The sign needed some repairs after superstorm hurricane Sandy damaged most of New York and it's beach communities. There was salt water damage and wear and tear of time showing on the famous sign. It has been 14 years since we last refurbished the sign.
  13. From the album: Installations

    Paul Signs Inc. removal of the iconic Wonder Wheel sign in Coney Island in May of 2014. The sign needed some repairs after superstorm hurricane Sandy damaged most of New York and it's beach communities. There was salt water damage and wear and tear of time showing on the famous sign. It has been 14 years since we last refurbished the sign.
  14. From the album: Installations

    The return of the Wonder Wheel sign in Coney Island, NY. After repairing the worn out electronics and giving the sign some fresh paint after removing any rust and salt water damage sustained during the Hurricane Sandy storm, the sign was put back home.
  15. paul321

    Wonder Wheel 1

    From the album: Installations

    Replacing electronics for the world famous Wonder Wheel neon sign.
  16. I think if you look at a neon lamp hard & long enough, I think you'll see that it has a soul
  17. Just read this in the newest Signs Of The Times March Issue. It's a letter to the editor from Harold Cortese president of EGL, basically a complaint as to why they weren't included in the article. Letter To The Editor http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/sott_201503/#/14 Original Article http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/STMG/sott_201411/#/36 I think they weren't included probably because it would turn into a fluff piece rather than wanting to get to the root of the problem. You can only do that from Neon users or suppliers themselves. Harold's letter was very self serving, and a free advertisement of "look here!". Here's the quote kicker ".....In closing, neon signmakers still have material and equipment vendor options outside of Chinese products: they'll be available for as long as the industry supports its own...." In a matter of fact, EGL has really hammered down on retrofitting Neon out with their LEDs, if you go to any show, you'll notice that the EGL booth Neon products have shrunk, and they're displaying what they're heavily invested in...LEDs. I mean, they've even advertised this in a few trade magazines EEEEeerrrrrr, brochures rags. Once they were a Neon company who proded themselves on real numbers and sources you can measure. If I remember correctly their LEDs are Chinese yes??? They say you can contact them directly and place an order. Not true. In a matter of fact, I've tried in the past to place an order and it's damn near impossible, they don't even return phone calls. This is the reason why I jumped on over to using FMS and Tecnolux. I'm glad Marcus didn't contact them, because all the SOT reader would have gotten in return was "fluff" and marketing garbage. Marcus's original article literally slapped manufacturers and sign suppliers like them in the face.....hard.... and it didn't feel, or taste good either. There is reason for that, that's because it was the hard truth. Cheers to you Signs Of The Times! P.S. I don't even know why SOT even printed that letter from EGL.
  18. National Park Service grants available for Route 66 preservation in Tulsa http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/local/national-park-service-grants-available-for-route-preservation-in-tulsa/article_5f8f6782-2ba6-569a-8f43-71b6040ee1c0.html This is great, money available to the qualified! Now they just need to search for some REAL qualified sign companies who know what their doing to they can IMPROVE (re-engineer) the old sign installations and make them maintenance free for at least 10 years before even so much as a transformer replacement
  19. I was curious about something so I thought I'd pop it here. Over the last few years doing sign supply sales here on the SS a few things always got thrown at me. A lot of sign companies that still do Neon don't necessarily care if some of the components are UL or not, as long as they appear durable. Things such as Glass/polycarb tube supports, Silicone GTO, caps & boots, Neon housings (100's, 200's, 300's), even magnetic transformers (after all it's just a cord and coil). Transformer & LED power supply boxes. I've seen UL recognized or classified Silicone GTO, but it may not necessarily be the new 814, but still rated the same. Most of the reason for the non-UL stuff is because those costs have gotten higher, well.....because of UL and over inflating costs by suppliers and manufacturers coupled with the fact that the UL inspector that visits your shop now doesn't even know what the hell their looking at anymore when it comes to Neon. Same goes for the Inspectors. I'm not talking about cheap electronic transformers, something that can catch fire etc, just the smaller component supplies
  20. Return of the Dragon: Iconic sign goes back up on 25th Street http://www.standard.net/Local/2015/01/29/Return-of-the-Dragon.html OGDEN — The folks on Historic 25th Street haven’t been this excited since the repeal of Prohibition. They’re calling it “Return of the Dragon,” and it’s not just a classic Bruce Lee martial-arts film. It’s also a well-deserved party for a long-very-nearly-lost friend. The neon dragon sign that for more than 60 years loomed over the Star Noodle Parlor on 25th Street is finally back where it belongs. On Monday, crews from YESCO, the company that built the original sign, returned the dragon to its rightful place on the famed downtown Ogden street — whence it had been missing since 2008. And now, on Friday, Feb. 6, a “Return of the Dragon” celebration is planned. At 5 p.m., refreshments will be served at the building at 225 Historic 25th St., including a “reinvention” of the famed shrimp salad that the Star Noodle Parlor used to serve. Then, at 5:30 p.m., comes the moment folks have been anticipating for more than six years: Following brief speeches by the appropriate dignitaries, the dragon will officially blaze back to life when a switch is thrown, exciting the dragon’s colorful neon tubes. Carolyn Brierley, executive director of the Historic 25th Street Business Association, said her association’s members are all abuzz about the return of the neon dragon to its rightful place on the famed street. “It’s pretty exciting,” Brierley said. “This is really a famous sign; I had no idea it was such an iconic landmark, even outside Utah. I think it’s going to bring us several visitors. We’re excited it’s going back in.” In 2007, the Star Noodle Parlor building was sold, and the following year the dragon was removed for renovations to the sign and the facade. The dragon was supposed to go back up on the building later that year, but instead went into storage. “It was going to be a temporary removal, to find out what was behind the fake storefront,” said Greg Montgomery, planning manager for Ogden City. “But then the economy went in a different direction.” What was going to be a quick turnaround dragged on for months, and then years. “We were just waiting for the economy to turn,” explained building owner Thaine Fischer. According to Montgomery, the building went up in 1912, and housed both live theater, and later, a projection theater. It was originally called the Revere Theater. The following year it became the Cherry Theater, and then from 1914 to 1933 it was the Rex Theater, Montgomery said. It became Star Noodle Parlor in 1948. The dragon sign wasn’t a part of the original building, so it didn’t qualify for historical status — and therefore any financial help through tax credits, according to Montgomery. As a result, Fischer admits renovating the dragon was “very expensive.” “The sign itself is an iconic sign for the community,” Fischer said. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t meet the criteria for a historical sign. … It’s iconic, but not historical.” So then, why restore it? “It was a community investment,” Fischer said. “When we bought the building, we loved the sign. It’s just an iconic sign that we love.” For its part, the Landmarks Commission just wanted to make sure the dragon returned to 25th Street, according to Montgomery. “What the Landmarks Commission didn’t want was for the sign to be removed and forgotten, where the owners say, ‘Oh? What sign?’ ” Montgomery said. “We’ve had others on the street take down signs and take them with them … although nothing as iconic as the dragon.” The excitement about the return of the dragon has been building for quite some time now. Barbara Taylor is marketing director of R&O Construction, the Ogden company hired to do the renovation at 225 Historic 25th St. She says once folks found out R&O was doing the renovation on the old Star Noodle Parlor building, they were inundated with questions about the beloved dragon. “We’ve had so many people asking us about it — ‘When’s it going in?’ ‘When’s it coming back?’ ” she said. “People are pretty excited.” Because the building — which was actually two buildings with a common facade — sat empty for so long, there were some structural issues, according to Taylor. The company also had to level the sloped theater floor, and a tunnel was discovered beneath the building. Fischer says a Salt Lake City restaurant, Pig & a Jelly Jar, will be opening a second location on the main level. An IT company will be housed upstairs. Other tenants are pending. The original neon dragon sign was built by YESCO, of Salt Lake City. YESCO president Steve Jones said his company is honored to have handled the restoration of the dragon. “YESCO had its beginnings in Ogden, in the early 1920s,” Jones said. “We played a role in 25th Street — including this sign — so this is a real treat for us.” YESCO’s Steve White was the project manager for the dragon restoration. The neon wonder was delivered to YESCO, on a pallet, on Nov. 19, 2013, according to White, and he oversaw a crew of 10 to 12 people who completed various phases of the restoration. White says it was pretty much a labor of love. “For every hour I spent on the clock, working on it, I easily spent another hour off,” he said. White figures he’s got about 200 hours, himself, invested in the project. The sign, which is about 10 feet tall and 12 feet long, includes more than 250 feet of neon, involving 68 separate pieces of neon tubing. It’s powered by 12 neon transformers, each with its own circuit. “I’ve worked here since 2006, and this is easily the most complicated sign I’ve ever worked on,” White said. During the restoration, workers carefully removed several layers of “skins” — metal coverings placed over the sign with each subsequent change in name. White says the “Rooms” reference restored to the current sign was on the original. “We found something in the neighborhood of 10 coats of paint on the sign,” Jones said. “And I think we’ve maintained this sign since we first put it up.” Although they can’t be certain exactly when the dragon was built, judging from the methods used, White guesses it was created “somewhere in the late ’30s or early ’40s.” And the newly restored neon sign is getting glowing reviews. “It’s great. They did a great job,” Montgomery said. “It’s been one of those missing pieces on 25th Street — this was the final missing piece.” Taylor praises the fact that “it’s been all local involvement,” from the architect, to the construction company, to the sign restoration company. “We’re excited because it’s a part of Ogden’s history, and we’re delighted to be a part of it,” Taylor said. Added Fischer: “I think everybody, including ourselves, is excited to put the sign back up. I cannot wait to see it up there.”
  21. ABSOLUTE SIGN is seeking an experienced sign and lighting technician. Qualified candidates must be knowledgeable in servicing neon, parking lot lights, LED, fluorescent, diagnosing electrical issues. Electrical sign installation experience a plus. Must be a self-starter and motivated. Must have a California Driver's License. Must have the ability to perform well under pressure. Minimum of 3 years experience in the field. Competitive compensation. Fax your resume to 562-592-6198 or call the office. 562-592-5838
  22. Pretty cool. Came across this story to a beautiful Neon sign that was was posted here during the production in a thread about the rise of Neon back in the electric sign industry. New Long Beach Dunkin’ Donuts draws a crowd http://www.presstelegram.com/general-news/20141209/new-long-beach-dunkin-donuts-draws-a-crowd LONG BEACH>> Dunkin’ Donuts return to California continued Tuesday morning as dozens awoke before dawn to line up outside the chain’s new store to either taste an old favorite or find out what all the fuss is about. “They go back all the way to my early childhood,” said Glenn Ferdinand, 49, of Long Beach. “My mom worked at Dunkin’ Donuts when I was a kid. Dunkin’ Donuts is part of my life.” Ferdinand grew up in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, and dressed for the occasion of the new store’s opening in a pullover Red Sox jacket. “This is the first stop when I travel home. This is the first stop for me,” he said while he waited for a large “regular” cup of coffee and a “honey-dipped” doughnut, which is known on this side of the country as a glazed doughnut. Long Beach’s new Dunkin’ Donuts opened at 5 a.m. near the 7th Street-Pacific Coast Highway intersection. In Long Beach, the doughnut chain’s opening attracted a steady stream of drive-thru and walk-in customers. Some of those who stood in line said they arrived about an hour before the store’s opening trying to become one of the first 100 customers who claimed an orange bag of “doughnut swag” that included a coffee cup and voucher for a free cup of caffeinated brew. The first customer in line received free coffee for a year. That customer was Johnny Hoops of North Hollywood; he has also been the first customer the store’s openings in Downey and Santa Monica, company officials said. The Long Beach spot was once home to The Original Grind, and to the relief of Long Beach history buffs, store operators decided to keep the old business’ giant doughnut to advertise its wares. Franchisee Dan Almquist joked that he had to divert money that he could have otherwise saved for one of his children’s education to pay for the sign’s restoration. “It was a few bucks. It was a six-figure number,” Almquist said, noting that the restoration required a considerable amount of new materials. The sign makes the Long Beach shop unique among Dunkin’ Donuts establishments, and not just the few that have opened in California. Company public relations manager Lindsay Harrington said the 7th Street store is the only Dunkin’ Donuts in the country that has such an iconic, large doughnut sign outside its doors. The Massachusetts-based Dunkin’ Donuts has thus far only established a minimal presence in the Golden State. After a long absence from California, the chain opened the first of a new wave of stand-alone stores in August in the Central Valley city of Modesto. Dunkin’ Donuts followed that move up with a focus on Southern California. Santa Monica welcomed a Dunkin’ Donuts store in early September, and Downey saw a store arrive later that month. As the chain expands, Long Beach could see more Dunkin’ Donuts open locally. Almquist, who is managing partner of Newport Beach’s Frontier Real Estate Investments, said the company invested around $2 million to open the new Long Beach store and has plans for two or three more stores in the seaside city. Potential locations and future opening dates are “top secret” for now. Besides the new standalone stores, Dunkin’ Donuts products are also for sale in California at Camp Pendleton, Barstow Station and inside the Embassy Suites San Diego Bay Downtown Hotel. The chain has announced plans for more than 200 California stores to open in the next several years.
  23. I Told You that Shift was Coming. Now a Large National is looking to go back into what so many have kicked to the curb and lost interest in. With so many now out of the game in producing & installing Neon as far as equipment, experienced help, this leaves the door wide open for those who stuck with Neon or for those who are now choosing to go back into it. Like I've said, it's been on the rise, but is there enough Neon Sign Components to go around? Encore Image Launches Neon Signs To Enhance Retail And Corporate Branding http://marketersmedia.com/encore-image-launches-neon-signs-to-enhance-retail-and-corporate-branding/70139 Encoreimage.com showcases the vast assortment of neon signs available for businesses of all sizes. Ontario, CA, United States of America – December 10, 2014 /MarketersMedia/ — Writing for the daily entrepreneur magazine “Gaebler.com” news reporter Ken Gaebler offers tips to business owners, and anyone else interested in joining the business world. Ken Gaebler advises, “Neon signs have been a great addition to the American advertising landscape. Once seen as an omnipresent aspect of any business, this colorful form of signage is still available and highly effective. The use of neon signs in today’s business world can still offer many distinct benefits.” Ken points out why neon signs have distinct advantages over other forms of signage. “Neon signs are visible from a greater distance and can draw the attention of those both on the street and driving by in traffic. While traditional signs generally need to be replaced every five years, a well engineered neon sign usually lasts between eight to fifteen years. Custom made neon signs also offer your business a degree of individuality and will lead to increased awareness with consumers.” Meeting the needs of business owners who desire custom neon signs to their retail signage and corporate branding, is the Encore Image company of Ontario, CA. Company spokesperson Chet Wilkens expresses their mission in this way, “At Encore Image, we create and craft a diverse assortment of neon signage for the world of business and architecture. Neon offers a unique degree of identity to the retail branding and corporate process. Our clients report to us that the neon signage designed by Encore Image has allowed them to establish themselves as an original force and fierce competitor in their marketplace.” Chet Wilkins continues, “The Ontario CA monument signs our company has designed, have been engineered to achieve the ultimate in visuality and creative impact. Along with our distinctive brand of original design, each neon sign we work on is well-fabricated and engineered for the utmost in longevity. No matter the size of a project, we are proud to provide the highest standards of our industry from initial conception to the final stages of on-site installation.” Neon Image has also established themselves as a company that is willing to go the extra mile for all of its clients. Chet further explains, “The design and engineering services we provide to our clients can not be under-estimated. With over sixty years of experience designing neon elements and building entire signs, we know that the details do not end with creative design.” Spokesperson Chet Wilkins elaborates, “Neon signage requires permits for it to exist. Most frustrating for business owners is the fact that often the most effective visual forms of creativity tend to encounter more restrictions from local government. The team at Neon Image will work with clients to make sure the necessary permits and all variance issues have been properly approved. There is no limit to the level of services we provide to our clients in terms of design, manufacture and complete determination to obtain government procurement.” About Encore Image: With over sixty years of experience, Encore Image has created and designed custom neon signs to the highest limits of the signage industry. This company believes that superior visuality can be achieved using neon and neon elements. Known for their work on architectural, retail and corporate signs, the team at Encore Image works with businesses of all sizes. They bring a high degree of professional engineering to every sign, lighting and architectural project they undertake for their diverse group of clients.
  24. 2014 CHRISTMAS NEON SPECIALS From now until Christmas Specials On TC200 Housings, Casino Bushings, Silicone Caps & Boots, Novaglo Lead Free Electrodes, Brass Electrode Buttons & Caps. http://www.thesignsyndicate.com/forums/index.php?/store/category/3-sign-supplies/
×
  • Create New...