 These tubes in this amusement park's sign were broken and the surrounding "metal cans" needed work also. See below. Photo: Stan Fowler. |
Gilded signs, both surface and reverse on glass, can be cleaned gently
with soap and water, using a soft cloth. Additionally, for glass signs,
the varnish backing should be replaced every seven years at the latest.
Neon. Neon signs can last 50 years, although 20-25 years is more typical.
When a neon sign fails, it is not because the gas has "failed,"
but because the system surrounding it has broken down. The glass tubes
have been broken, for example, thus letting the gas escape, or the electrodes
or transformers have failed. If the tube is broken, a new one must be made
by a highly skilled "glass bender." After the hot glass tube
has been shaped, it must undergo "purification" before being
refilled with gas.
 Workers prepare the "metal cans" from a sign for re-mounting. Photo: Larry Kanter. |
The glass and the metal electrode at the end of the
tube are heated in turns. As these elements become hot, surface impurities
burn off into the tube. The resulting vapor is then removed through "evacuation"
-- the process of creating a vacuum. Only then is the "neon"
gas (neon or mercury-argon) added. Neon gives red light, mercury-argon produces
blue. Other colors are produced by using colored glass and any of dozens
of phosphor coatings inside the tube. Green, for example, can be produced
by using mercury-argon in yellow glass. Since color is so important in neon
signs, it is vital to determine the original color or colors. A neon studio
can accomplish this using a number of specialized techniques.
 Neon fabricators are installing the new tubing in the repaired and remounted cans. Photo: Larry Kanter. |
A failing transformer can cause the neon sign to flicker intensely,
and may have to be replaced. Flickering neon can also indicate a problem
with the gas pressure inside the tube. The gas may be at too high or too
low a pressure. If so, the gas must be repumped.
Repairs to neon signs also include repairs to the surrounding components
of the sign. The "metal cans" that often serve as backdrops to
the tubing may need cleaning or, in case of rust, scraping and repainting.
As with gilded signs, repair of neon signs is not a matter for amateurs.
"The Preservation of Historic Signs" an Historic Preservation Brief
