Fire House Neon Signs - Custom Neon Sign

November 9th is Neon Sign Day

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:13:00 +0000

November 9th commemorating the development of the first neon sign. In 1911, Frenchman, George Claude, applied for a patent on neon advertising signs. Las Vegas hasn’t been the same since!

Outdoor Open Signs in Stock

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 06:39:00 +0000

We have added a new Outdoor Neon Open Sign to our catalog. When people judge a business by how its signage looks, its important to make a good first impression. With just a quick glance, maybe three seconds, customers evaluate your business. In this short time, the customer forms an opinion about your business. This first impression can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, so making that first encounter the best is extremely important. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so is your signage. An attractive sign can help your business stand apart from the competition; it can presents a professional image and it serves as a silent on the street salesperson for your business. Now you can make a great first impression with this outdoor neon open sign.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Photographer Catalogs New York Neon Signs

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:03:00 +0000

The neon lights of New York are the subject of a collection of photographs showing off the glowing neon marquees in the city that never sleeps. Photographers James and Karla Murray captured the neon signs illuminating establishments across the city and compiled the snapshots in their new book 'New York Nights' published in December 2012.

'New York Nights' captures and preserved the beauty and charm of New York City’s traditional shops bathed in neon light. Thnis is a b ook that is sure to thrill those that lamented the dwindling numbers of old neon signs.

Ice Cream Neon Signs

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:08:00 +0000

Spring has sprung. Now is the time to open the doors to the local ice cream shoppe. Here is the scoop. The selling potential of one ouf our ice cream neon signs will have every sweet tooth in town knocking at your window.

Business is tough and it can be a rocky road when your business is only operational part of the year. But our ice cream neon signs are the cherry to top off your advertising campaign. They are very affordable, extremely effective and work for you 24/7 without complaint. Whether your customer prefers plain old vanilla ice cream or death by chocolate topped with whipped cream and sprinkles, a neon sign will help bring in the cold hard cash every business owner is looking for.

Museum of Neon Art Relocating to Glendale CA

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:15:00 +0000

When one thinks of a neon sign, what usually comes to mind is a splashy neon business sign used to attract attention. One often forgets that neon is an art form and a dying one at that. The Museum of Neon Art (MONA) is here to remind us of the spectular effects that can and have been achieved with neon glass art. MONA presents a bit of everything from classic restored neon signs to new age light shows. The museum is relocating to Glendale CA and a new building, where it will be the corner stone of the new Cultural Arts District. The museum is dedicated to keeping the art of neon alive and offers neon classes and well as neon tours in the LA area. You Glow MONA!

St. Patricks Day Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:35:00 +0000

It will soon be March 17th, also know as St. Patrick's Day to the Irish. Saint Patrick, who live during the first century is the patron saint of Ireland. Born in Roman Britian, he was kidnapped at the age of 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave. He later escaped, but returned to Ireland and is credited with bringing Christianity to it's people.

The symbolic shamrock has long been associated with St. Patrick. Legend has it that he compared the clovers leaves to the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Occassionally shamrocks are found with four leaves. These are rare and considered to be lucky for the finder.

In America, St. Patrick's day is celebrated with parades, shamrocks and all things Irish. From leprechauns to the color green and cabbage to the Blarney stone, you don't have to be Irish to celebrate this holiday. Slip on some green apparel and decorate your table with some green food and drinks. Hang green and orange balloons from the ceiling. Set out a four leaf clover neon sign to add some luck of the Irish. Play Irish Songs or put in a DVD of Riverdance. Decorate with posters and banners featuring pictures of Ireland. Soon you will have a new tradition to celebrate each year.

Installing an Outdoor Neon Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000

We now offer Outdoor Neon Signs with our standard sign designs, as well as custom neon signs. Outdoor signs come in an aluminum outdoor casing to stand up to the harsh elements. The case also comes with a clear plastic cover to protect the glasswork. All of our Outdoor Signs have a U.L.2161 listed power supply to be hardwire. There are a couple of ways to install outdoor signs. You can hire an electrician which we recommend, or you can do it yourself. The benefits of installing your own outdoor sign is a reduction in cost. You'll also receive the satisfaction in doing it yourself. However, some states such as Michigan require outdoor neon signs be install by a licensed Sign Specialist. Check with your local building department. They can inform you about the local regulations and direct you to the proper official to obtain a sign permit.

Tax Neon Signs for Year End

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:57:00 +0000

Tax season will soon be upon us and a bright neon sign can make all the different in attracting new clients. Your clients need to know you are open and ready to prepare their tax returns. Neon signs are time tested and one of the most cost effective methods of advertisng. With all the competition from H&R Block to Jackson Hewitt to the small tax preparer, making sure your tax sign draws attention should be your highest priority.

Fire House Neon Signs excels at making neon tax signs. Accountants know that good signage can make the difference for a business having a profitable year end or being in the red. Our stock tax signs are not really meant to branding your company as much as they are to attracting attention. We are confident you will find a neon sign that works well to promote you unique tax services.

Don't be Left Out in the Cold.

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:33:00 +0000

Before purchasing an LED sign, check with you local building department to make sure you will not break any city ordinance or zoning policies in your preferred location. Also consider your LED sign requirements and compare them to sign regulations set by your local government. Many communities set restrictions on the size and appearance of signs.You can find out how property is zoned by contacting your local building department, or use the state and local search engine to find if your city or county has zoning ordinances online. If you need any assistance, LED Sign Authority can help you select the right sign for your location. Here are a few questions you may want to ask your local building department:

How many square feet of signage is allowed?
Is there a minimum or maximum height restriction? What is it?
Are there set back requirements? Minimum distance from the roadway or sidewalk?
Are you allowed an LED Moving Message Sign? Can it move and scroll, or must it stay static?
Can anyone pull a permit or is a license necessary?
Can your organization install the sign themselves or is a Sign Specialist required?

If you need asssitance in for assistance in interpreting your local municipal sign codes and regulations please call or email LED Sign Authority. We are here to help.

Motor City New Year's Eve - The Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:27:00 +0000

The star of the first annual The Drop has gone. The 6 foot tall script neon D used in the inaugural edition has been replaced this year by an 8-foot tall red D using the same font as a local radio station.

The Drop, now in its second year, will turn the Compuware Atrium and Hard Rock Cafe into a destination for revelers on New Year's Eve, with food, drink, music, and dancing, in addition to dropping the D.

“The Drop was originally inspired by the core team last year with the desire to create a new tradition for Metro Detroiter’s to enjoy on New Year’s Eve,” Matthew Severson, the founder and president of Stockbridge-based Fire House Neon, created the original "D" in neon that was dropped for the first time at midnight 2011. He was originally asked to create an Old English style D for the drop until he got cease-and-desist call from the Ilitch family, which owns the Detroit Tigers. When presented with 2 pages of MLB copyright protected Old English style D's, organizers decided to reconstruct a simple script style D on the fly.

Christmas Sale-A-Rama

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:58:00 +0000

Christmas will be here in a little over 3 WEEKS! Catch your breath…don’t panic! We can help you! If you didn’t take advantage of our Early Bird Holiday Sales, don’t worry, we’ve got it here, PLUS some EXTRA GOODIES!

Listen, nothing is more wonderful than seeing the smiles after a loved one opens your gift. Why not give a gift that can last lietime and save yourself some big time money this year?

Our holiday deals include–

Click on each of the items to get all the savings

Select Neon Bar Signs 10% OFF.

Neon Clocks 10% OFF.

10% OFF Neon Sculptures.

Click here and let the holiday savings begin!

Guaranteed Christmas Delivery 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:43:00 +0000

If you still have not picked the perfect gift for your husband, son or family member, don’t worry its not too late. Firehouseneon.com offers Guaranteed Christmas Delivery on its custom neon signs until December 5th.

All you need is to select and order the custom neon sign of your choice sitting in the comfort of your home. In fact shopping has never been so easy. Give your loved a very personal gift. A hand craftered neon sign for your husbands man cave. You can get a neon sign within your budget. Surprise your husband with a neon bar sign or personalized tavern sign. We assure a prompt and Guaranteed Christmas Delivery. So let’s start shopping.

Neon Marquee Signs Make a Comeback

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 19:26:00 +0000

We often hear about the death of neon advertising. Yet neon signs have been making a comeback in the last 10 years or so. Cities have begun to embrassed the restoration of their old landmark neon marquee signs in an attempt to re-juvinate barrn downtowns. Neon marquee signs have begun to illuminate the streets and as the saying goes "bright lights...big city!". Detroit has sprouted neon marquees in parts of the city that haven't seen this art form for decades. The Fox Theater was restored to it former glory in the late 80's. Some new comers on the block include the Greektown Casino, the Trapper's Alley watertower, the Hockeytown cafe, and the retro sign at the newly reopened Gem Theatre just to name a few.

In Scottsville Michigan, the neon marquee on the old Star Theater has been renovated to its former glory, even though the building itself no longer houses a theater and is a facade for a business.

How to Buy a Custom Neon Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:26:00 +0000

Custom neon signs can be a very visible and essential part of how a business adve rtises on a day-to-day basis. You see them in windows, on building walls, and above doors. They brand your business, tell customers what you sell, proclaim your shop is open and present a professional image.

If you are considering purchasing a custom neon sign you need to know the right questions to ask and the features to consider. The neon sign features you should consider should be driven by the business objectives you hope to meet by purchasing a custom neon sign. This “How to Buy a Custom Neon Sign?” blog will be a guide that can help make your buying decision easy.

A business identity can make or break you. Every year Fortune 500 companies spend thousands of dollars on ad agencies to brand their business. From the logo to the marketing materials to the interior design, every detail ultimately revolves round getting noticed. While a small business may not have the advertising budget of a McDonalds or Coca Cola, there is no reason that they have to miss out of the advertising potential of a custom neon sign that features their logo in neon. Neon lighting has been a part of the American marketing arsenal for over 87 years for good reason They are one of the most cost effective forms of advertising available adding zip to streets that go dark after 5 p.m.

1. Neon Sign Size - Purchasing a neon sign online is a great way to buy a custom neon sign, no matter where you are located in the United States a custom neon sign can be shipped directly to your door. However, understand that the size of the neon sign you purchase will be limited to the size that can be safely shipped by common courier. You can safely ship a custom neon sign for indoor or outdoor use up to around 24″ x 31″ or 20″ x 37″ when shipping via UPS or FedEx. You will want to ensure the the seller guarantees safe shipping of the custom neon sign, as UPS and FedEx will not cover breakage of neon signs, even if you purchase insurance. Guaranteed safe shipping will ensure you receive a custom neon sign that works straight out of the box or the neon sign company will repair or replace it at their cost.

The size of your sign depends somewhat on your logo, artwork or amount of text. Popular sizes for text only custom neon signs are 13″ x 32″ and 20″ x 37″. As a general rule of thumb, your letters will be legible up to 38 feet away for every inch of letter height. Hence a 6″ lettering would be readable up to 200 feet away.

If you are needing a larger custom neon sign than cannot be shipped via courier, look to your local sign company. They will be able to assist you with specialized installations and generally offer a dedicated truck for delivery.

If you have your own design or logo, most neon sign companies will be able to adapt it to neon as long as the design is not to complex. You can often send you design to the designer as a hand drawn sketch, image or logo. Once you decide on a neon sign’s lettering and graphics, neon glass benders begin handcrafting each design by heating, bending and shaping straight sticks of hollow glass, small portions at a time.

We are often asked to create “just a small” custom neon sign. Customer often do not realize that the smaller the neon sign the more intricate the bending that is involved. It can take a glass bender years to obtain the skill necessary to bend a small intricate design, without cracking the glass when re-entering the fires. The smaller diameter glass necessary to achieve a small sign, is also more fragile and prone to breakage during shipping.

Neon glass sizes range form 8mm to 15mm. Interior neon signs are general done in 10 or 12mm glass, 15mm is used for border tubing and large outdoor channel letters. Small intricate designs are done in 8 and 9mm.

2. Neon Colors - The two most common gases are neon, which emits a fiery red, and a mixture of argon and minute particles of mercury, which emits a subdued blue. Clear glass allows you to see the characteristic neon colors emitted by the gas. Fluorescent powders may be painted or baked to the inside walls of the glass tubing and the source light is then converted into a multitude of shades such as pink, turquoise, and green. By altering the mixture of elements, subtle differences are possible. For example, white is available in a wide array of color temperatures from warm to cool.

A neon designer can assist you with selecting colors that work well together for your custom neon sign. Some colors are more suitable for borders, others work well for text. For example, red neon letters are most readable, and account for its popularity in open signs. Purples and yellows are least readable and are usually recommended for borders. Black backings will also increase the visibility of your sign. Intense colors work well on an outdoor sign, but would be to bright in your home bar.

3. Neon Font Styles - A wide variety of font styles can be recreated from block to script. Details like serifs require a letter large enough to achieve the detail. If this neon sign will be used to promote your business, keep it simple. Try to limit the amount of words you use just to those that explain your business.

4. Neon Sign Cost - What does a custom neon sign cost? Cost is dependent on the size and detail of the sign. They generally range from $250 to $450 if using a template design. While neon’s upfront costs can seem prohibitive, neon holds up surprising well and is one of the most economical forms of advertising over the long term. Don’t expect to purchase a custom neon sign for less than $200. The quality and craftsmanship of custom neon glass work shows in every sign. Ensure only premium UL listed components and UL2161 neon power supplies are used in your custom neon sign for long reliability, dependability and safety. You will see difference quality makes!

How a Neon Sign is Made

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 21:05:00 +0000

Season 2 of the Discovery Channels TV show " How It's Made" has an episode on how a neon sign lits. This brief 4.5 minute video gives a good overview of how the neon colors are achieved, how the glass is bent to a pattern and how the neon is tubulated and bombarded. Enjoy!

The First Neon Sign

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:05:00 +0000

The concept behind neon signs was first conceived in 1675, when the French astronomer Jean Picard observed a faint glow in a mercury barometer tube. When the tube was shaken a glow called barometric light occurred, but the cause of the light (static electricity) was not then understood. When the principles of electricity were discovered, scientists moved forward towards the invention of various forms of lighting. By 1855, there was the geissler tube named after Heinrich Geissler, a German glassblower. Gas in the tube was placed under low pressure and electrical voltage was applied, the result was that the gas glowed. After electrical generators were invented, many people experimented with applying electric power to tubes of gas. The French engineer, chemist, and inventor Georges Claude, was the first to apply an electrical discharge to a sealed tube of neon gas (circa 1902) to create a lamp. The word neon comes from the Greek "neos," meaning "the new gas". Georges Claude displayed the first neon lamp to the public on December 11, 1910, in Paris. In 1923, Georges Claude and his French company Claude Neon, introduced neon gas signs to the United States, by selling two to a Packard car dealership in Los Angeles. Earle C. Anthony purchased the two signs reading "Packard" for $24,000. Neon lighting quickly became a popular fixture in outdoor advertising. Visible even in daylight, people would stop and stare at the first neon signs dubbed "liquid fire."

How Does a Neon Tube Produce Light?

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:01:00 +0000

Electrical current bombard the inert gas atoms with electrons knocking neon's atoms out of their orbits. The electrons collide with other free electrons sending them back toward the atoms. As the electrons are absorbed into the atom, energy is given off as light.

How Do you Get the Different Neon Colors?

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:48:00 +0000

The initial color source is the inert gas, which emits a characteristic color when electricity is applied. The two most common gases are neon, which emits a fiery red, and a mixture of argon and minute particles of mercury, which emits a subdued blue. Clear glass allows you to see the characteristic colors emitted by the gas. Fluorescent powders may be painted or baked to the inside walls of the glass tubing and the source light is then converted into a multitude of shades such as pink, turquoise, and green. By altering the mixture of elements, subtle differences are possible. For example, white is available in a wide array of color temperatures from warm to cool.

Tubing is also produced in colored glass. Deep clear reds, blues, and greens for example produce the richly saturated colors referred to as Classic glass. Colored glass may also have a fluorescent coating, which can change both the quality and color of the light. The result is a whole range of neon colors ranging from white to purple.

Is the Neon in Neon Signs Dangerous?

noreply@blogger.com (Fire House Neon Signs) — Wed, 13 May 2009 15:46:00 +0000

Neon and argon gas by themselves are not dangerous. They are inert gases that can be found in the air we breath every day.