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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: BadMouth on April 30, 2013, 10:00:50 am

Title: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: BadMouth on April 30, 2013, 10:00:50 am
Anyone have a cool arcade sign that can be had for $0-30?

These pop up when I search that price range, but I'm not sure I'd like it:
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Arcade-Logo-Beer-Bar-Pub-Store-Light-Sign-Neon-B240-NEW-/00/$(KGrHqZ,!g4E3uEYdsHbBOLm5mj9Ng~~0_3.JPG)

Not a big fan of the LED ones where you can see the individual LEDs either.

Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: Gray_Area on May 02, 2013, 01:43:54 am
I think that looks pretty good.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: leapinlew on May 02, 2013, 03:53:34 am
You could probably make some artwork and have it printed on backlit and build a backlit box for it fairly cheap.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: BadMouth on May 02, 2013, 09:29:06 am
You could probably make some artwork and have it printed on backlit and build a backlit box for it fairly cheap.

I will probably end up going that route. 
Might just paint a mask layer on plexiglass and find some colored film to put behind it.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: BadMouth on May 02, 2013, 09:41:52 am
I started looking for examples online to make my own and came across this which is cut out of steel:
ITEM IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE

(http://www.backtothearcade.com/sc_images/products/487_image.jpg)

With shipping added it was a little more than I wanted to spend, but I have enough spare plexi and wood to build a lightbox for it.
Odd thing is that I couldn't find the same product navigating from their main page.
The product page shows stock and it went down by one when I ordered, so it should be ok.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: Gray_Area on May 04, 2013, 11:35:36 pm
You could probably make some artwork and have it printed on backlit and build a backlit box for it fairly cheap.

I had a killer piece of glass, a coffee table top that was beveled, found it by the dumpster, to do exactly this. I got disenchanted with the idea two moves ago and put it back by the dumpster (probably two years after grabbing it). I should've kept it.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: SegaOutrun on May 05, 2013, 02:12:25 pm
I had been thinking of getting 12v El-Wire, a wire frame and making my own design on the cheap. 
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: BadMouth on May 08, 2013, 12:21:13 pm
I received an email from backtothearcade.com that the sign is no longer available and they were refunding my money.

I knew there might be a problem since it's not listed when browsing from the home page.
The product page came up through a google image search and allowed me to add it to my cart.

Guess I'm making my own at some point.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: eds1275 on May 08, 2013, 01:22:08 pm
I guess now is a good a time as any to buy a plasma cutter!
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: yotsuya on May 08, 2013, 01:26:15 pm
It's too bad you don't have a .dxf of that file. I have access to a plasma cutter, but they're shutting it down for the summer in a week.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: sandheaver on May 08, 2013, 04:06:32 pm

Pick two.  This is the usual trade-off.  You'll probably have to do some legwork which will take time to complete in order to find a good, inexpensive sign.  Might have to design it yourself.

Last time I had a neon sign made, it was single-color, single element, and about 12" x 24".  It cost $150 to have made based on my sketch.  It is almost certainly 3x-4x that much, now, if i asked for an identical sign.  They were fast and the sign still works.  +Good +Fast -Cheap

My brother has a Bud Light sign.  -Good +Fast +Cheap (he won it in a bet.  -good because bud light is carbonated urine.)

Once in a while you'll get lucky but the tradeoff gods will usually require you to put in effort or money before you find what you want.
Title: Re: Cheap, but good ARCADE sign?
Post by: Gray_Area on May 08, 2013, 11:42:13 pm
Really, if you've routed plastic, making your own design in a sheet shouldn't be too hard.