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Does anyone know someone who can recreate custom opal/milk glass letters for a Flexlume sign? Asking for a friend...thanks!


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If they could or would, there is surely a market out there. Mike Slama might be able to help with this.


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Mecum just auctioned off some of the remains of the Flexlume left overs on January 14, 31/2 weeks ago in Kissimmee Fla and there were several of the replacement letters there. Some of the nicest pre neon Ive ever seen. The GULF signs and the PURE were killer signs.

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These letters were made under vacuum.
Standard lens kilns do not have the ability to reproduce these letters.
I know, I spent six months trying.
Later . . .
Jim

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Those letters look like they are vacuum thermoformed. Have to make a mold out of wood or epoxy with strategically located vacuum sites to suck the heated plastic sheet to. After the sheet cools down then the letters need to be cut out with a cutting die made special for the letters. It’s not a difficult process but hard to do economically for one or two sets!

Process used a lot for packaging trays. I’d look for a packaging company near you that doesn’t mind doing small quantities. They’ll probably say no thanks though.


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Paul,
The original letters are opaline glass formed under vacuum in a steel form.
IMHO, plastic won't look correct - unless you replaced every letter.
Then the costs would probably exceed the value of the sign.
Jim

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Wow, yeah, that will make it even worse to recreate if you have to do it in glass!


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I am also looking for anyone who can make the letters .


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I have seen some signs that have been restored and the letters are three-dimensional but made out of plastic. Looks great from afar but if you touch it you defintiely know. So some one out there is making them just not out of glass.

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I've been developing a process to recreate the milk glass letters.
I may be able to help you. PM me.

Last edited by bptexas; Sun Jan 13 2019 01:30 PM.
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Here is an example of some of my work

Plymouth.JPG
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Another view

Plymouth Sign.jpg
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Very nice! Are they glass?

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...looks great - are they glass?


Looking for better Gulf items: signs, globes, cans and paper - especially porcelain Gulf flanges, and Gulf A-38 & A-62 ad glass...
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Yes, opal sheet glass formed in a glass kiln. It took me two years to get it right.

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