Tag: signage

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The Rheingold beer sign retrofit I started last week (or three years ago, depending on when you start the clock) is finished. I ended up going with the simplest solution. I’ve been enjoying the warm glow of the sign–it really pulls the room together now.

Congestion pricing lasted about a month longer than I thought it would. This week Trump declared it dead and crowned himself in the process. What an asshole. Despite his declaration, they are still collecting the fees and the MTA is suing. I hope they can hold onto it as it seems to have the intended effect and, as expected, people are warming up to it.

We had a good Jamulus jam this week, but the after party was plagued with technical difficulties. We got through it though. I’m happy we have these regular jam sessions since it’s the only time I’ve been picking up the bass. That changes this week, I’m going to start my practice regimen again and also work on improving one of our songs.

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This is the final update on the Rheingold beer sign project (originally covered here: A beer light to guide us).

Rather than do anything drastic, I opted to retrofit the sign with LEDs and call it a day. A new cord with a polarized plug was also fitted and all the sockets were wired properly. There was a fair bit of corrosion under some of the original wire nuts, so I’m glad to have nice, clean connections now. That also serves as a reminder to inspect the connections on these old signs.

There’s a photo of the finished job below. I left a note on the inside for the curious person that pops this open in the future. Maybe they’ll decide to restore this sign to its original glory. Until then, I’m enjoying the warm, constant glow.

Photo of the inside of a circa 1970's beer advertising light (Rheingold J-347) that has been retrofitted with a LED replacement bulb. The mechanical flashing unit has been bypassed and the wires are connected with WAGO connectors.
Always leave a note…

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Update: This repair is complete.

I’m at a bit of a crossroads with this an on again, off again beer light repair project. First, some history…

This old Rheingold sign was hanging in a furniture store in Gowanus years ago, casting a retro-chic glow over a sectional. Not sure if it was for sale, but the manager was feeling charitable or anti-retro-chic that day and let it go for a modest price.

Animated GIF of a circa 1970s, lighted Rheingold Extra Dry beer sign, model number J-347. There are pictures of five different beer glasses that light in a random order. From left to right, the glasses are labeled: "Tulip", "Mug", "Pilsner", "Goblet" and "Pinch". The tagline on the sign is "Tastes Great in Any Glass".
Rheingold J-347 Sign: “Tastes Great in Any Glass”

Since it’s been in my hands, I’ve rarely plugged it in. Sometime in the last few years, it stopped working. It still lights, but no flashing. I’ve opened it up years ago and found the problem to be the small, geared motor that drives a cam that switches the lights. Specifically, I suspect the gears are gummed up since the motor tries to run. Unfortunately, the motor is sealed, and I think I’d destroy it if I tried to open it.

At the time, I thought I’d just swap out the inner-workings for something solid state. Then I put it back on the shelf and forgot about it for three years. Recently, the inspiration struck to get it working again.

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Photo of a poster with a drawing of a group of people walking while hunched over using their mobile phones. The text in Japanese asks people to stop using their phone while walking and look up.
A poster in the Tokyo metro.

I enjoy good signage, and the signs and posters in Japan are particularly interesting. This may be because I can’t read the text and it looks kind of cool. However, the bright colors and drawings must make these grab the attention of even the most jaded Japanese speaker.

What follows is a sampling of what I saw, in no particular order…

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