Thomas Beer Sign & Clock Repair

Thomas Beer Sign & Clock Repair I have a passion for bringing vintage beer signs back to life. I buy signs too!

Located in the NW suburbs of Chicago, my goal is to revive memories and enjoy signs for many more years!

09/05/2026

A friendly reminder that I buy signs for my personal collection! If you have a broken sign or one that doesn’t get used anymore, please reach out! I love finding out of market signs like Pearl, Sterling & Grain Belt!

This Schlitz globe was one of my first purchases. The small Starry below it was a borderline basket case. They all get fixed up and loved!

09/03/2026

New pickup for my personal collection today, this thing is massive!

2 feet across and 1.5 feet tall. She needs some light cleaning, more snow and a killer location to display it!

09/03/2026

Taking the night off, enjoying some tunes & games!

09/01/2026

I’ll argue the 1965 Hamms anniversary rippler is one of the best values out there and the middle insert is just mesmerizing!

She needs a little more work and then on her way home!

08/31/2026

Genesee #1 bubbler, she just needed a wipe down and some new bulbs. The motion is subtle but it’s there!

08/31/2026

Hamms TV rippler, a great sign for 70 years old! This one needed a minor adjustment and is flowing like it should. This sign is a great value for folks looking to get into Hamms motion signs!

When I first got into signs, a TV Rippler came to me in a plastic tote of pieces. It was my first Hamms sign and a great learning experience. I still have it hanging over one of the jukeboxes! 🎵

Broken plastic is a common occurrence on old signs. Sometimes I’ll use my soldering iron to melt something back together...
08/30/2026

Broken plastic is a common occurrence on old signs. Sometimes I’ll use my soldering iron to melt something back together, like a seam from the inside but when it needs to hold weight, I’ll use this tool.

It super heats a number of different size staples and melts into the plastic. The metal helps with rigidity.

If you hold the trigger for too long, the staple will glow red and completely burn through your piece, so be careful! I’ll normally hold it for one or two seconds, just enough to settle in, cool off and remove the tool. You can also snip the excess but careful you don’t stress the joint. Sometimes it’s best to leave it alone, especially if it won’t be seen.

This guy needed only a little bit of love and now she’s back on the wall where it belongs!

08/30/2026

Old Milwaukee motor bench test, assembled and spinning like it should now!

08/30/2026

Old Milwaukee motor bench test, unassembled. Motor spins well!

Every once in awhile, I’ll get a piece back because it’s not working just right. Even though these pieces are upwards of...
08/30/2026

Every once in awhile, I’ll get a piece back because it’s not working just right. Even though these pieces are upwards of 70 to 80 years old, I’ll stand behind my work and make it right.

If you’ll remember, I put a new power cord on this Old Milwaukee spinner. Interesting that it’s not illuminated!

Anyway, it came back to me because the motion was stalling at times. I took the motor apart and it was pretty gummed up. I’m thinking the slightest touch on the outer shell was causing the motor to stall due to grime & buildup.

I took the motor apart and cleaned it, it had a lot of old grime & grease in there, especially the output shaft!

Some time in the ultrasonic and light oil on all moving pivots, slight adjustment on the shell and she’s as right as rain!

Address

Coral, IL
60152

Website

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