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!

06/06/2026

Bench testing the electrical motor portion of a Hamms Dominator clock.

A friend of mine asked if I could help with his Hamms Dominator clock. He’d verified that the electrical motor was worki...
06/06/2026

A friend of mine asked if I could help with his Hamms Dominator clock. He’d verified that the electrical motor was working but the clock wouldn’t work as it should. Silly me, I assumed it was a Lanshire style assembly and when I opened the box he mailed to me, I thought, “I’ve never seen this style before!” 😆

I verified the electric motor was working but the shaft that the drive gear rides on was very sticky. I was able to clean the mounting shaft and use a small drop of oil on it. It slid in so well and I hooked it up to a power cord to bench test it while I worked on the gear case.

For those of you that have followed me, you know the ultrasonic cleaner is my tool of choice and this repair was no different. The outer case was dirty as well as the gears and pivots. On this model, the hour shaft and idler do not come out, so they went into the drink as an assembly.

The anti-reverse on this one is unusual looking but I can see how it does the job. Taking pictures before and during disassembly are paramount to making sure it all goes together correctly.

After the ultrasonic, I like to clean up any shafts I can to reduce any resistance. In this instance, the second and minute shafts got a slight cleaning on the bench grinder wire wheel on the lowest setting. You don’t want the wheel to grab this out of your hand and shoot it across the room! Also pay attention to any spacers or washers on those shafts, you don’t want those little guys disappearing.

A drop of oil on the pivots for reassembly and she’s been keeping good time. I ask folks to include the hands so I can run it for a few days to verify it keeps good time and this one has been doing well for a few hours.

Should do well when put back into the fixture!

My wife has been wanting one of these ever since we saw one at a local watering hole and I was able to find this one rel...
06/04/2026

My wife has been wanting one of these ever since we saw one at a local watering hole and I was able to find this one relatively locally. 😆

I love the motion lights but sometimes a well placed sconce can just do the trick! 🍻

A gentleman about 5 hours away was having trouble with his Bud carousel lighting. It would flicker but not catch and ill...
06/03/2026

A gentleman about 5 hours away was having trouble with his Bud carousel lighting. It would flicker but not catch and illuminate. He offered to bring it to me but I said let’s see if we can fix this remotely!

I had this issue recently with my 1954 jukebox and it was the bulb. He sent a few pictures and this carousel bulb looked a bit suspect with the electrical tape.

I suggested an LED replacement bulb and he sent me a picture of the Budweiser all lit up!

Advice and personalized help is always available via messenger or phone. It’s a passion and I’d love to help you get your sign back in service! 🍺

If it spins, lights up or has a clock…I’m interested!Super excited to get into this one and get it back to 100%.Hope you...
05/31/2026

If it spins, lights up or has a clock…I’m interested!

Super excited to get into this one and get it back to 100%.

Hope you’re having a great weekend!

Sentimental signs are the absolute best. It’s tough to beat the feeling of giving someone their memories back!This Mille...
05/25/2026

Sentimental signs are the absolute best. It’s tough to beat the feeling of giving someone their memories back!

This Miller clock is on its way home, it was her father’s clock and I could tell she was excited to see it go!

The Hamms sign is a memory from my wife’s childhood, her grandfather had one just like it hanging over his bar in a basement in Wisconsin and now we have one over ours.

It’s a fantastic feeling to see someone’s face when it sets in that it’s really working again.

Keep those signs & memories alive!

05/22/2026

Meister Brau sunburst motion clocks, spinning well & keeping good time!

A pair of Meister Brau sunburst clocks, the top one hangs above my workbench. The lower one came in for repair with inco...
05/22/2026

A pair of Meister Brau sunburst clocks, the top one hangs above my workbench. The lower one came in for repair with inconsistent operation.

After opening up the clock, you can see why. The anti reverse fiber was totally gummed up, often sticking in the wrong direction and having the clock run backwards! 45 minutes in the ultrasonic cleaner, minus the fiber gear, and all the metal comes out very clean.

This clock is unique that it has a driven gear to operate the sunburst dial. The dial is always spinning, even with the switched light off. The only complication is that one of the timekeeping gears is pressed onto that shaft, making disassembly and reassembly a little more difficult. Getting it off is the easy part, getting it reassembled requires a little more work. What I’ll do is assemble the clock to the point of the last picture and then I’ll put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. When it’s close to coming out, I’ll use a hair dryer on the gear with the anti reverse and warm it up a little. Lightly press it together by hand and there you have it!

Some of these Lanshire movements have small spacers on the hour hand and second hand. Be careful when you’re drying them off so they don’t fly away!

A really unique piece, another sign back in service!

05/21/2026

Refurbished Bud carousel, two parts signs can make one good one!

It took two parts carousels to make one good one! A little from both and we were able to make one complete one!She neede...
05/21/2026

It took two parts carousels to make one good one! A little from both and we were able to make one complete one!

She needed the requisite slip ring service and a new motor from Motor Mike, the old one was toast.

I’m a big fan of the color selectable Sylvania LED bulbs and they happen to make a 12” that fits the carousel perfectly. They also make a smaller version that fits the rotating Icehouse sign, if you wanted to know. 😉

It takes a little finesse to put it all back together and make sure it suspends correctly and doesn’t rub on the outer shell. She’s going to run for awhile and then back home.

Another sign back in service!

Address

Coral, IL
60152

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