Neon signs are made with an array of vacuum tubes with designs limited only by the signmakers’ imagination. The physical properties of the glass, along with the intricate twists and turns of the design, make neon signs one of the more challenging items we are contracted to pack.
Belvedere Vodka needed to ship two custom made neon trees to various events it was hosting around the country. Due to the nature of the item, there were very few places to support the trees in the crate. The top surface wasn’t an option as it was covered in the glass tube. The only area we could use was the aluminum frame that the tubes were mounted on. With minimal clearance between the frame and tubes, we had to design a unique brace that included “teeth”made of plywood. The teeth allowed us to work around tubing, mounts and hardware while making solid contact with the frame.
Due to the high fragility, proper cushioning was a priority. Polyethelyne and polystyrene foams are far too rigid to cushion the glass, so a soft, gray polyurethane foam was used to isolate the trees from the crate. Finally, all braces were clearly marked to ensure proper installation and removal.