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Thread: Cable conversion temple covers

  1. #1
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    Cable conversion temple covers

    Can anyone hook me up with a pair? Or know where I can find just one pair? I have a little 6 year old patient who needs them desperately and they are not available where I work. She has some disabilities and the cables really help keep the glasses on her little head. The frames she has do not have cable temples so I would just like a pair of the cable temple covers. Any help is greatly appreciated.
    Sanks.

  2. #2
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    Nettie-

    I would be glad to help. Let me know what color. I have black and i think blue, white and gray. I believe the "core" size is 1.4 mm.
    Pm me the info.

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    Cable Temples

    Replacement Cable Temple arms for

    Windsor, Wire Rim, and Riding Temple

    The cable temple was introduced in 1885 and remained popular until after WWII. Cable temples were first used on a style of frames called Riding Temples. Next, they were used on the Windsor style. The Windsor style is one of the most popular styles ever made. They remained in constant use from 1880 until 1960 in various countries around the world. They were popular in the US from 1880 until 1929. The stock market crash of 1929 put many of the makers of this style out of business. The cable temple was next used on a style of wire rim frames called Marshwood. The Marshwood style was introduced in 1921 and remained popular until 1950. The US military issued this style to troops during WWII. The military code for the style was "P3".
    Vintage replacement cable temples are impossible to find in useable condition. I found a small manufacturing company willing to hand make replacement cables in small quantities. The quality of the workmanship is excellent. The temples are made to the exact specifications as the originals with two exceptions, the diameter of the pivot hole and the placement of the stop. Original cables can have one of three size pivot hole sizes depending on the maker and country of origin. The swing stop on original frames can be located in the ten o'clock or the eleven o'clock position depending on the maker.
    I had the replacement temples drilled to fit the medium size pivot stud. They fit a bit loose on the small pivot stud, and the hole must be drilled larger to fit the large pivot stud. I had all the stops placed at the eleven o'clock position. The stud can be filed back if a ten o'clock position if needed. Any optician can easily do this work.
    The blade end of cable temples come in two sizes, .026 and .045 thousands of an inch. All riding temple frames need the 0.26 size. More than ninety percent of Windsor frames need the .026 size. All Marshwood frames, all P3 frames, and a few Windsor frames need the .045 size.
    All our retro temples are 6 3/4 long. We carry yellow gold filled and white gold filled in both .026 and .045 size.

    http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/r...letemples.html





  4. #4
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    Don't know where Chris is coming from on this. But one can get and should keep in stock cable conversion temple tips from Hilco (and probably a couple other places), in several diameters and sizes. A good optical shop will keep them in stock to:
    1) Accomodate very small children with custom length temples and glasses that don't fall off when they play.
    2) Accomodate other patients with custom lenght temples who preform activities in which thier glasses are prone to fall off.
    3) For patients with high Rx's who's glasses have slipped all thier lives. Many of them will think you are God if you finally solve thier problem.

    Two words of wisdom though before attempting such.
    1) They are not available a pair at a time.
    2) Read the instructions at least before embarising yourself in front of a patient and letting him know you don't know what you are doing. It's not rocket science (although none of my compeditors in Jackson seem to have developed this capability) but it does take a little practice. One must measure properly, heat properly, allow to cool, maker sure the temple tip is adjusted properly and turned inward somewhat .

    Chip :cheers:

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    Blue Jumper Don't know where Chris is coming from on this..................

    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    Don't know where Chris is coming from on this.
    Chip, I will let you into the secret. Many of the young Optiboard members do not even know anything about these babies. So I found this nice description and posted it for general information.

    The case is solved with the help from Fezz and from you, plus using the occasion to let the others know about an item that used to be standard in glasses.

    By the way ..............do you know how to shorten a "riding bow temple" properly ?????

  6. #6
    Paper Shuffler GOS_Queen's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    But one can get and should keep in stock cable conversion temple tips from Hilco (and probably a couple other places), in several diameters and sizes. A good optical shop will keep them in stock
    In my experience, some major retail opticals are reluctant to allow such modifications ~ I am guessing that might be the situation Nettie finds herself?

  7. #7
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    the big box store strikes again.

    Quote Originally Posted by Nettie View Post
    and they are not available where I work.
    I feel for the opticians that work at these places. I worked at one as well. I was also told I could not get the supply items I needed; temple covers, files, extractors. You know that stuff that allows us to do our jobs properly.

    Do what I ended up doing. Open an account with a supply company like Optical Warehouse of Tampa or Stormin Normins. Then when you need something you can order it your self and have it shipped to your home. I would explain the situation to my customer and had them pay me my invoice cost in cash. Most of the supply companies will take credit cards so usually an account number is not needed anyway.

    My best moments were when my manager wanted to use something I had bought and I would use the opportunity to say "see even you need this item to bad its mine"

    or the other one is,
    MANAGER saying: "I didn't know we had one of theses hand tools."
    ME: "YOU DON'T"

  8. #8
    Optical Clairvoyant OptiBoard Bronze Supporter Andrew Weiss's Avatar
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    In addition to Hilco, if you have an account with ClearVision their new Fisher Price line has cables available on most of the styles. Also strap bridges for some of the metals as well as zyls with saddle bridges.
    Andrew

    "One must remember that at the end of the road, there is a path" --- Fortune Cookie

  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter DragonLensmanWV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andrew Weiss View Post
    In addition to Hilco, if you have an account with ClearVision their new Fisher Price line has cables available on most of the styles. Also strap bridges for some of the metals as well as zyls with saddle bridges.

    And you might want to check out Charmant's C-Lock styles. We have been selling them like the proverbial hotcakes. They come in two child styles also.
    We've sold them to surgeons, home health care workers, and construction guys.

  10. #10
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    Trust me on this. Do not buy frames that come with ready made cables of any type. They cannot be custom lengthed. If you get one too short or too long you are up the creek. Plus you cannot sell this frame as a non-cable frame, if it has a conventional temple, any frame with a metal wire in it, (plastic or metal temple) can be custom lengthed. Patient's will actually think you are and intelligent and skilled optician who knows what he's doing.
    Addittional benefit, if child chews up temple end, or pulls them off or in some cases needs them longer or shorter, it can be done. With factory made cables you can't do this.

    Chip

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Chip-
    What's the difference btw a riding bow and a cable temple? In school, I saw pictures of each but figured they were pretty much the same. However, on my final exam, one question said:
    This temple type is frequently used for safety eyewear and children's glasses. Both cable and riding bow were possible answers, riding bow was correct, and I assume that cable would have been graded wrong.
    What's the deal?

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    Riding bow: Plastic temple with thin tip bowed down like a cable. Usually found on children's frames but rare today.
    Cable: Usually a cable wrapped curved wire temple with a ball or something at the tip to secure the wrapping.
    Add-on cable: A silicone rubber temple with a hole that can be heated and added to a wire (or wire within plastic) temple. Usually has some sort of rubber coating.

    Chip

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    Below is a frame with riding bow temples. in more modern versions you have a plastic temple to just about where the curve starts.


    (Riding temple eyeglasses were introduced in 1885 and remained popular until 1920) http://www.eyeglasseswarehouse.com/ridingtemples.html


  14. #14
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter DragonLensmanWV's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by EyeFitWell View Post
    Chip-
    What's the difference btw a riding bow and a cable temple? In school, I saw pictures of each but figured they were pretty much the same. However, on my final exam, one question said:
    This temple type is frequently used for safety eyewear and children's glasses. Both cable and riding bow were possible answers, riding bow was correct, and I assume that cable would have been graded wrong.
    What's the deal?
    Riding bow is a temple that is plastic all the way to the tip, like an extra-long slim temple, as opposed to the wound cable ends.
    Charmant's C-Lock are more like a riding bow, but there is a bump on the temple tip and detents in the side of the separate riding bow so you can adjust them about 10mm,

  15. #15
    small but mighty! Nettie's Avatar
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    I know all about all sorts of temples. The cables are just not available to me where I work now, and I did not know the suppliers of these temples at places I have worked in the past. I am also not young.:bbg:

    I have been considering keeping some on hand at all times, but haven't had the need yet since we do not sell very many childrens frames whaere I work now.

    I appreciate all the info.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Nettie View Post
    I know all about all sorts of temples. The cables are just not available to me where I work now, and I did not know the suppliers of these temples at places I have worked in the past. I am also not young.:bbg:

    I have been considering keeping some on hand at all times, but haven't had the need yet since we do not sell very many childrens frames whaere I work now.

    I appreciate all the info.
    Nettie, Hilco sells them in packs of 5 pair each. They are not expensive.

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    I beg to differ with my learned friend, Chris but what is pictured is a standard old cable temple. A riding bow starts out looking like a regular rectangular shaped plastic temple and just before the ear changes to a round (but still plastic) temple.

    Chip

  18. #18
    Rising Star walleye's Avatar
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    There were temple covers made by Morris in green and white boxes. They came in clear and flesh colored and also in about 4 different guages. Also they sold huge rolls of the temple covers to be cut to any length. The covers stiffen the cable temple to make easier adjustment, prevent slippage and prevent corrosion of the metal. Nettie, I can send you a pair of each as I have inventory that has never seen the light of day for 10 plus years. We old timers used these on a routine basis back in the day.

  19. #19
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter Judy Canty's Avatar
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    Some heat-shrink tubing will work as well, and it also comes in kid-friendly colors. However, I have to agree with Chip on the conversion cables. They are a must for any office, for adults as well as the kiddies.

  20. #20
    Master OptiBoarder Clive Noble's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chip anderson View Post
    Trust me on this. Do not buy frames that come with ready made cables of any type. They cannot be custom lengthed. If you get one too short or too long you are up the creek.

    Chip
    Hey Chip.....

    For many years I've been 'doctoring' these cable sides, they usually are too long... the beauty is that the rubber/plastic covers can cover up any solder repair you do.

    To shorten them, I cut away the length not needed before the bend starts and just solder the parts together.... a lot of solder.... when it's set and cold I just buff away the excess, make sure it's smooth and squeeze the rubber back on, trimming to size.

    To lengthen is also fun, once again, cut at a point just before the bend and find a piece of metal from a side of similar width and just solder in between.

    If the rubber covering is too short, I use some electrical 'shrink'

    By the way, I am talking about silver solder with a hot needle flame not an electrical type solder.

    It's always good fun to make a repair that nobody else can (or wants to) do

  21. #21
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    Redhot Jumper Some more on the subject................

    And by the way these temples are easy to adjust.......................

    To straighten them you pull them over a rounf wooden pencil against the curl..................and to tightem them you do the same thing the opposite way "with the curl" and you can make the temple fit an ear curve to perfection.

    :cheers:

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