Edger Advice

**idocscott** · 12-04-2007, 02:11 PM

I am an OD starting a new practice which will have a finishing lab. I am in the market for a new edger and was looking for advice on which was the best option. I have worked with a santonelli previously but have been told the service needs and cost are excessive. Any other advice on where to purchase stock lenses or such would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks

**braheem24** · 12-04-2007, 02:15 PM

866-934-1030 for Edgers, lanes and other misc equipment. (http://www.patternless.com/)

800-622-5367 for frames and lenses. (http://www.premiumdynamic.com/)

Both small family owned companies that can give you personal advice on your individual needs.

Good luck :cheers:

**Craig** · 12-04-2007, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by idocscott

I am an OD starting a new practice which will have a finishing lab. I am in the market for a new edger and was looking for advice on which was the best option. I have worked with a santonelli previously but have been told the service needs and cost are excessive. Any other advice on where to purchase stock lenses or such would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I have owned a Briot- sent it back after a year of fighting with them.

The Essilor Kappa was great and my friend bought it from me and still loves it after over 5 years. Spoke with him yesterday.

I have had the Santinelli for over 3 years, the ME-1000 and would only buy a new one from them that can really do an 8 base and large 6 base jobs.
It is the new series from them and you can add a drill machine at some point if you want. Our service costs have been almost zero after 3 years; but when we did have an issue they overnighted me an entire machine to get me going again.
I will not forget that and they did the same thing when my tracer went in for an update.
The issue is not what you pay upfront, but what is the machine doing in a few years. After 3 years, I would only buy another Santinelli.
Craig

**Thumbs** · 12-05-2007, 08:52 PM

I sent you a private message.

**eastbound** · 12-05-2007, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by idocscott

I am an OD starting a new practice which will have a finishing lab. I am in the market for a new edger and was looking for advice on which was the best option. I have worked with a santonelli previously but have been told the service needs and cost are excessive. Any other advice on where to purchase stock lenses or such would also be greatly appreciated. Thanks

If you are looking to drilling as well, the National Optronics 7E is a great option. Very reasonable initial investment, dependable and inexpensive replacement parts.3

**Thumbs** · 12-06-2007, 06:37 AM

Originally Posted by eastbound

If you are looking to drilling as well, the National Optronics 7E is a great option. Very reasonable initial investment, dependable and inexpensive replacement parts.3

The 7-E is a nice piece of equipment, but service is currently an issue in the northeast and has been for many months.

**idocscott** · 12-09-2007, 07:25 PM

Thanks for all of the advice I will be looking into a santinelli and optronics machine. I'll post after have started using the equipment and can comment on my satisfaction.

**Johns** · 12-09-2007, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Thumbs

The 7-E is a nice piece of equipment, but service is currently an issue in the northeast and has been for many months.

We've had no problem with service, and they came out right away (under warranty). This was back in July. Maybe something's changed recently.

**FullCircle** · 12-10-2007, 01:50 PM

I'll ditto the 7E. The range of things you can do with it is impressive. We've had ours for about 1.5 years now and haven't had any problems.

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 08:01 PM

for god sakes dont get weco or briot...we have the weco edge 450 (cad II, trace II)..we sent it out for an overhaul and it got wrecked on the way...now to get the parts (from germany..then sent to canada..then to serv-tech) its going to take a month...but it already took Bob a month just to get ahold of someone there for part numbers....my thoughts...get anything gerber...kappa..or something...when something goes wrong, you call them (here in the US) tell them what its doing..they tell you whats wrong and how to fix it, and overnight the parts....its a known fact that after 10 years or so all edgers start to need some repairs...(we have an alpha at the 1 hour lab...and when it goes down..its back up the next day)...the faster you can be back up and running the better...its fine that some people will say what edger may last the longest but that 10 year mark is pretty consistant...I say go with who will get you back up and running the fastest (ohh and if your ever not sure about how to fix it..they can walk you through it with ease!)...just my 2!!

**Johns** · 12-10-2007, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by FullCircle

I'll ditto the 7E. The range of things you can do with it is impressive. We've had ours for about 1.5 years now and haven't had any problems.

ditto...;) (One year, 3 months)

**FullCircle** · 12-10-2007, 08:06 PM

get anything gerber...kappa..or something...

Avoid the Spartan like the Plague! We think ours was posessed.

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 08:07 PM

Originally Posted by FullCircle

Avoid the Spartan like the Plague! We think ours was posessed.

ill go with that...its not a very good unit..

posessed huh?....im almost afraid to ask.

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 08:09 PM

if you do get gerber...make sure you get the scanner with it...you can do so much with it...we run our alpha without one, so its not a necessity...but it makes the machine more user friendly!

**FullCircle** · 12-10-2007, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by bhess25

ill go with that...its not a very good unit..

posessed huh?....im almost afraid to ask.

We couldn't get it to replicate the same problem twice. Some days it was fine, others a -.25 was a hassle to run. We tried just about everything imaginable short of calling in a priest. And we didn't shed a tear when we replaced it with our 7E!

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by FullCircle

We couldn't get it to replicate the same problem twice. Some days it was fine, others a -.25 was a hassle to run. We tried just about everything imaginable short of calling in a priest. And we didn't shed a tear when we replaced it with our 7E!

how old was it?

**FullCircle** · 12-10-2007, 09:08 PM

I don't think we had it all that long. 2 or 3 years I think. If it wasn't for the fact we'd gotten rid of our patterns, there were days we thought about hooking up our old Horizon

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 09:13 PM

i think that patternless edgers in general have all come a long way...these days it realy doesnt matter which edger you get (depending on what you want to do anyway) they all last to about the ten year mark without too many hiccups...but as i said, it all comes down to getting back up and running fast...my vote is and will always be, gerber!!

2 or 3 years huh?....the coolent tub goes under it...not on it!!(jk)

**Johns** · 12-10-2007, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by bhess25

i think that patternless edgers in general have all come a long way...these days it realy doesnt matter which edger you get (depending on what you want to do anyway) they all last to about the ten year mark without too many hiccups...but as i said, it all comes down to getting back up and running fast...my vote is and will always be, gerber!!

2 or 3 years huh?....the coolent tub goes under it...not on it!!(jk)

We've got a 7E, but we've also got an AIT Combimax, which is on it's 12th year (I think), and it's still plugging along like a faithfull workhorse. Only had one problem, and it was about $1300 to fix - not bad, all things considered.

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 11:05 PM

yeah, in the end...it realy depends on what you want to do with it...

how many jobs a day?
drill?
groove?
materials?
ease of use? (which i think most patternless edgers are pretty easy to use)

realibility with these newer machines realy isnt an issue (unless your buying a second rate, ungodly cheap unit).

im not sure realability is the question anymore...service, and how fast can you get up and running is.

i mean i could be wrong....but im not!!!

**FullCircle** · 12-10-2007, 11:42 PM

the coolent tub goes under it...not on it!!(

Dude. I'm tellin' ya. This thing was messed up! I work mainly with Gerber stuff (insert audible "duh" from the crowd) and usually really like their equipment.

**bhess25** · 12-10-2007, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by FullCircle

Dude. I'm tellin' ya. This thing was messed up! I work mainly with Gerber stuff (insert audible "duh" from the crowd) and usually really like their equipment.

thats actualy not like gerber at all to have something like that...but then again even ford, gm, chrystler, and ferrari put out a flop every now and then!!

**FullCircle** · 12-11-2007, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by bhess25

thats actualy not like gerber at all to have something like that...but then again even ford, gm, chrystler, and ferrari put out a flop every now and then!!

I agree!

**idocscott** · 12-12-2007, 09:42 AM

Can anyone comment on the decision between buying "reconditioned" vs new?

**obxeyeguy** · 12-12-2007, 09:52 AM

Originally Posted by idocscott

Can anyone comment on the decision between buying "reconditioned" vs new?

I just purchased my second "used" kappa. First one had no problems. My third kappa was purchased new in2002, never will pay for new again. Saved almost half.
Mark