Polycarb on the SGX question

**Russ in Texas** · 04-29-2008, 03:43 PM

I have a polycarb 3 flute blade for my SGX but we've never surfaced much poly. I recently lost my experienced lab manager and I'm trying to educate myself on the lab and what I can do to help my new lab person get going. I'm no lab guru so please educate me on my ability to cut poly on the SGX. Don't I need a backside coater to prevent scratching during the surfacing & fining process?

Also, what blade works best on Trivex? The 3 flute or the 11 flute?

Thanks for any help!
Russ

**hyperoptic** · 04-29-2008, 03:53 PM

Yes there ether need your own coater or know someone who can coat for you, you will also need other pads than you use for plastic. If you do decide to get into poly also know that u can use the blades you were using to also cut poly.

**mshimp** · 04-29-2008, 04:44 PM

use the three fluted on poly and trivex. Yes you need a back side coating machine. After lens are fined and polished then they will need to be back coated.

**edKENdance** · 04-29-2008, 05:02 PM

We used a 9 flute for poly and cr39 on the SGX at LC.

mostly poly of course.

**mshimp** · 04-29-2008, 07:00 PM

Where do you get the nine fluted blade? Does it leave a smooth surface on cr-39?

**edKENdance** · 04-29-2008, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by mshimp

Where do you get the nine fluted blade? Does it leave a smooth surface on cr-39?

We got the 9 flute through the LC chain of lab supplies. I think we were using a 7 blade previously. Usually about 1000 lenses per blade. I think our best 9 flute cut more than 1200 and that was mostly poly. Cuts through CR a lot better.

**Chris Ryser** · 04-30-2008, 03:42 AM

Originally Posted by Russ in Texas

Don't I need a backside coater to prevent scratching during the surfacing & fining process?

Yes you will need a backside coater.........as every poly lens has to be coated............ddue to its soft properties.

In this coming month a new manual (non automatic) backside UV cure coater will be launched. Made in Germany for a change. it will be about half the price of an automatic coater and is geared for the small lab. As being manual you will also be able to do + sides in lower curves.

This is the coater that will fill the gap in the line up of the expensive coaters that will be affordable for the small lab doing poly.

**Jubilee** · 04-30-2008, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by edKENdance

We got the 9 flute through the LC chain of lab supplies. I think we were using a 7 blade previously. Usually about 1000 lenses per blade. I think our best 9 flute cut more than 1200 and that was mostly poly. Cuts through CR a lot better.

7? I knew of the 12, 11, 9, and 3....

We used the 11 for most stuff. But the blades did wear down quicker so had to change more often. The 9 lasted a long while, but I definitely recommend getting new instead of retrued. Our retrued blades seemed to chip a lot..

**Leo Hadley Jr** · 04-30-2008, 07:41 AM

I used the 11 flute on everything as well. The coating process is required after the fine and polish.

**edKENdance** · 04-30-2008, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Jubilee

7? I knew of the 12, 11, 9, and 3....

We used the 11 for most stuff. But the blades did wear down quicker so had to change more often. The 9 lasted a long while, but I definitely recommend getting new instead of retrued. Our retrued blades seemed to chip a lot..

Probably just in Canada eh? Maybe it was just a broken 9 flute? :hammer:

maybe just misremembering.

**DragonLensmanWV** · 04-30-2008, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

Yes you will need a backside coater.........as every poly lens has to be coated............ddue to its soft properties.

In this coming month a new manual (non automatic) backside UV cure coater will be launched. Made in Germany for a change. it will be about half the price of an automatic coater and is geared for the small lab. As being manual you will also be able to do + sides in lower curves.

This is the coater that will fill the gap in the line up of the expensive coaters that will be affordable for the small lab doing poly.

That sounds like something I might be interested in so we could do Poly and high-index.

**Russ in Texas** · 05-01-2008, 08:19 AM

I appreciate all the good information! :cheers:

Also, thanks Chris for the new backside coater info, I'll be looking at that unit when it comes out.

Russ

**APV Optical** · 05-01-2008, 11:08 PM

We got a hold of the 6 flute. It does all materials, including trivex. Usually with a good material mix u get about 200 lenses before you start noticing some servicing marks left on poly after fining. Triple-T cutters carries them and they are great people to work with.