Best way to heat zyl frame with 1.67 lenses in?

[tdj]

What's the best way to get the front of a zyl frame with 1.67 lenses hot enough to do a decent amount of adjustment (without crazing the lenses, that is)? I've tried wrapping the lens in cotton lens towels and holding my hand around it, but I usually just end up almost burning my hand and getting a lukewarm frame.

Usually I need to do this on the temporal region when flat, high minus lenses have stretched the frame out so it's too wide, so removing the lenses won't work.

Also, I just have a frame warmer, and can't get any other equipment.

[kcount]

Remove the lenses, heat the frame, insert lenses, make adjustment. Alternatively, remove lenses, put back cut on edge of lens to allow for the frame, then re-insert the lens. Sadly you stated you can't get any other equipment.
There's always the 'Send it back to the lab and tell them to do their job correctly and bench align the frame before sending it to you' tract.

[Ghost Machine]

Actually, I do take the lenses out on these. Especially with the high minus you will find that if you take the lenses out, gently heat the temporal edge and twist/wrap it inward that you can bring the temples in much further than if you leave the lenses in anyway. When you insert the lenses it's going to push the temples out further but this is still a better way to get maximum tightening. I do this on any frame with high minus lenses that restrict normal adjustment. You don't want to heat the entire rim, just the temporal edge. 1.67 are really heat sensitive so you're wise to be extra careful.

Good luck!

[Geirskogul]

Man, heating the edge, bending in, bowing the arms in, heating again, etc. Sometimes breaking out the handstone to edge the thick temporal side of the lens down so they don't bow out as much.

I'm glad we've started to discourage high minuses from those thick-armed high BC frames. I will still do one if they really want it, but otherwise there are better choices.

[AngeHamm]

A small trickle of hot water is a very effective spot-heating technique. Obviously, taking the lenses out would be the best option, but hot tap water is much easier to direct to a small area than a bead pan or hot air blower.