First post, please be kind. We are putting a few frame boards in at my Md's office and have limited space. I use a bead warmer at our other location, but don't really want a mess in his office. How durable are hot air warmers? I have read on here that some of u use hot water to make the frame maleable. To get to the point, has anyone ever used a hair dryer? i could put it in a drawer along with my other tools when not in use. Thanks in advance
Hair dryer works but you would need a third hand....
We have both. I use them for different things though. General temple adjustments get the beads, but if I need to do anything really specific, or if I don't want to shove the whole frame into the beads, I use the blower. Shortening temples, for instance, I always use the blower the heat the temple tip up before trying to stretch it over the cut temple since it's less precise to shove a temple tip into the beads.
Hot air warmers (not hair dryers) are fine, you just need to practice with them.
I use both and both are well over 25 years old. Unless you buy an off brand piece of junk, duability should be fine.
Chip
Have your doc pop for a hot air warmer. A hair dryer would be a bit clumsey, loud and possibly look odd to patients. I use an air warmer now but miss my beads every now and then (but not the mess).
I also use both. We have had no problems with durability on either.
I have used both and much prefer the hot air. Much easier to control the temp.
The nice thing about air warmers is not having to worry about a less experienced person mounting lenses into a frame with the beads still in eyewire..ouch!
Pez:D
If you use hot air, get a nozzle/concentrator so you can direct the flow to the frame parts you want to heat, and not the lens/coating that you don't want to heat.
Just use the big beads, they can't get stuck in anything except your shoes.Originally Posted by pezfaerie
I use popcorn salt with a bit of talcum powder. If any gets stuck in the eyewire, a few seconds in the ultrasonic cleans it out.
DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
"There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."
I have worked with optical electrical frame heaters..................................
Electric frame warmers a similar and have been developed from hairdryers, but have a better heat controls, cost a bit more but are made for that purpose.
I have worked with optical electrical frame heaters since they replaced the gas bunsen burners in European optical labs in the 1950s. For higher production frame heating in labs I also love the glass beads heaters, but not as a frame adjusting and fitting instrument in front of patients.
Please do not put frames with lenses in the bead pan. I had many jobs returned for craters from the bead pan. If you do this by accident, just heat them up in a pan of water in the microwave and the craters will go away.
I still prefer the bead or salt pan over the hot air for most adjustments, but probably the combo of both is not a bad idea
one of the reasons salt pans retained a bad name was the constant burning out of thermostats, which ironically was the fault of most of the opticians using them.
once they had the temp set, they would leave it there and just turn off the switch and next morning turn the switch back on. This resulted in a larger then normal electric surge charging through the thermostat at first. Correct way is to turn the thermostat down first, then turn off the switch, conversely in the morning turn on the switch first and then slowly turn up the thermostat.
This idiotic notion that the pan has to be at exactly 200 degrees, is pure nonsense if you know what you ARE DOING AND TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT
AdmiralKnight, Ive not used a hot air warmer. How long does it usually take to warm up the frame sufficiently to be malleable? Where I work its going to be a must soon and Im not happy about it. I still love my old school salt pan.
It really doesn't take long to heat up. Just like salt, all frames are different and some materials take longer than others. I am lucky, we have a salt pan and a hot air warmer. I use them both because I have them both. I prefer one for some things and another for other things.
Hot air 100%. Will never waste time with salt/sand/beads again. Much better fine control, can easily concentrate, and better energy efficiency as well as it's only on while it's needed.
I remember when I left a frame in the salt pan too long way back when.
Erik Zuniga, ABOC.
+1. It's cleaner, faster, more efficient. Also, you can warm your hands over it on those days when they just never warm up.
I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.
You want one? We got em brand new $139.00 less 20% for opti-boarders. www.superoptical.com 800-543-7376.
We, in the North, know how true this is.
Have I told you today how much I hate poly?
Set up our new hot air warmer from Super Optical yesterday. After day two, I am very happy with the purchase! Thanks Don!
Have I told you today how much I hate poly?
Thanks. FYI it has a one year warranty. You may have bought it just in time. Our fearless leader has added these and other optical equipment/instruments to the tariff list.
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