I cut my first lens today!

**opticianbart** · 10-02-2012, 08:10 PM

Holy craptacular Batman! They let me use the machine to cut some lenses today (granted it's not like I did them by hand or anything, but still pretty cool)
Actually I'm pretty proud of myself cause I cut a couple lenses today and only messed up one, here's hoping I don't kill any more anytime soon.

**MakeOptics** · 10-02-2012, 11:58 PM

Now send that lens you messed up back to the lab as a scratch warranty and make up some fantastic story about how it couldnt possibly be your fault and you training is complete, grasshopper. ;) j/k

Make sure you dispense that pair, for ultimate satisfaction.

**uncut** · 10-03-2012, 12:44 AM

We must warn you.......edging can be addictive. You can develop inflictions such as:

Circumfuritis.......this infliction will have you measuring all pie circumferences, and mumbling things like: " I need to reduce it by 2/10ths.."

Deblockimus..... this twitch is created by the sound of a lens being deblocked, and spontaneous drooling occurs. This infliction will lead to a problem if you are anywhere near beer caps being removed in great volume. Beer consumption reduces the symptoms.

**optical24/7** · 10-03-2012, 06:39 AM

Lab Rat!!!

**scriptfiller** · 10-03-2012, 07:56 AM

You will start measuring everything in .10's of a mm.

**MikeAurelius** · 10-03-2012, 08:07 AM

I can't wait to hear the story about the time you deblocked a lens and sliced your fingers and palm open on the razor edge!!

**MikeAurelius** · 10-03-2012, 08:08 AM

...and welcome to the dark side!!

**optilady1** · 10-03-2012, 08:18 AM

Congratulations! You will soon have the knowledge required to escape the public and start talking to yourself while wearing sneakers stained with polish, jeans/khaki's faded from the same, an old lab coat that some guy named 'Gus' wore in the early '80's, and sexy as hell safety glasses. But you will never have to hear the words, "I CAN'T SEE OUT OF MY GLASSES!!" again. Go to the dark side my friend, it may keep you sane.

Ooops, sorry, that was just wishfull thinking on my part. Happy edging!

**Fezz** · 10-03-2012, 08:29 AM

Hey................you broke your CR-39!

Welcome to the club!

This round is on me!

***CHEERS***

**Mick** · 10-03-2012, 09:09 AM

Just wait till the screwdriver slips off the screw head and you run the blade into your finger. The level of pain is related to how hard you were pushing to loosen the screw. Not so much with phillips (+) as with slot (-) head screws. I would love to see a CT scan of my finger that has had hundreds of jabs with a screwdriver. Of course it makes you wonder what makes up the green gunk that was on the screw driver that is now embedded in your finger.

**Johns** · 10-03-2012, 09:11 AM

Yeah! This round is on Fezz!!

Congratulations on adding another skill set to your repertoire!

**Johns** · 10-03-2012, 09:12 AM

Question: Did you tell us first, or did you call someone on the phone? (I'm trying to see just how special we are to you!)

**Johns** · 10-03-2012, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by PhiTrace

Now send that lens you messed up back to the lab as a scratch warranty and make up some fantastic story about how it couldnt possibly be your fault and you training is complete, grasshopper. ;) j/k.

Which E lab do you work for?

**MikeAurelius** · 10-03-2012, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Mick

Just wait till the screwdriver slips off the screw head and you run the blade into your finger. The level of pain is related to how hard you were pushing to loosen the screw. Not so much with phillips (+) as with slot (-) head screws. I would love to see a CT scan of my finger that has had hundreds of jabs with a screwdriver. Of course it makes you wonder what makes up the green gunk that was on the screw driver that is now embedded in your finger.

Oh lordy yes!!! The absolute worst though, is when you have to use force to PULL the blade out of your finger.

**optical24/7** · 10-03-2012, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Mick

Just wait till the screwdriver slips off the screw head and you run the blade into your finger. The level of pain is related to how hard you were pushing to loosen the screw. Not so much with phillips (+) as with slot (-) head screws. I would love to see a CT scan of my finger that has had hundreds of jabs with a screwdriver. Of course it makes you wonder what makes up the green gunk that was on the screw driver that is now embedded in your finger.

A reprint of a post I put in the "tips" thread.........

Do not hold a frame in your hand while tightening or loosing a frame screw, then slip and embed a reversible screwdriver blade into your hand/finger, then freaking, pull the handle only to leave the reversible blade in your hand, then yell to me "George! I put a screwdriver through my hand!!", and hold it out to show me and make me pull it out for you, the whole time telling me, " You told me to never, never do that, and I did it George, oh I'm so sorry...". ( It ain't my hand stuck...) Then I have to take you to the emergency clinic to get a tetanus shot....

Work backs up....... DO NOT hold a frame in your hand while tightening or loosening a frame screw.

On a related note; I've seen seasoned opticians do the above (the stabbing of themselves, not the rescue of pulling a blade out of someone..) At times, I think we (opticians) are like dogs you gotta put a shock collar on..Some of us, knowing the above consequences, do it, only to be reminded that it hurts to do that..

**theGross1** · 10-03-2012, 11:04 AM

One of my favorite memories of my optical experience was learning to edge. This allowed me to be to be in control of every aspect of my patients eyewear experience with us....now I'm just in a lab, which come to think about it, i like even better.

This is all too common. Soon after we hire a new dispenser, especially male ones, they gradually try to spend more and more time in my lab. I like to think it's me but it's more than like my awesome pandora station I have blaring.

**kat** · 10-03-2012, 11:39 AM

Brought back mempries of my first edging job! Congrats and welcome the the lab rat side.

**Now I See** · 10-03-2012, 03:04 PM

Great job! Now go buy some bandaids

and whatever you do...DO NOT go to the hardware store to buy a box of "optical centers" (don't do it...no matter what they say!!! I'm not speaking from experience or anything....a, uh friend of mine...yeah, really, not me, a friend of mine had that happen to her

LOL! Oh, yeah and that "+" button on the edger does NOT make the lens bigger...just thought I'd throw that out there, too!)

**mdeimler** · 10-03-2012, 03:13 PM

Last time I heard that someone tried to buy optical centers was about 2 decades ago. That brought back some sweet memories...those sum*****es!

**Mick** · 10-03-2012, 05:53 PM

Along with the optical centers, there was also the lens stretcher. Very handy when the lens was too small. That was in the days of all glass. Plastic put an end to that. HA!

**Jacqui** · 10-03-2012, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by opticianbart

Holy craptacular Batman! They let me use the machine to cut some lenses today (granted it's not like I did them by hand or anything, but still pretty cool)
Actually I'm pretty proud of myself cause I cut a couple lenses today and only messed up one, here's hoping I don't kill any more anytime soon.

Now all you need to do is learn how to surface and do AR coating, then you'll be worth something.

**Jacqui** · 10-03-2012, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by Mick

Along with the optical centers, there was also the lens stretcher. Very handy when the lens was too small. That was in the days of all glass. Plastic put an end to that. HA!

They also sell Kryptok oil

**uncut** · 10-03-2012, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by Jacqui

They also sell Kryptok oil

A very rare and expensive commodity. Not available on line.

**uncut** · 10-03-2012, 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by opticianbart

Holy craptacular Batman! They let me use the machine to cut some lenses today (granted it's not like I did them by hand or anything, but still pretty cool)
Actually I'm pretty proud of myself cause I cut a couple lenses today and only messed up one, here's hoping I don't kill any more anytime soon.

We are actually (all kidding aside) very proud of you, opticianbart! Now.....don't forget your six month anniversary coming up!

**Jubilee** · 10-03-2012, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by optical24/7

A reprint of a post I put in the "tips" thread.........

Do not hold a frame in your hand while tightening or loosing a frame screw, then slip and embed a reversible screwdriver blade into your hand/finger, then freaking, pull the handle only to leave the reversible blade in your hand, then yell to me "George! I put a screwdriver through my hand!!", and hold it out to show me and make me pull it out for you, the whole time telling me, " You told me to never, never do that, and I did it George, oh I'm so sorry...". ( It ain't my hand stuck...) Then I have to take you to the emergency clinic to get a tetanus shot....

Work backs up....... DO NOT hold a frame in your hand while tightening or loosening a frame screw.

On a related note; I've seen seasoned opticians do the above (the stabbing of themselves, not the rescue of pulling a blade out of someone..) At times, I think we (opticians) are like dogs you gotta put a shock collar on..Some of us, knowing the above consequences, do it, only to be reminded that it hurts to do that..

Be careful of the brace on the countertop technique as well. I recall quite vividly using that technique to loosen a screw. I was pregnant at the time.. feet killing me, so I sat down at our final inspection station to be able to put some extra muscle in it. Till the blade slid off the screw head and right into my thigh.. barely missing my belly..

Grats Bart, on adding to that repertoire! It does get addicting.. Even though I am wholesale, I don't get much time in the lab. I still catch myself going "I know I can do that better!" (and admit on a few occasions I have gone back to show them how it is done :P )