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Thread: Making frames in my little shop

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    Making frames in my little shop

    Hi! I mentioned in another 'advice' thread that I'm trying to make some frames here.

    I'm new to this forum so thought I should ask: is it appropriate to post pictures, etc. of what I'm doing, or is that not of much interest to professionals like you guys?

    Rod

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    Independent Problem Optiholic edKENdance's Avatar
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    Go for it!

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    Optimentor Diane's Avatar
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    Rod, we are interested in what all of our colleagues are doing.

    Diane
    Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

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    OK! Well then, here's a pair with green translucent acetate laminated to a brownish tortoise. It looks pretty luminescent in the sun.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Heres a simpler one in a navy blue. It's a conservative color but really rich and I really like it. (I'm a poor photographer though, hope to get better!) Tried for something a person could actually wear to an office.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Finally here's a pair of sunglasses I did on commission for a local fashion boutique. These are people much cooler than I will ever be or ever was, and they assure me they like them. :) They designed them so they should.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I've got lots more! And lots of problems too, if anybody feels like coaching me. :)

    Rod

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    They all look wonderful ! I love the green sunglasses, great job !

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    OptiBoard Professional OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    Wow! Super job . Are they one of kind pieces ?

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    OptiBoardaholic vcom's Avatar
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    These are great!! I love seeing what people can create. Whats the process in actually making the frames? This piques my curiosity as both an Optician, and a creative-artist-hands on-tinkering-type person.
    Patient, ".. Doctor says I have a subscription for stigmata.. Can you fill that?"
    Me, "..Um.. "

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    Master OptiBoarder MakeOptics's Avatar
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    I'll get blasted for this but keep the process to yourself, your competitors could be here listening. Best case scenario your process will be available for critique by many who don't have a clue.
    http://www.opticians.cc

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    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    I love your work

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    Quote Originally Posted by EyeSore View Post
    Wow! Super job . Are they one of kind pieces ?
    Hi, Eyesore. They're not meant to be one-of-a-kind -- not exactly, anyhow!

    I've developed a system that a shop can use to quickly measure a patient and then order custom-fit glasses. All styles can be sized to the patient's head size and perfectly fit to the patient's nose. They can be placed vertically on the patient where it looks best and the fit is adjusted to support the frame in that position.

    Sorry if that sounds self-promotional! I'm just excited about it. I hope that many ordinary people like us can get really well-fitting frames - almost bespoke frames, but at a mid-level price.

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    Underemployed Genius Jacqui's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rfrey View Post
    Hi, Eyesore. They're not meant to be one-of-a-kind -- not exactly, anyhow!

    I've developed a system that a shop can use to quickly measure a patient and then order custom-fit glasses. All styles can be sized to the patient's head size and perfectly fit to the patient's nose. They can be placed vertically on the patient where it looks best and the fit is adjusted to support the frame in that position.

    Sorry if that sounds self-promotional! I'm just excited about it. I hope that many ordinary people like us can get really well-fitting frames - almost bespoke frames, but at a mid-level price.
    Where is the 'LIKE" button??

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    OptiBoard Professional OptiBoard Silver Supporter
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    rfrey , That sounds interesting . I don't think this is the forum to speak of price , but I'd like to hear more .
    What is the name of your product ? Is it ready for distribution ? How many pieces do you have ?

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    I totally hear what you're saying, MakeOptics. I'm of mixed minds... On the one hand, I'm greedy. :) On the other hand, I need so much help MYSELF... (see for example my thread on rivets), so how can I not share what I've learned?

    Anyway, it's probably all wrong anyhow. :D :D

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    Keep the pictures and info coming. Awesome work. This is something I've considered venturing into myself so while I don't need your "secrets" per-se, any updates would be appreciated.

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    Seems like at least a few people are interested in the process, so I'll maybe tell some of the story! I'm actually happy to share anything... if I fail in business I think it will be because I don't provide a good product at the right price, not because others know how to do this. Luxotica knows how! I heard they make quite a few frames.

    One of the hardest things I did was getting a nice finish. I'm still not there! But going from raw shapes to a nice, softly rounded frame, and then to a nice polish, took me months.

    I had no luck with tumbling at all! In the end it turned out that my tumbler (a very small jewelry unit) was just too small! A lot of time wasted running to other methods, only to come full circle.

    Here's a video of my home-made tumbler. It's an octagon about 2 feet in diameter.



    It's made of plywood and powered by 2 DC motors scavanged from a wheelchair. (the video above was before I installed the second motor, which I did because the first was overheating.)

    Inside there are 2 chambers, one for roughing and one for polishing. It's lined with carpet to deaden the sound a bit.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The roughing is done 3/4" birch blocks and a rough paste abrasive. The finishing is with 1/4" birch pegs and a polishing cream. Both processes are dry (the paste and cream just coat the wood).

    I didn't think it through totally! I've had some problems with the finishing chamber being contaminated by grit from the roughing chamber. I thought I'd probably build another tumbler, but I'm going to start by putting a gasket around the openings and being more careful about washing the frames before they go into the polishing chamber.

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    Independent Problem Optiholic edKENdance's Avatar
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    Awesome!

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    Those are phenomenal and extraordinary by every definition. Alas! your clients found my secret stash http://www.firstpalette.com/tool_box...superhero.html! I am also interested in pricing and distribution. If you could PM me, Im all about customization for our patients and would love some more information about how to order. Thanks!

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    Quote Originally Posted by chaoticneutral View Post
    Im all about customization for our patients and would love some more information about how to order. Thanks!
    That's wonderful, chaoticneutral, if only because it's gratifying that a pro thinks it's a good idea. I'm not quite ready to sell yet, and I have some regulatory stuff to do before I could sell into the US anyhow (I'm in Canada)...

    Plus I don't want to be commercially promotional on a board like this! How about when I'm ready to Tell The World about the offering in its full glory (hah!) I'll buy advertisement space from Optiboard (looks like there's some ads on top)... Then y'all will know that I'm ready and can contact me if you're interested.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MakeOptics View Post

    I'll get blasted for this but keep the process to yourself, your competitors could be here listening. Best case scenario your process will be available for critique by many who don't have a clue.

    No blast from me, because MakeOptics has a good point.

  20. #20
    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rfrey View Post
    That's wonderful, chaoticneutral, if only because it's gratifying that a pro thinks it's a good idea. I'm not quite ready to sell yet, and I have some regulatory stuff to do before I could sell into the US anyhow (I'm in Canada)...

    Plus I don't want to be commercially promotional on a board like this! How about when I'm ready to Tell The World about the offering in its full glory (hah!) I'll buy advertisement space from Optiboard (looks like there's some ads on top)... Then y'all will know that I'm ready and can contact me if you're interested.
    Before tumbling for a finish, try sanding with coarse grit to fine. Sand in the same direction to avoid crossed grains. Using a hot air blower, I find the ones used for peeling paint to be a good heating source or a hot plate electric(no gas's) place a small crucible of acetone on the plate or use the blower to heat and polish with the VOCs. Make sure your space is well ventilated and far from ignition sources (I torched a frame not long ago with the vapors being pulled back through the blower). You have to rivet the fronts and sides and use the hinges to suspend the frames over the crucible with a paper clip or staple works best.

    The acetone swells the zyl to create a smooth polished surface, you could do a tumble polish before vapor polish using walnut shells (picked that up from Jerry Huang).

    I posted in your hinges thread as well, I have a system for custom measuring frames as well, PM me as I have been working on this for about 2 years now and have the process down but have difficulty sourcing zyl sheets in small qty.

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    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    If you are using CNC, Laser, or waterjets to cut your frame parts, I have an open source tool chain I have been working on that has worked well for me. I even developed a small webapp that can take a trace file from a frame tracer or from a website and turn it into an image which I then process into an SVG file and import into my template. I have also developed a webapp that allows a PD measure and facial measures from an image that I use to create my NC files with. I have toyed with converting images of frames into NC files which comes out OK, my original thought was you walk into an optical take a picture of a frame and take it home to modify or recreate but the conditions need to be ideal for the image other wise you get a skewed frame, some of it can be corrected but it's not as quick and easy as I would like it.

    My original thought was a system for opticals to create frames but the more people I talk to the more I realize that unless it is a one button press process many are going to balk at the process. Your idea of a service is fantastic, however don't get caught in the inventory trap of sending samples and such to showcase unless you have buy in from the practice and a commitment for orders.

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    Harry: I sent you a PM before I read this. Our efforts sound incredibly complimentary, let's chat about it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by HarryChiling View Post
    you could do a tumble polish before vapor polish using walnut shells (picked that up from Jerry Huang).
    Harry, is that tumbling done with straight walnut shells, or is there rouge or something like that added? I have a couple boxes of walnut shells but haven't run them because I didn't know if they should be run wet or dry or with an abrasive or what.

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    Quote Originally Posted by rfrey View Post
    Harry, is that tumbling done with straight walnut shells, or is there rouge or something like that added? I have a couple boxes of walnut shells but haven't run them because I didn't know if they should be run wet or dry or with an abrasive or what.
    Hello Rfrey

    1. Get a bigger tumbler that has more space to generate cutting forces.
    2. Go through a 12 hours rough tumbling course----use 1 inch long, 1/2 inch wide oval walnut shell, wet the shell by mixing diesel fuel and abbressive powder together in a huge bucket.
    3. Fine tumbling----use 10mm in diameter walnut shell coated with sticky bee wax. This is the time to mix diesel fuel and rouge, make sure the rouge is becoming soft in paste form.
    4. Glossy polishing tumbling----6mm walnut shell coated with sticky bee wax, this time use bee wax and diesel fuel mixing together. 12 hours cycle, check every 4 hours and see more wax is needed.
    Cool designs you created--- great job!

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    ATO Member HarryChiling's Avatar
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    What Jerry Said he's the man when it comes to making. Check your e-mail for a few digital treats.

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