Product: ShootOut
Vendor: Western Optical Supply, Santa Fe, NM
Category: Dispensing Tools/Equipment -or- Lab Tools/Equipment
Reviewer: Larry Guess
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Remember the old “punch plier” that could be used to punch out rivets or temple screws? While it wasn’t perfect by any means, still it made the optician’s life easier. Later on came the staking kit that had an action similar to that of a drill press. It was quite an improvement over the punch plier, but still had it’s limitations, especially if you tried to utilize it to punch out an eyewire screw.
Western Optical has taken the concept of those two tools and has come up with a modern, easy to use hand-held tool (it looks sort of like a plier on steroids) that can do everything those tools did and more, including punching out most eyewire screws. Besides components that allow you to eject eyewire and temple screws, it can also flare or rivet screw ends, cut a new slot on a screw head, and even install a rivet in lieu of that hard to find temple screw (we’ve all spent way too much time looking for a screw for some customer’s $2.95 sunglasses or readers!)
The tool works in the most part as advertised but there are a few caveats: It has a patented lever system that turns a gentle squeeze into a lot of pressure, and if the user isn’t careful she or he can easily ruin an eyewire barrel or temple barrel. People new to this tool definitely need to carefully read the instructions and then practice with it using old frames. Also, because of the small diameter needed for a couple of the punching points, it’s easy to break those points and they’re not cheap: $6.50 each. For that matter, the tool itself isn’t cheap: $118.00 for the complete tool and kit, and Western throws in a few of the screw replacement rivets for you to try.
If you decide to get this tool, I definitely recommend getting some of the rivets (they come in silver, gunmetal and gold, but I just use the gunmetal ones), and while you’re at it get a couple extra punch points for the eyewire and temple screw application.
The #2042 ShootOut Frame Repair Multi-Tool Kit is available from Western Optical Supply, 20 Arroyo Cuyamungue, Santa Fe, NM 87506. Phone number is (800) 423-3294.
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