Starting Finish Lab

**tiny peepers** · 05-02-2006, 10:08 AM

Pediatric optometrist starting lab. All poly, mostly crizal and transitions. Mostly single vision. No drill mounts or rimless. Small eyesize. Suggetions on edgers and wholesale optical to supply uncuts. Thanks.

**optixbil** · 05-02-2006, 10:38 AM

Is there any financial justification to this decision or do you just want to do it because you have spare time and cash?

Bill Belanger

**ziggy** · 05-02-2006, 01:13 PM

Contact national optronics, www.nationaloptronics.com they have a great patterenless edger and able to cut the smaller eyesize. Be sure and take into consideration Bill's statement, Usless you plan on stocking a ton of sv lens it will take you years to recoup the cost of having a "finish" lab. Now if you want to put in a full service you will save your self a TON !!. As for a wholesale lab, we have a few optiboarders that own GREAT indy labs! Let us know what you decide.

**Thumbs** · 05-02-2006, 06:25 PM

Check out the Kappa SPX Edging system from GerberCoburn. (www.GerberCoburn.com) It now has 14mm x 18mm block and chucks available, the smallest on the market. I can edge a "B" measurement down to 16.5mm with a bevel and a safety bevel. I checked them all out at Vision Expo East and this edger by far was what I needed for a pediatric practice. I disagree with Bill, at the average cost of about $15.00 per job for your lab to supply edged lenses for your frames, 40 jobs per month pays off this system within 5 years. You do the math!!

**tiny peepers** · 05-03-2006, 08:43 AM

I need a lab that will provide me finished uncuts at the best price. I need poly single vision. I need crizal coated poly and crizal coated transition poly. Thanks!

**shellrob** · 05-03-2006, 09:18 AM

Have you requested any price sheets from any labs? That's a start....

**tiny peepers** · 05-03-2006, 09:35 AM

Firestone,Nassau,TCO I am gathering the information. Just need leads for best priced possibilities.:bbg:

**DPalmer** · 05-03-2006, 09:54 AM

Please send me your info so I can also provide you with prices. Please either pm me or you can contact me at NEOPTICS1@AOL.COM .I sent you a private message did you recieve it?

Dan

**Judy Canty** · 05-03-2006, 11:03 AM

Keep in mind that price is not the only consideration. You need a lab that will work with you and provide the best value for your dollar. Value doesn't mean the cheapest price. I've found over the years that the best relationships are mutually beneficial. This also applies to the Optician/technician who runs your facility. Get the best you can afford and you will save money in the long run. Todays finish lab systems are pretty goof-proof, but you still need a solid optical foundation to produce the best quality product.

Just because the system is so good you could "teach a monkey to use it" doesn't mean you should hire one. :bbg:

**culland** · 05-03-2006, 01:05 PM

The thing I would look at is the lab's warranty policy. When you said a pediatric optical, I think of all the warranty work you'll likely have. I've had problems with coating issues and getting the credit for the warranty on the coatings from one of the labs you mentioned. That can be a big issue, you don't want to have to hassle a lab for months to get a credit. Just something to think about when you're dealing with kids and how rough they can be on their glasses. It's good to see someone else from up in my neck of the woods on here. Good Luck!:)

**harry888** · 05-04-2006, 06:05 PM

Be very diligent in edger choice, since you are pediatric you need a machine that will do a small "B" measurement.

I have to send about a third of my pediatric frames to my lab because my Briot Accura wont cut the smaller B measurements.

Again, watch that B measurement.

Harry

**harry888** · 05-04-2006, 09:31 PM

Part deux:

I found my biggest savings doing my own edging was in the regular cr-39 and poly single vision which is inexpensive to stock. Big savings doing it myself over my lab.

I save less than $10 when I edge my own transitions and crizal, especially factoring in postage. And stocking it is too expensive, ordering is a hassle. I let my lab do those jobs. And there is the mistake/spoilage cost.

And wait until your B measurement is too small and your edger eats a few lenses.

Harry

**Lee Prewitt** · 05-05-2006, 07:46 PM

tiny peepers,

Please pm me and I can discuss your uncut needs. iCoat is an independant AR coater that provides both AR uncuts, regular uncuts, uncuts with "foundation" level hard coat as well as a full range of stock lenses. Vivix and Stainless (our AR) is competitive with all the leading corporate brands.

Judy was right though (as the rep gets off his box) as to needing a balance between service, turnaround, warranty and price.

**Jacqui** · 05-05-2006, 07:52 PM

I want to know why he thinks he needs to start his own lab when there are so many good ones in Minnesota.

**jeffish55** · 10-16-2006, 10:32 AM

I have some excellent finish lab euipment at a very reasonable price. I have a Horizon II bevel edger(about a year old) and about 4000 lenses both plastic and poly all for sale at half original price. I have all the euipment needed for a finish lab some great shape some good, I would like to sell it as a whole lot which will further help in price. Send me an email and I can give you a price and euipment list. jeffish55@hotmail.com, just put Optics equipment in the subject field.

Jeff

**JA OPTRONIC** · 10-16-2006, 03:01 PM

Tiny Peepers, the Briot line of edgers would bit your needs. They are all in one units (edge, block, safety bevel, groove, ect)

The since 2003 Accura line of edgers can bevel down to 19.5mm 21.3 with a safety bevel. I do not have the specs yet on the new Alta line of edgers. I should be hopefully get and email by the end of the day with the new specs. Most child frames have a “b” of around 23- 25 mm. The frames are designed for full field of view rather then style.

When looking for an edger, make sure your optician has the skill/ experience to match your edger. An optician just out of school would need a more automated edger then an optician with 20 years edging experience.

Harry8888 check with your Briot rep about software updates for your Accura CX. If your Accura is a B&W, you should see your rep for an equipment update if you are sending out more then 3 frames a week. There have been numerous improvements to the B&W over the years including new scanner, electronic controls, elimination of the “blue disk”, smaller chuck sizes (LG, SM, and oval chucks), programming to cut the hydrophobic coatings and new wheels to cut trivex.

Jacqui the reason why you bring edging in house is to better your customer service and to generate money. If the owner is all ready paying for the optician salary then why not have your employees make you more money.

**Johns** · 10-16-2006, 10:11 PM

I cut a job into an OGI frame with a "B" of 19mm today, using our new 7E from Optronics. Worked like a charm. (I need a few more weeks for a complete review.)

**MarcE** · 10-17-2006, 01:12 AM

I would agree with all the previous post, but here is my experience.

I do in-house edging right and it enhances my business and keeps more $ in-house. But I wouldn't recommend it for everyone. Here is what you should consider:
You make (or save) the most money on edging stock lenses, that includes transitions, poly, HI and AR coated lenses.
You save more money by doing grooves, polishing and rolling in house.
If you are not going to do those type jobs, your payback isn't as quick.

Here is my concern for you. When doing lots a kids, that tends to skew your mix toward more plus Rxs, right. When you put a stock plus lens in a small frame it doesn't look good, because it wasn't ground to a specific size and it is too thick. That Rx needs to be generated by a lab and now you haven't saved much money or time by edging yourself.

I'm not advising against edging, but the first thing I would do is find a lab that will edge stock lenses for you. This will save you a bit of money over the lab generating lenses. And remember that you can get Transitions V poly stock lenses. You could also save a bit of money by switching to a different AR. I wouldn't argue with someone who wants to use Crizal on a lab generated lens. However, there are better values to be had in ARC stock lenses than Crizal.

I use Lenstock.com for my stock lenses because they supply most everything: 2.0 safety, cyls to -4.00, Transitions, Crizal, Trivex, Resolution, Hoya 1.70. I stock only clear poly, the brand I use is Somo through Lenstock.com. I use it because of price, it has a decent hardcoat and a 1.2 CT.

For my edger, I bought a rebuilt Gerber Gamma. We are happy with it. The supplier replaced the cutting wheels, replaced almost all the bearings, calibrated it, shipped, installed, trained us and supplies lifetime support. It was such a good experience, I don't think I would ever by new.