Can you convert a 108 to dry cut?

[snowmonster]

Will likely be getting an old 108 CT soon, currently is set up as a wet cut generator.

My questions are as follows:

• Can a 108 CT be converted to dry cut? If so, how?
• Is there any advantage to wet or dry cut?

Thanks in advance!

-Steve

[Jubilee]

I don't see how it can be converted due to the use of a diamond wheel versus a blade...

Dry edgers typically use a vacuum system to remove swarf and dust from the chamber and use a chiller system blowing cold air onto the cutting surface to reduce heat.

The wet ones use water and coolant mixtures to rinse the area to reduce swarf and keep the lens cool.

My preference has always been the dry cut generators. The hassel of changing that water, which may or may not be able to go down the drain (depending upon locality) can be a p.i.t.a. Some locations I worked at we put it on a cart and took it to a special area to process, others we used a wet vac with a filter bag to syphon the water and swarf out to seperate the ok stuff from the bad...

Dry cut ones typically also offer features such making a foam lap, and a wider range of curves. However they are more costly, and more costly to repair due to the use of computer mainboards and chips...

I guess part of the question is how much lens processing are you planning on doing, and what range of powers and materials do you want to produce?

Cassandra

[snowmonster]

Good point about the cool air thing. Forgot about needing to keep the lens/cutter cool.

I'll likely leave it as a wet cut then and just not mess with it.

-Steve

[kgs113]

A little inguenity might go a long way. I've been out of the wholesale end for nine years but I set up two plastic surfacing operations on a shoestring budget and modified Shuron 390generators with a dry cut system. Good high volume air filter and a couple of air jets on the wheel to keep it cool. Look outside the optical industry for better and less expensive air filters. You can get misting nozzles for the cooling jets. A good filter system should be able to handle the moisture with the high volume air flow. The water will just evaporate. What materials are you planning on running through the machine?

[snowmonster]

I would run everything except glass. Glass wouldn't be too compatible with our Horizon II edger.

I'm always trying to improve things. Have modified our Horizon II quite a bit to make it work better and have run out of modifications that I could possibly do to it as of now. Might as well screw around with a generator, right?

-Steve

[kgs113]

A dry cut wheeel should be ok for CR39, 1.56 and spectralite. High index and poly can present difficulties. The elliptical error induced on any wheel type generator will be difficult to remove in the fining process with poly because it is so soft. It can be done but I would farm out the more expensive lenses and higher Rx's because the spoilage will hurt.

[ziggy]

you have to use a dry cut wheel and hook up a vacuum unit but it can be done.

[OptiJim]

We use a 113HW and we do have a different hood/chamber that allows attaching a vacuum(for swarf removal) and air(for cooling). I don't know for sure, but I'll bet this hood would fit or could be fit to work on a 108. You would also want to use a blade/cutter type wheel for this application.

Jim

[MELVIN]

Does your 108 ct have a metal grinding chamber or rubber grinding chamber.
can you post a picture of the grinding chamber.

[Jubilee]

The 108's I have worked on have had a chamber with a metal bottom and top, but a fabric type filter that covered the rest of the chamber with water flowing through the filter and spilling out. Most of the water was directed back into the water bucket, but water did get everywhere. Thus the large stand with a lip that it sits on.

The 113 and 2113 I used did have the rubber boot to contain the water and used a vacuum to suck it out along with the swarf.

I suppose if you are more mechanically inclined than I, it is possible to convert it to the rubber boot system so coverting it to a cool air chiller can be more effective than in more porous setup of the fabric filter.

Does swarf ever get stuck on the dry cut wheels? How long do the dry cut wheels last? My experience has always been wet for wheels, and dry for blades...

Cassandra