Drill Mount sales

**Mapple** · 11-12-2007, 07:22 PM

Hi,
I am doing a little research about Silhouettes drilled rimless eyewear. What has been your experience with it? About what percentage of your patients ask for it? What percentage do you dispense.
Thanks a lot for your input.

**For-Life** · 11-12-2007, 07:25 PM

I get 0 percent asking for drill mounts anymore. Made a big decision to get out of it (choice of either carrying expensive inventory in it that does not more) or get out and free the inventory for something else. Chose the later, and it worked.

**Johns** · 11-12-2007, 09:32 PM

I have absolutely 0% asking for any brand name drill mount.

On the other hand, we sell on average, 15 drill mounts per week. We show 5 different companies (none of them Silhouettes), and I love the ability to mix and match the shapes.

Many of our newer customers have commented that they don't see the drill mounts at other places, and I think that helps our sales. It also helps alot that we do all of our drills in-house now.

**Opticaldeals** · 11-12-2007, 09:44 PM

Many patients in our area given the chance will choose a 3pc mount rimless. We like the compression mounting style vs. screw and bolt with notch. You need to watch your rx power ranges, make sure you use Trivex material (poly will eventually crack around drill holes) polish the edges and AR looks great on them, in other words you need to be an optician and not just a clerk to sell the product. It takes time to sell and talent to adjust. You will get great results, we like the Totally Rimless frame styles from McGee Group competitively priced and Beta Titanium or Stainless available. Good luck you wont be disappointed if you do it right.

**For-Life** · 11-12-2007, 09:57 PM

The screw and bolt option is not great, but the screw that goes in through the back of the lens and mounted into the frame is the best. Never backs off, easy, more adaptable to thicker rx's and reliable.

**cocoisland58** · 11-12-2007, 10:43 PM

It's not the hot item it was a few years ago but we keep the Sillouettes in stock in the Minimal Art and Space. We still sell them, at least one pair per week and replace lenses in many more. There is still a good market for them in the 55 to 70 age group especially for people who have never really got comfortable in glasses. The minute they say they hate anything on their face we steer them right to the Sillouettes. I have had a few people come in and ask for them by name because they saw them on a friend. And you have to agree the cases have improved.

**optigrrl** · 11-13-2007, 12:03 AM

I carried Silhouette and Minima for the "wire" style and T2 for something a little more whimsical. It is the go-to for any hard to fit patient, perfect for patients that are sensitive to pressure behind the ear or on the nose, they have varying bridge and temple sizes and lastly - custom lens shapes to fit any rx!

Of the compression mounts, Silhouette vs. Airlock, Silhouette was so much easier to mount or to replace grommets.

Minima had a 10 yr warranty and a more "rigid" feeling to it for people who needed that security. They also had a better color range.

T2 is a specialty mount that uses some sort of sealant. Never had one of those loosen up. Plus - they offered cable-temples. Guys loved that!

Minima and T2 let you customize your components - each piece could be a different color!

Sold alot of them, all 3 lines did well. Of course, it's been 6 months now...

**Stylus** · 11-13-2007, 09:09 AM

We have a ton of these coming through our lab, and they are the best drill frames you can buy. In fact, I'd say the Silhouette knock-offs are better than any other non-Silhouette brand.

**DragonLensmanWV** · 11-13-2007, 09:55 AM

Originally Posted by For-Life

The screw and bolt option is not great, but the screw that goes in through the back of the lens and mounted into the frame is the best. Never backs off, easy, more adaptable to thicker rx's and reliable.

Wait till you overtighten one of those and break the bolt off. That's one reason I won't buy that type. I do have a few that use the regular bolt. Those certainly work better on a higher minus than a compression mount.

**Barry Santini** · 11-13-2007, 10:03 AM

Easiest and most forgiving, least amount of skill needed: Silhoutte

Most durable (in general) and absolutely Best engineered: Rodenstock & Minima (Minima is the ultimate CR-39 mounting)

Least forgiving: any *rigid* screw/strap style. (G&W are particularly awful)

Rimless is on the decline. We carry *only* Silhoutte and Calvin Klein

We *used* to have people ask for Silhouette...

We keep the rimless on display, in a beautiful Aravia lacquered-wood showcase. Sets them off nice.

BTW, I'll put lenses into just about *any* rimless frame that someone brings in...except outright crap!

FWIW

Barry

**For-Life** · 11-13-2007, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by DragonLensmanWV

Wait till you overtighten one of those and break the bolt off. That's one reason I won't buy that type. I do have a few that use the regular bolt. Those certainly work better on a higher minus than a compression mount.

I used to do them myself. Learned the lesson, and never did it again. You learn that once it stops tightening, you do not twist anymore. If the lens is loose, the the screw out and knock a thread off. Simple.

**chip anderson** · 11-13-2007, 12:09 PM

Never forget, there is locktight and compeditive products to eliminate the need for overtighting.

Chip

Ain't nuthin wrong with doin a job right.

**DragonLensmanWV** · 11-13-2007, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Never forget, there is locktight and compeditive products to eliminate the need for overtighting.

Chip

Ain't nuthin wrong with doin a job right.

Well with that type you have to have a pretty solid grip with the screw. But I do use similar products to loctite on all drill mounts that use screws. And I don't use poly for drills so no worry about messing up the lens.

**Cindy K** · 11-13-2007, 07:44 PM

I'm a HUGE Silhouette rimless fan, especially the 7500 series with the SPX temples and the all-metal Minimal Arts. We've never really had many clients come in asking for them specifically by name, other than previous wearers who wanted more.

I have two pairs myself: oldest being almost ten years, newest being just over two, and hubby's are now four years old. He wears his to work (loader operator at a sawmill) and on his Harley with both full helmet or beanie- never had any problems nor breakage with any of our own but do have the occasional client who breaks a part (for the life of me I just don't get it how they break their frames as I treat mine abominably and have no problems, including regularly sleeping with them on!)

I've found through years of experience most folks are happiest with them aesthetically with Transitions. The slight residual colour allows the lenses to blend in with the wearer's complexion, thus making the eyewear as invisible as possible. Bonus, they have a comfort tint for outdoors!

We've tried countless other less costly compression mounts aside from Silhouette and had little success. Often copied, never duplicated.The trouble with the others invariably is in the soldering of the pins- there's this nasty flare which prevents the chassis from sitting flush with the lens, and often induces cracking at the attachment point.

**DragonLensmanWV** · 11-14-2007, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Cindy K

I'm a HUGE Silhouette rimless fan, especially the 7500 series with the SPX temples and the all-metal Minimal Arts. We've never really had many clients come in asking for them specifically by name, other than previous wearers who wanted more.

I have two pairs myself: oldest being almost ten years, newest being just over two, and hubby's are now four years old. He wears his to work (loader operator at a sawmill) and on his Harley with both full helmet or beanie- never had any problems nor breakage with any of our own but do have the occasional client who breaks a part (for the life of me I just don't get it how they break their frames as I treat mine abominably and have no problems, including regularly sleeping with them on!)

I've found through years of experience most folks are happiest with them aesthetically with Transitions. The slight residual colour allows the lenses to blend in with the wearer's complexion, thus making the eyewear as invisible as possible. Bonus, they have a comfort tint for outdoors!

We've tried countless other less costly compression mounts aside from Silhouette and had little success. Often copied, never duplicated.The trouble with the others invariably is in the soldering of the pins- there's this nasty flare which prevents the chassis from sitting flush with the lens, and often induces cracking at the attachment point.

If you get the Kishimoto drill from Global there ARE no solder points. The pins are carved from one piece of stainless along with the endpieces and bridge, which is also one piece- no soldered on pad arms.
We have never had a single breakage with these.

**Cindy K** · 11-14-2007, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by DragonLensmanWV

If you get the Kishimoto drill from Global there ARE no solder points. The pins are carved from one piece of stainless along with the endpieces and bridge, which is also one piece- no soldered on pad arms.
We have never had a single breakage with these.

Never heard of them and I don't believe we have a Global distributor in Canada. I'll check that out, though!