What about Lab Certification?

[driller]

I remember when I was trying to run 1.56 or even 1.60 Index lenses years ago. I was trying this cutting them with a 113 generator and an owner that believed in generator diamonds lasting forever. The curves were never accurate and never mind the elliptical error induced when cutting steep cross curves. But we did the best we could and when we finnally got one out, it would come right back to the lab with backside lensometer scratches.

Back then only the large laboratories had the backside coaters and small labs were unable to afford them. But with all of todays modernized LOH equiopment like 3 axis generators and computerized cylinder machines which allows a PC to control pressures, fining and polishing times by material and back side coaters becomming more affordable those problems are of the past. I have very little hair left due to those problems.

:bbg:

[Joann Raytar]

driller,

OK now, you are starting to give away our ages.

Actually, there is a bit of joy to being older. We have an old Logo groover in our shop. Nothing beats the humour value of watching a young 'un put a lens on the suction cup, put the edge of the lens on the blade, turn the groover on and then freak out when the lens and chuck go bouncing off the machine. I guess he was used to a groover with a motorized chuck and he thought it would just go by itself. :D

[Steve Machol]

Three pins, Coburn aerosol spray - oh yeah, I remember all of that!

How many of you can remember running the glass generator with oil-based coolant? Wasn't it a blast to tell the new kid to backcut the photochray lenses as hard as she/he could! Our lab had scorch marks in the ceiling from all the new lab rats that fell for that one!

P.S. I once burned off all the hair on my left arm and singed my beard because I forgot the 'no back-cut' rule! :shiner:

[MVEYES]

It is the chuck that is hitting. Does anyone know where I can get a rimless chuck for an Essilor 900MX?

Jerry

[John R]

Originally posted by Steve Machol
How many of you can remember running the glass generator with oil-based coolant?

Never had a lens come out for years though, not since we used to use vacum chucks on the generator....
Just lately on the 120 we have bent a couple of wheel spindles when the wheel fused itself to a lens,( coolent pipes keep getting bent..) boy does that make a noise.... :hammer: but still the lens stayed in the chuck.....

Driller, on the laps (523 index) we use 0.12 steps and if we aint got what we need we try to bodge on to a plastic tool (498 index)

[Joann Raytar]

Originally posted by Steve Machol
How many of you can remember running the glass generator with oil-based coolant?

I remember that stuff; it was nasty.

Originally posted by John R
Never had a lens come out for years though

We stopped using those thick, oil based coolants awhile ago. I never had a problem with glass or plastic coming off a block in the generator but I have popped a poly off once or twice. They were those high plus jobs that pushed the curves our generator would cut and that someone had said our lab couldn't run and I, of course, said yes we can. They always did come out and looked really nice but cutting them was a pain.

[Joann Raytar]

Originally posted by MVEYES
It is the chuck that is hitting. Does anyone know where I can get a rimless chuck for an Essilor 900MX?

Jerry,

Try looking around the Gerber Coburn Store they have some Essilor chucks listed but you would have to take a look or contact them to find out if they have what you are looking for:

• http://shop.gerbercoburn.com/shop/servlet/portal/search

[gebe33]

Lab certification would be Ok if it led to higher pay for lab rats but if the pay isn't higher then it's just anouther test someone has to pay for. Iknow I've been out looking and it is sad how little labs want to pay help right now. As far as the one hour places doing a worst job on lab work, that varies on the expirence of the help and how the store is run. I worked at one before that did all materials including glass and the opticians were very fussy and customers were told they would have to come back if the work wasn't up to ansi standards. I've also seen wholesale labs send out lousy work. This is not to say that this is always the case but just that it is the people that make the difference.
Tom

[MVEYES]

Thanks I'll look there.


Jerry

[driller]

Originally posted by Steve Machol
Three pins, Coburn aerosol spray - oh yeah, I remember all of that!

How many of you can remember running the glass generator with oil-based coolant? Wasn't it a blast to tell the new kid to backcut the photochray lenses as hard as she/he could! Our lab had scorch marks in the ceiling from all the new lab rats that fell for that one!

P.S. I once burned off all the hair on my left arm and singed my beard because I forgot the 'no back-cut' rule! :shiner:

Guys,

I can remember all of those good old days. I was initiated with the old backcut trick. I too have singed my hair and remember the flame that came off of photogrey lenses was quite pretty. We had an eight foot drop ceiling in the lab and there was a hole in the ceiling tile above the generator. I saw a photogrey lens come straight out of the cutting chamber and go thru the ceiling tile creating that hole. My boss asked me to change the tile. I begged not to change it, as I felt it was some sort of omen or something like that. It is was also a great training tool.

I was recently having trouble with poly coming off the block. I had to reduce the amount of cribbing in the generator even with a polycrystalline diamond.

[driller]

Originally posted by MVEYES
It is the chuck that is hitting. Does anyone know where I can get a rimless chuck for an Essilor 900MX?

Jerry

Jerry,

If you are using the 18 mm adapter and it is still hitting, then I might suggest trying to bring the overall diameter down in size some how. I used to use the old shuron blocks which were great for shallow b measurement lenses. We would customize our half eye leap blocks by filing off the tops and bottoms. Also I would narrow the adapters' (clamping and block adapters) top and bottom as well. It was easy with the Shuron stlye system because of their rectangle design. Most of the newer stlyes these days are round and making it a little more difficult to deal with when trying to customize or modify. If you know of a good machine shop some where maybe you could have an adapter made. It might not be a swivel, but they might be able to use a thinner metal which would allow the chuck to be made smaller in diameter. Then go to a leather shop with your new adapter and have them cut or punch you some pads to fit it. I have done that in the past. I fine that there is not better then wet leather when it comes to clamping pads and preventing lens slippage. But remember the smaller you go the better chances of cracking, so watch the clamping pressure. Also by going smaller you risk the chance of folding the lens a little which could cause the shape and size to be inaccurate as well as the bevel palcement.

[MVEYES]

Get Road Runner cable hook up. It's great. You will pop in and out without problems.

Jerry

[Steve Machol]

Originally posted by driller
I am having trouble logging in at times. Is it something with my settings or what?

Logging into OptiBoard or logging into the Interent? If OptiBoard, what exactly is the problem you're having?

[MVEYES]

Thanks for the solution to my chuck problem. I have cut the metal blocks but the holders are still hitting.


Jerry

[JasonW]

Yes PLEASE....would love more help with mastering the art of surfacing.



There would be no music if it wernt for Elvis.............John Lennon:cheers:

[HarryChiling]

Any other lab folk out there that would like us to start a lab Forum?

I work in the one hour lab that was so brutaly mentioned ;) and would love to have a lab forum.

[HarryChiling]

Steve,
It just came to me, how about a sub forum under ophthalmic optics. This way it would not be adding another forum, but there would be a place for labs. Just a suggestion. :)

[k12311997]

1. I think a lab subforum would be cool if there was enough use. I personally haven't been in a lab, other than to tour the wholesale lab we deal with, in 7 years and woud be intrested in attracting more people from that side of things.

2. This thread is over 4 years old and the guy who started it stayed for a whopping 19 days so maybee could be hard keeping up the intrest level.

[Slugathor]

Would love to discuss about the hell that is being a optical lab tech :angry:. Have been only working for Lenscrafters for about 8 months (totally green before that) and already feel so violated in so many ways :shiner:.

[HarryChiling]

Would love to discuss about the hell that is being a optical lab tech :angry:. Have been only working for Lenscrafters for about 8 months (totally green before that) and already feel so violated in so many ways :shiner:.

Violated you say, hehehe. I get frustrated with the dispensing opticiasn that like to promise stuff at wierd times of the day so I end up cherry picking jobs all day and feel like I never get real work done. :hammer:

[Slugathor]

Violated you say, hehehe. I get frustrated with the dispensing opticiasn that like to promise stuff at wierd times of the day so I end up cherry picking jobs all day and feel like I never get real work done. :hammer:

I always wondered why the lab techs were such hardliners about standing your ground against the retail associates on the otherside of the wall of glass. When I first talked to the retail guys, they all seemed cool......but as soon as they realized I was a hard worker and tried to get everything done on time....is when my hell began:angry:.

-I tell them surface is closed at 730pm and I see 2 surface orders appear at 8pm, both 1 hours, both with grey solid 3 tints, roll and polish, , both pairs use the same lap, which we only have one of, and to top it all off both have cross and bases that are too low for our generator. We close at 9pm, sigh.

I would go on, but this post would never end heh. I am just glad my Lab Manager and I agree that we both need to get our ABO certification asap and work somewhere tolerable. We are both waiting for the study guide and stalking the DHL guy :D. Anyone here work for Costco or Kaiser Permanente in California? I hear there are some good Lab Tech opportunities over there if you have your ABO Certification.

[FullCircle]

I always wondered why the lab techs were such hardliners about standing your ground against the retail associates on the otherside of the wall of glass. When I first talked to the retail guys, they all seemed cool......but as soon as they realized I was a hard worker and tried to get everything done on time....is when my hell began:angry:.

-I tell them surface is closed at 730pm and I see 2 surface orders appear at 8pm, both 1 hours, both with grey solid 3 tints, roll and polish, , both pairs use the same lap, which we only have one of, and to top it all off both have cross and bases that are too low for our generator. We close at 9pm, sigh.

I would go on, but this post would never end heh. I am just glad my Lab Manager and I agree that we both need to get our ABO certification asap and work somewhere tolerable. We are both waiting for the study guide and stalking the DHL guy :D. Anyone here work for Costco or Kaiser Permanente in California? I hear there are some good Lab Tech opportunities over there if you have your ABO Certification.

Surface side should be closing at 8. Heck, we close it at 8:15, finish at 8:30.

Learn to change base curves, cut low curves on a 113 and utilize Central Lab if you can't handle it. Yes, later in the evening jobs are annoying. But they don't happen every day and it is money coming in. Money that pays for you to be there to begin with.

Last I checked, R&P still bought you 3hrs, making that a next day job anyway.

Yes, there are stumbling blocks in terms of dealing with retail. But we all work on the same team. And honestly, without them, you don't have a gig.

You've been there 8 months if I recall from one of your posts. You, as far as I'm concerned are still as green as they come. you are currently getting some of the best job training available in optics FOR FREE. If you hang around long enough and learn enough to pass your ABO, LC PAYS YOU FOR IT. I'm not seeing what there is to whine about.

Lab Techs are a dime a dozen. But the good ones are worth their weight in gold. Which one do you want to be?

[HarryChiling]

I always wondered why the lab techs were such hardliners about standing your ground against the retail associates on the otherside of the wall of glass. When I first talked to the retail guys, they all seemed cool......but as soon as they realized I was a hard worker and tried to get everything done on time....is when my hell began:angry:.

-I tell them surface is closed at 730pm and I see 2 surface orders appear at 8pm, both 1 hours, both with grey solid 3 tints, roll and polish, , both pairs use the same lap, which we only have one of, and to top it all off both have cross and bases that are too low for our generator. We close at 9pm, sigh.

I would go on, but this post would never end heh. I am just glad my Lab Manager and I agree that we both need to get our ABO certification asap and work somewhere tolerable. We are both waiting for the study guide and stalking the DHL guy :D. Anyone here work for Costco or Kaiser Permanente in California? I hear there are some good Lab Tech opportunities over there if you have your ABO Certification.

Comes with the territory, our sales floor likes to shave times I give them, if I say two days the promise one and if I say an hour they're tellign the patient how fast I am and they will be ready in 15-20 minutes.

The reason I get from them everytime I confront this situation is that they think that this is provideing great customer service, their idea is that the quicker we get it done the more impressed they will be. However I know better the more of my "just in case time" you cut out of my jobs the more negatively it effects the customer satisfaction. We go in cycles where they start to follow the rules and give times like instructed and what happens is that they get cocky, they see that all the jobs are coming out on time and that they no longer get the calls asking when glasses are going to be ready and make the assumption that it must be I have a boat load of time to make the glasses, then they start back up with the shaving time.

We have an overnight delivery from our warehouse everyday so we get lenses next day but I always tell them 2 days because sometimes the picking department screws up and I get the wrong lens this additional time gives me an opportunity to CYA, also at times I mess a job up and I have time to redo it without delays.

Also in a retail/lab enviornment people tend to see you working in the back making their glasses and the assume you know more then the people dispensing which sometimes is the case. Our floor opticians have a tendency to try and pull me away from work to troubleshoot, or help on the floor. I learned very early you need to be firm in tellign them that this is not your job and if you are to do both, you will never do both in the same day. Nothing is more aggrevateing then an hour job sitting in the back while your troubleshooting a job with a patient you know is going to be at least 45 minutes if not more with you, you will come off as anxious or in a hurry and often that will lead to bad blood between you and the patient.

Just make some rules and present them and why you need these rules adhered to and make your job better, cause every retail/lab enviornment will be this way without setting the ground rules and every large lab you will work under some prick that thinks they know everything and get paid next to nothign to perform one meanial task in the fabrication process. Try polishing everyday for 8-10 hours a day 5 days a week. Talk abotu a lifetime of headaches, I think it took me a year after that experience to grow a portion of my brains back and I'm still reatarded.:hammer:

[FullCircle]

Just make some rules and present them and why you need these rules adhered to and make your job better, cause every retail/lab enviornment will be this way without setting the ground rules and every large lab you will work under some prick that thinks they know everything and get paid next to nothign to perform one meanial task in the fabrication process. Try polishing everyday for 8-10 hours a day 5 days a week. Talk abotu a lifetime of headaches, I think it took me a year after that experience to grow a portion of my brains back and I'm still reatarded

Well said, Harry.

[Fezz]

Try polishing everyday for 8-10 hours a day 5 days a week. Talk abotu a lifetime of headaches, I think it took me a year after that experience to grow a portion of my brains back and I'm still reatarded.:hammer:

Or.....
Blocking
Generating
Inspection
So on and so on....


LOL.....UGH!!!!