Shrinking zyl

[VHB]

Are manufacturers not aging their sheets of zyl properly?

Lately I find that many of my frames (from absolutely top-of-the-line European mfgrs) have shrunk. The way I know this is that I remove the demo lenses when I put the frame on the shelf. Then, when I sell it, I put the demo lenses back in so the lab will trace them instead of tracing the eyewire, which I think is less accurate for shape. Sometimes I can hardly get the demo lenses back into the frame.

Is anyone else having this problem?

[Diane]

Why are you taking out the demo lenses for display?
Diane

[Fezz]

Then, when I sell it, I put the demo lenses back in so the lab will trace them instead of tracing the eyewire, which I think is less accurate for shape.

I highly doubt that the lab is tracing the demo lenses!!!

[DC Optix]

Huh? I'm also interested in why you take the demos out at all. I disagree on the accuracy of the trace, too. I've found that tracing the eyewire gives a better size and DEFINITELY a more accurate lens alignment.

[finefocus]

Why are you taking out the demo lenses for display?
Diane

Years ago, when frames came unassembled, with no demos, and A/R was not seen in the U.S. we heard patients say they couldn't visualize how the glasses would look since they didn't have lenses in them. Now, we tell patients not to visualize themselves with all that reflection, and pop out demos to make that possible. Doing that ahead of time makes sense, I guess, but doing it while shopping breaks the ice on the subject of A/R.

[obxeyeguy]

The demo's pop out easily, but don't go back in because they are like point something thick, and flex like crazy. Try it immediately, and I bet you get the same result.

[VHB]

I take the lenses out because they are such low quality plastic. Even the ones that come in Alain Mikli frames and have A/R coating--half the time the coating has crazed. I think demo lenses cheapen the appearance of the frames. I'm surprised that anyone keeps them in.

[Fezz]

I take the lenses out because they are such low quality plastic.

Exactly!

So, why would you expect a lab to trace them and not the frame itself?

[finefocus]

The demo's pop out easily, but don't go back in because they are like point something thick, and flex like crazy. Try it immediately, and I bet you get the same result.

Demos go back very easily, because they flex. Start at the sharpest corner, and work your way around. Use the flex to make them "smaller".

[chip anderson]

How long dese frame sittin on de shelf fo you sells dem?
Dey be sittin in de Sun or heat?

I have seen lenses (real ones, except glass) shrink. Can remember a lot of frames that were metal with plastic frame covers (leading lady and the like) that if one were ever stupid enough to disassemble them one would find the holes for screws would not go back in the hole because the frame plastic had shrunken. It wouldn't actually shrink while assembled but would shrink in less time than you could clean everything and put it back together.

Ray~Ban Clubmaster is still made in this way. Never take an old one apart.

Chip

[VHB]

Well, Fezz, just because the lenses are cheap plastic doesn't mean they're not the right shape!

I've had problems with the shape being off when just the frame is traced. Sometimes a frame that is fairly straight on top becomes a bit of a cat's eye shape. If the demo lenses have printing on them, at least the lab can see that the logo follows the 180 line.

Yes, sometimes the frames have been on the shelf awhile. I don't believe in returning frames. If I liked it enough to buy it, I should be able to sell it. It's not fair to the reps to return frames. I know that everyone else does it, but that doesn't make it right.

[CME4SPECS]

Funny how we all do different things. I will not display a frame w/o demos. If I get a frame in and it has no demo lenses, I make some. When we use to "cosmetic" tint lenses, I knew an optician that tinted lenses for every frame he displayed.
I think they look cheap without lenses. But, hey whatever works for you!
Don't those rimless and semi-rimless look funny hanging on the wall w/o lenses?

[obxeyeguy]

Demos go back very easily, because they flex. Start at the sharpest corner, and work your way around. Use the flex to make them "smaller".

Er, Ok, I insert all lenses from the front and when you push on a very very thin plastic convex side of the lens, it has a small tendancy to make it larger, and not want to go back in. Thanks for the tip thou.;)

[VHB]

Hahahahaha! Thank you CME4SPECS! I needed a good laugh today! Yes, I do have to leave the demos in the semi rimless frames. I don't sell rimless at all (and that predates Sarah Palin). If I did any edging, I would make good quality planos for the s/r frames.

[finefocus]

Er, Ok, I insert all lenses from the front and when you push on a very very thin plastic convex side of the lens, it has a small tendancy to make it larger, and not want to go back in. Thanks for the tip thou.;)

Push on the edge, not the ocular surface.

[HarryChiling]

................

[VHB]

Awww, thank you, Harry!

And cleanliness is another reason I remove the demo lenses--it already takes far too long to clean the sunglasses that people insist on handling by the lenses!

[Striderswife]

Several years ago, when Silhouette's ladies' SPX frames were popular, our lab had some trouble tracing the frames. The frame itself would push around when the little feeler was tracing around, and the end shape was way off. So they asked us to send the demos for them to trace, instead (we were in the habit of popping out the demos, and leaving them in the tray to signify that a frame had been sent out). So there are some cases when the demo is helpful in tracing.