Setting up a new finish lab, what tints should I have?

[davelp]

I'm in the process of setting up our new finish lab with tint/uv capabilities, since we are trying to keep the cost low, we are starting up with a 6 tank tint unit, since 2 of the tanks will be dedicated to UV and Neutralizer, besides grey and brown, what does any one think my other two colors should be ? I used to work for the Evil Empire ( Luxottica retail) where we had 8 dye pots and a dedicated neutralizer and UV pot so thinking small scale is a new thing for me, I was thinking pink and yellow perhaps for color correction? opinions?

[Chris Ryser]

With Red, yellow and blue, basic colors, you can just about make any color or adjust them.

[BMH]

My suggestion would be to get a stand alone unit for the UV coat and then do nuetralizer, grey, brown, pink, yellow and blue. I prefer a stand alone for the UV because I find the UV doesn't need to be kept as hot as the tint to still work. So my UV lasts a little longer at a slightly cooler temp.

It really depends on what colors you plan to offer to your patients. I also like to have orange, not blueblocker just orange. I am spoiled though I have a 9 pot and a 4 pot tank.

I think I will try a red also after reading Chris Ryser comment. Red, yellow and blue make all the colors we see.

[Jacqui]

I always kept grey, brown, pink, yellow, blue, G-15, black and lavender. Also neutralizer, lens prep, UV, SRC, and one with hot water (handy as H at times).

Two other things:
1. You can have lotsa colours by buying extra pans and lids, keep them on a rack somewhere close to the unit. This is what I did.

2. Your customers will tell you which colours to have, just watch what they want to buy.

[eyemanflying]

G-15 and yellow/pink.

[MIOPE]

I always kept grey, brown, pink, yellow, blue, G-15, black and lavender. Also neutralizer, lens prep, UV, SRC, and one with hot water (handy as H at times).

Two other things:
1. You can have lotsa colours by buying extra pans and lids, keep them on a rack somewhere close to the unit. This is what I did.

2. Your customers will tell you which colours to have, just watch what they want to buy.

I agree with this. I will sugest to try to have the UV on a small unit apart of the colors because it can be easily contaminated. On some especial colors that we do not use often, we keep them in plastic bottles once they are cool.

[braheem24]

http://cgi.ebay.com/9-PAN-TINT-UNIT-...e#ht_703wt_932

and

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...vers-tint-unit


Dont handicap yourself to save a hundred bucks.

[Chris Ryser]

[url]

Dont handicap yourself to save a hundred bucks.

I had a phone call from a large lab yesterday, (1400 jobs daily), who just tested the tinting of high index and poly lenses with the Micro Tints. Apparently they were pleasently surprised that they could tint high index lenses to dark shades in 8 to 12 minutes while the tinting units did the same in between 1 to 2 hours.
Never forget that lens tinting in your own office is one of the most profitable operations in optical lab work.

There is a lot of information, probably the most you can find on this subject on my website at http://optochemicals.com , just scroll down the main page to Micro Tints and the are over a dozen links on the subject.

When you freshly go into it you should really weigh the options between conventional tinting the slow way or Micro Tint the super fast one. The eqipment investment is only a 1000W microwave which you can purchase at the W-Mart for about $ 100.00



Tinting containers with covers for storage and strainers are included with thew purchase of the dyes.




A tinting unit will cost you in the restaurant supply trade around $ 209.00 and they are al made by Vollrath as are the ones made in the optical tinting trade. Then you add the buckets and bars to hold them in place.


Tinting units for the optical industry have forever come out of the restaurant food warmer trade. And you could forever puchase the same units, with another name, not by saving a hundred buck but probably spending not even half.

Vollrath
Mfg Model #:72020
Central Model #:913-048

Your Cost:$219.00 EA

http://www.foodwarmerworld.com/

http://www.foodpanworld.com/index-steamtablepans.html

[John@OWDC]

Our Mini 6 is set-up:
UV Grey
UV Green G-15
UV Brown
Yellow
Pink er Rose
Neutralizer

[DragonLensmanWV]

I also have to have a Slate Gray tint which is a nice blue-gray color. And I have one patient that I have to keep a bottle of Mulberry tint, which is a sort of merlot color.
Chris's micro tints work great for solid colors, but trying to neutralize the bottom to make a gradient tint is totally worthless, so if you're going to do gradients, get a gradient arm machine too.

[mshimp]

Having extra pans with other color tints in them(as has already been mentioned) is great. All you have to do is nuke some water and fill the pan up and you are good to go. Or you can put the liquid dye in a large styro cup and nuke.