Chemestrie Conundrum

**jmainwar** · 09-10-2012, 01:58 PM

So my lab has decided to no longer process Chemestrie clips after the glasses have been fabricated. Wouldn't be such a big deal but the person wanting them came in needing an adjustment after purchasing them at the beginging of the year, before we started carrying the product. We pride ourselves with being able to do anything and I don't want to leave a long time customer hanging like this, especially when I said no problem and collected the funds. Is there anyone out there that can help me out or suggest a new lab?

**Barry Santini** · 09-10-2012, 02:14 PM

SEnd their eyewear to me, and I'll do it for you. No Problem.

Did two retro-fits just today.

Barry
besantini@optonline.net

**Judy Canty** · 09-10-2012, 02:23 PM

Luzerne Optical www.luzerneoptical.com

**sharpstick777** · 09-10-2012, 03:07 PM

Chemistrie will do them too, in house. I decided to them here but only on new pairs, not existing. Maybe next year. We have had great results directy from Chemistrie on existing eyewear. Great people, great product. Dennis is a genius.

**basecurved** · 09-13-2012, 11:10 AM

Thanks for the kind words.... Dennis is not a genius, but the idea itself, maybe genius. DaVinci was a genius.... "An expert hits the target that no one can hit, a genius hits the target that no one can see."

Retro fit Chemistries are normally done on a less-stress hand drill. There is the potential that in the future there may be CnC drilling edgers or hand drills that can do this repeatably with consistent results, in the meantime, the Less-Stress is the only way to do it in my opinion. This also means its done by hand, so its not as easy as having a CnC machine do it. Round magnets only, no squares, and no drill mounts -- hand profile mounting is very difficult and not encouraged... Theoretically it is possible to do it in the drilling edger, but we have been unable to achieve perfect consistency in reblocking a pre-edged lens. If the block is 1 degree off axis or off center, the magnet asymmetry is very noticeable. With a hand drill you can really ensure that the drill bit is perfectly over its center mark.

**Barry Santini** · 09-13-2012, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by basecurved

Thanks for the kind words.... Dennis is not a genius, but the idea itself, maybe genius. DaVinci was a genius.... "An expert hits the target that no one can hit, a genius hits the target that no one can see."

Retro fit Chemistries are normally done on a less-stress hand drill. There is the potential that in the future there may be CnC drilling edgers or hand drills that can do this repeatably with consistent results, in the meantime, the Less-Stress is the only way to do it in my opinion. This also means its done by hand, so its not as easy as having a CnC machine do it. Round magnets only, no squares, and no drill mounts -- hand profile mounting is very difficult and not encouraged... Theoretically it is possible to do it in the drilling edger, but we have been unable to achieve perfect consistency in reblocking a pre-edged lens. If the block is 1 degree off axis or off center, the magnet asymmetry is very noticeable. With a hand drill you can really ensure that the drill bit is perfectly over its center mark.

I have no problem in my ME1200 retro-fitting chemestries

B

**DanLiv** · 09-15-2012, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Barry Santini

I have no problem in my ME1200 retro-fitting chemestries

B

I second that. I've retrofitted round and square, and even taken lenses from a broken metal frame and re-edged and drilled into a Silhouette. Nothing has come back in a year with any issues. Since getting our ME1200 it's pretty much been the end of "can't".

**Plausible** · 09-15-2012, 06:55 PM

Originally Posted by DanLiv

I second that. I've retrofitted round and square, and even taken lenses from a broken metal frame and re-edged and drilled into a Silhouette. Nothing has come back in a year with any issues. Since getting our ME1200 it's pretty much been the end of "can't".

With all due respect to Barry and Dan, I would say that basecurved appears to be from Chemistrie; if not Dennis himself. While master opticians like yourselves can do wonders with your equipment; what basecurved states is true in most cases. The task of doing Chemistrie clips after the rx lenses have been made could result in less than ideal results. Of course procede as you wish as an independent but just having a ME 1200 doesn't automatically make doing Chemistrie clips as easy as you would like to make it sound.

**Johns** · 09-15-2012, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Plausible

... just having a ME 1200 doesn't automatically make doing Chemistrie clips as easy as you would like to make it sound.

Actually, it is as easy as they make it sound. We don't have an ME 1200, but my lab does a manual drill for retro-fits.. They do these on a daily basis, and have stellar results.

Of course, the easiest and fastest is to have the clip lens follow the Rx lens into the edger. They are so fast, that time is no longer an issue.It's not unusual for them to have a pt. stop in on their lunch hour, and leave with a finished pair of glasses, complete with 2 clips, and still have time to get back to work. We use the Optronics 7E w/drill, which by technology standards, is outdated, but it suites us just fine.

**Barry Santini** · 09-15-2012, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Plausible

With all due respect to Barry and Dan, I would say that basecurved appears to be from Chemistrie; if not Dennis himself. While master opticians like yourselves can do wonders with your equipment; what basecurved states is true in most cases. The task of doing Chemistrie clips after the rx lenses have been made could result in less than ideal results. Of course procede as you wish as an independent but just having a ME 1200 doesn't automatically make doing Chemistrie clips as easy as you would like to make it sound.

With my Santinelli ICE 1000 tracer, which has a high magnification mode for blocking, it is reasonably easy to retro fit these magnetic layers. Plus, with the usb flash memory of the same, I routinely save each client's Chemetrie job in memory, making it easy to make another layer of any type a cinch.

Sold 3 today, 1 to a repeat customer whose now adding a powered Layer for computer.

Powered layers + Shamir Relax = AWESOME SATISFACTION for SV computer use!

B

**Plausible** · 09-15-2012, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by Barry Santini

With my Santinelli ICE 1000 tracer, which has a high magnification mode for blocking, it is reasonably easy to retro fit these magnetic layers. Plus, with the usb flash memory of the same, I routinely save each client's Chemetrie job in memory, making it easy to make another layer of any type a cinch.

Sold 3 today, 1 to a repeat customer whose now adding a powered Layer for computer.

Powered layers + Shamir Relax = AWESOME SATISFACTION for SV computer use!

B

Congrats on the sales!!! Absolutely not meaning to nit pick but I wouldn't classify retro fits as making a Chemistrie system from a database memory of a previously made Chemistrie job. That's a great service to your clients, anyone looking to grow their Chemistrie business could certainly learn from you.

**Plausible** · 09-15-2012, 10:37 PM

Originally Posted by Johns

Actually, it is as easy as they make it sound. We don't have an ME 1200, but my lab does a manual drill for retro-fits.. They do these on a daily basis, and have stellar results.

Of course, the easiest and fastest is to have the clip lens follow the Rx lens into the edger. They are so fast, that time is no longer an issue.It's not unusual for them to have a pt. stop in on their lunch hour, and leave with a finished pair of glasses, complete with 2 clips, and still have time to get back to work. We use the Optronics 7E w/drill, which by technology standards, is outdated, but it suites us just fine.

OK you win they are all super easy and they all look great when done regardless of equipment used by trainees all the way up to the master opticians.

**Johns** · 09-16-2012, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by Plausible

OK you win they are all super easy and they all look great when done regardless of equipment used by trainees all the way up to the master opticians.

No, I would be considered a trainee, and I don't go near them. This being a board for optical professionals, I assume that anyone that has a finish lab, has staffed it with trained personnel. It takes skill to correctly fabricate an ophthalmic lens to the specifications of an Rx. It does not take much more skill to custom make a magnetic custom clip.

Are they "super easy"? Yes, if you send them to a lab that is staffed by professionals, or you have professionals on your staff.

I have been to the Chemestrie offices, when we were one of the first independents to carry the product. If my memory servers me, at that time, they too were using a manual drill for their retro-fits. My point is that it's not so much the equipment, as the people doing the work.

I win? Yes, we ALL win when we learn from each other, and put what we learn into practice to rise above our competition.

**Barry Santini** · 09-16-2012, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by Plausible

Congrats on the sales!!! Absolutely not meaning to nit pick but I wouldn't classify retro fits as making a Chemistrie system from a database memory of a previously made Chemistrie job. That's a great service to your clients, anyone looking to grow their Chemistrie business could certainly learn from you.

I agree. I'd define retro fits as already edged lenses *not* in memory getting magnets. But archiving the shape info for a client whose even thinking about a clip is easy and also facilitates magnets later.

B

**Barry Santini** · 09-16-2012, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Plausible

OK you win they are all super easy and they all look great when done regardless of equipment used by trainees all the way up to the master opticians.

I'd be glad to teach anyone how to do these at an advanced level. Maybe we can convince Chemestrie to sponsor me at VE to do the same.

With Santinelli equipment, of course!

B