A question about common finishing and grooving practices

**Tallboy** · 06-28-2016, 02:16 PM

So it is a common theme that even some of the best labs out their suffer from automated-itis when it comes to lens finishing. The same labs than can do spectacular work on the high end specialty jobs regularly are popping out regular jobs with idiotic bevel placement and lens edges that look like they were edged with a weed wacker.

Usually I don't have to deal with this because I only send out the most difficult specialty work to be done by a lab that I trust and that knows I will complain. Anyway I recently had to have my tracer cleaned and rebuilt, and it took about 4 days longer than I had planned for. I got antsy and sent out a bunch of lenses to be finished at a few different labs.

I was happy with the results for the most part, there were a few really huge lenses in plastic frames that splayed out terribly on a -7.00 (unacceptable).

The point of my thread were the groove jobs - They were all edged about 1mm from the front of the lens with a groove curve the same as the front of the lens. Is this the way you guys groove? I always try to match the groove curve to the frame curve, at least a LITTLE bit. I got 3 jobs in from 2 labs, all were edged with a groove that followed the front of the lens curve and were so pushed forward that it looked really weird to me.

Is this normal to you guys that get lots of jobs finished by other labs? Am I just curving my grooves more than most?

**uncut** · 06-28-2016, 09:58 PM

I would believe that the ability to vary the groove position, depth of cut, angle of cut, and width of cut, would be at the mercy of the equipment that the lab has at it's disposal. Default positions are often used, if variety is unavailable.

Do you have the ability to specify, at order, the above variables?

I feel it takes many jobs, and consistent communication with a lab in order to get the job done the way you wish it to appear in the end.

**Craig** · 06-29-2016, 04:30 AM

Originally Posted by Tallboy

So it is a common theme that even some of the best labs out their suffer from automated-itis when it comes to lens finishing. The same labs than can do spectacular work on the high end specialty jobs regularly are popping out regular jobs with idiotic bevel placement and lens edges that look like they were edged with a weed wacker.

Usually I don't have to deal with this because I only send out the most difficult specialty work to be done by a lab that I trust and that knows I will complain. Anyway I recently had to have my tracer cleaned and rebuilt, and it took about 4 days longer than I had planned for. I got antsy and sent out a bunch of lenses to be finished at a few different labs.

I was happy with the results for the most part, there were a few really huge lenses in plastic frames that splayed out terribly on a -7.00 (unacceptable).

The point of my thread were the groove jobs - They were all edged about 1mm from the front of the lens with a groove curve the same as the front of the lens. Is this the way you guys groove? I always try to match the groove curve to the frame curve, at least a LITTLE bit. I got 3 jobs in from 2 labs, all were edged with a groove that followed the front of the lens curve and were so pushed forward that it looked really weird to me.

Is this normal to you guys that get lots of jobs finished by other labs? Am I just curving my grooves more than most?

The LenSync system will do exactly what you want today at any lab on any piece of equipment; you just need to tell LenSync what you want when you order the lenses. The bevel position can be where you want it to be.

Let me know if we can be of service.

**Craig** · 06-29-2016, 04:32 AM

Originally Posted by uncut

I would believe that the ability to vary the groove position, depth of cut, angle of cut, and width of cut, would be at the mercy of the equipment that the lab has at it's disposal. Default positions are often used, if variety is unavailable.

Do you have the ability to specify, at order, the above variables?

I feel it takes many jobs, and consistent communication with a lab in order to get the job done the way you wish it to appear in the end.

Do one job or every one wiht LenSync to guarantee the finish results you expect

**Tallboy** · 06-29-2016, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by uncut

I would believe that the ability to vary the groove position, depth of cut, angle of cut, and width of cut, would be at the mercy of the equipment that the lab has at it's disposal. Default positions are often used, if variety is unavailable.

Do you have the ability to specify, at order, the above variables?

I feel it takes many jobs, and consistent communication with a lab in order to get the job done the way you wish it to appear in the end.

I guess I am wondering why is the default on a 2 base lens a front curve groove pushed all the way to the front of the lens? Why is this a thing? None of my lab managers would have been happy with me finishing lenses like that unless it was an outlier frame style that required it. I aim for the lens groove matching the curve of the eyewear.