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Thread: Help me decide which Pattern-less Lens Edger to buy

  1. #1
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    Wave Help me decide which Pattern-less Lens Edger to buy

    Hi Folks,

    Still cannot make up my mind about which Pattern-less Lens Edger + Tracer to buy.

    I run a business restoring vintage and pre-owned designer sunglasses. I also sell aftermarket lenses for various popular models.

    I need it to meet the following criteria:
    • Must have Ability to trace both lens shapes and frame shapes
    • Must have Ability to store traces on the machine and export to PC for back-up
    • Must have Ability to correctly grove various base curves, (2,4,6 and 8)
    • Must have Ability to process lenses with sharp curves (My Briot 6000) struggles with that right now.


    My budget does not allow me to purchase brand new equipment so I have to look at second hand options.

    While I only do around 10 jobs per day. I need a reliable machine that will last me for a number of years and that will be repairable if it goes wrong.

    I have been looking at the only large company in UK who sells opti equipment and they have the following models available.

    Can someone please recommend a machine for me from this list based on the requirements I have listed in bullet points above?


    • Briot Acurra CX
    • Briot Silver
    • Briot Silver Plus
    • Essilor Kappa + Gamma
    • Hoya Unilab
    • Huvitz Excelon
    • Huvitz Excelon XD 59525
    • National Optornics 6ES
    • Nidek 3d FIT LE9000SX
    • Nidek 9000sx
    • Nidek LE 9000 SX
    • Nidek LEX 1000 + ICEmini
    • Nidek ME1000
    • Nidek ME1000D + ICE-9000
    • Takubomatic E-950
    • Topcon ALE5000
    • Weco 2D

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder LENNY's Avatar
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    ME1000 is the only decent choice with your requirements.... Good luck to repair it yourself:)

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    Quote Originally Posted by LENNY View Post
    ME1000 is the only decent choice with your requirements.... Good luck to repair it yourself:)
    Firstly thanks for the reply!

    Do you know if the Nidek ME1000 does the trace storage and export to PC as standard or will it need some expansion cards/addons?

    Also what did you mean by the repairing it yourself comment?

    I am unlikely to repair it myself but I want to buy a machine that is still considered repairable. For instance I know that Briot 6000 does not fall into that category as it is so old that there are no spare parts for it and only few people would remember how to fix it or have service/repair manuals.

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    Briot Accura CX struggles with 6 and 8 base tracing.

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    Master OptiBoarder LENNY's Avatar
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    I believe that you will need a separate software that can interpret the trace for any tracer...
    I meant that most of the new machines need to be serviced by the company techs (even they have problems). I personally would not buy a used top of the line edger, but see many people on the board buy them! I believe all the things you are asking for are only available from the latest and greatest edger from every company, but hen comes the price tag!

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    I am not an expert I tried it only one time... but I agree with Lenny the me-1000 was great and have all the features you want and usually it works with "no hand work after"

    I do not know about the price.

    Your list has very different equipment:

    weco 2d is a great basic machine but it is a 2d edger (no 3d trace) no groove no safty bevel, no base 8 (unless hand working after I think ).

    Takubomatic e 950 is a good machine but I do not know about wrap lenses.

    I need it to meet the following criteria:

    • Must have Ability to trace both lens shapes and frame shapes.

    All tracer in the last years can do it



    • Must have Ability to store traces on the machine and export to PC for back-up

    With a pc and a software you can do it +/- with all machine and with a pc you have not memory space problems... if you don't want create a database but for example you want only traces the daily jobs before cut lenses the day after you can also use the memory of the edger (usually at least 200 frame job are possibile to store in it)

    the only special features are this two:

    • Must have Ability to correctly grove various base curves, (2,4,6 and 8)
    • Must have Ability to process lenses with sharp curves (My Briot 6000) struggles with that right now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dima View Post
    I am not an expert I tried it only one time... but I agree with Lenny the me-1000 was great and have all the features you want and usually it works with "no hand work after"

    I do not know about the price.

    Your list has very different equipment:

    weco 2d is a great basic machine but it is a 2d edger (no 3d trace) no groove no safty bevel, no base 8 (unless hand working after I think ).

    Takubomatic e 950 is a good machine but I do not know about wrap lenses.
    I made the list with what I seen available for sale on a popular site in UK:

    When looking at ME1000 machines there are the following options:


    • £7.9K - Great working system ME-1000D+ PLB-2R with ICE-9000. Full service made about 6 month ago. Total made less than 82000 jobs. Comes with 3 month warranty.
    • £6.1K - Fully working system of Lex-1000 PLB-8 with ICEmini+ (blocker age is only 4 years)

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    Master OptiBoarder LENNY's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sunglasses0 View Post
    I made the list with what I seen available for sale on a popular site in UK:

    When looking at ME1000 machines there are the following options:


    • £7.9K - Great working system ME-1000D+ PLB-2R with ICE-9000. Full service made about 6 month ago. Total made less than 82000 jobs. Comes with 3 month warranty.
    • £6.1K - Fully working system of Lex-1000 PLB-8 with ICEmini+ (blocker age is only 4 years)
    Are you sure you want someone elses headache?

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    Quote Originally Posted by LENNY View Post
    Are you sure you want someone elses headache?
    I would love a new machine but all I can afford is realistically £10K. Not sure what I can get for that?

  10. #10
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    Try ask to minor brands they was less expensive usually.

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