Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 42

Thread: It's 2018... Who does Rimless/Drill Mount the best?

  1. #1
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    40

    It's 2018... Who does Rimless/Drill Mount the best?

    I can't seem to find any current discussion on this topic! I realize that this style is pretty dated and always try to update into a lightweight metal/half rimless whenever possible; but there are always those patients who are die-hard about the style and will wear nothing but. I am finding a lot in my new area.

    We are not crazy about Silhouette because our rep is awful; and let's face it, you do need someone in the company who will actually help you succeed.

    We have been considering Lindberg, we have a lot of other high-end lines: Bevel, Face a Face, La Font. Truly though, the Etnia Barcelona price range is what sells over and over again and is an easy price point for us.

    Anyone with similar community pulse or anyone who has opinions would be great! I've never worked at an office that did Lindberg, we would be sending all of our stuff out-- and we do have a fair amount of clients with VSP. Is Lindberg's lab VSP friendly? Cost effective? Fast?

    Also, we are not scared of trying a less well-known rimless line if you have suggestions of something that is excellent quality.
    Last edited by MissMolly; 01-23-2018 at 09:49 AM. Reason: 2018 not 2017... smh

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    Seaford, NY USA
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    6,008
    You don’t choose Lindbergh.

    Lindbergh chooses you.

    B

  3. #3
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    40
    Oh sure, ok. (Haha) Well we definitely have the option, I just am wanting to get some feedback from those of you in the know!

  4. #4
    Master OptiBoarder AngeHamm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    2,369
    Quote Originally Posted by MissMolly View Post
    We are not crazy about Silhouette because our rep is awful; and let's face it, you do need someone in the company who will actually help you succeed.
    I would actually argue that Silhouette is one of the few companies where you can succeed consistently without rep support. As long as you understand how the combinations of chassis / color / shape numbers and codes work, Silhouette can be fire-and-forget. Use your local lackluster rep to get started, set up the website, and it's very easy to basically do it all yourself. It's very possible to only use your rep to rotate out discontinued or poorly-performing models.
    I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.

  5. #5
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,428
    Quote Originally Posted by MissMolly View Post
    I can't seem to find any current discussion on this topic! I realize that this style is pretty dated and always try to update into a lightweight metal/half rimless whenever possible; but there are always those patients who are die-hard about the style and will wear nothing but. I am finding a lot in my new area.

    We are not crazy about Silhouette because our rep is awful; and let's face it, you do need someone in the company who will actually help you succeed.

    We have been considering Lindberg, we have a lot of other high-end lines: Bevel, Face a Face, La Font. Truly though, the Etnia Barcelona price range is what sells over and over again and is an easy price point for us.

    Anyone with similar community pulse or anyone who has opinions would be great! I've never worked at an office that did Lindberg, we would be sending all of our stuff out-- and we do have a fair amount of clients with VSP. Is Lindberg's lab VSP friendly? Cost effective? Fast?

    Also, we are not scared of trying a less well-known rimless line if you have suggestions of something that is excellent quality.
    I don't think Lindberg and VSP are a good mix.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,428
    Try this: http://www.globaloptique.com/ContactUs.aspx Ask for Kenny -- tell him Jeff from western Mass sent you. Their Kishimoto Hi Tech rimless frames are perhaps the most durable frames I've come across other than the old Zyloware Invincible (thick nylon). Simple frames, but they would be viewed as a part of your product mix.

  7. #7
    OptiBoard Professional
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    105
    Personally, I would take Lindberg any day over Silhouette. Once the lens is glued in, you rarely ever have any problem with it working loose and it's super easy to mount new lenses in a patient's old frame. You don't need 3 - 4 special tools to work with them, either. I worked at a practice for over 10 years that did Lindberg, but we didn't take insurance. I now work for an OD who does. I think the key to doing Lindberg with VSP would be to find a VSP lab who is Lindberg certified. Also, while I would never consider trying to drill Silhouettes or other rimless lenses myself, Lindberg drills are super easy to do. With their drilling blocks and drill, you would have to work hard to mess up the lens.

  8. #8
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter lensmanmd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Location
    Maryland
    Occupation
    Optical Wholesale Lab (other positions)
    Posts
    1,198
    [QUOTE=ajonesgirl;543520]Personally, I would take Lindberg any day over Silhouette. Once the lens is glued in, you rarely ever have any problem with it working loose and it's super easy to mount new lenses in a patient's old frame. You don't need 3 - 4 special tools to work with them, either. I worked at a practice for over 10 years that did Lindberg, but we didn't take insurance. I now work for an OD who does. I think the key to doing Lindberg with VSP would be to find a VSP lab who is Lindberg certified. Also, while I would never consider trying to drill Silhouettes or other rimless lenses myself, Lindberg drills are super easy to do. With their drilling blocks and drill, you would have to work hard to mess up the lens

    Unlike Lindberg, SLH drill data is readily available. 2 tools, not 4. A compression plier and a chappel plier is all that is needed (maybe a reamer, to make 3). As long as you know the difference between soft and hard 1.4 bushings, done and done. Did I mention no glue?
    Lindberg frames are awesome, no doubt, but I would rather assemble SLH any day over Lindberg.

  9. #9
    Master OptiBoarder mike.elmes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    edmonton,alberta, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    541
    I agree with lensmanmd, Silhouette is the way to go....Ive been building rimless for 30 years. Standardization of drill hole data, plugs that don't loosen, just perfect engineering. If we could just get them a little cheaper.

  10. #10
    Master OptiBoarder mike.elmes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    edmonton,alberta, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    541
    The trick is getting lenses that dont look too thick, especially in plus rx's. I frequently order them for metal frame edge. use Trivex wherever possible as poly sucks. use drill seal if you must do poly.

  11. #11
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    in Naples FL for the Winter months
    Occupation
    Other Optical Manufacturer or Vendor
    Posts
    23,240

    Blue Jumper It is not who makes the frame, it is who mounts the lenses ..........................

    Quote Originally Posted by MissMolly View Post


    We are not crazy about Silhouette because our rep is awful; and let's face it, you do need someone in the company who will actually help you succeed.

    We have been considering Lindberg, we have a lot of other high-end lines: Bevel, Face a Face, La Font. Truly though, the Etnia Barcelona price range is what sells over and over again and is an easy price point for us.



    A rimless frame consists of a top with a bracket that contains 2 or 4 holes to fit the screws, or 4 notches to to fit the grips as in former "Balgrips".

    Has nothing to do with I hate the rep or the company who makes them.

    Its all about the guy or girl that assembles them and who they work for.

    So do not blame a manufacturer or salesman or distributing company fo a lousy assembling job.

    In the old days we had to learn how to drill glass lenses with a diamond drill, and it could be done.

    It is not who makes the frame, it is who mounts the lenses and knows how to do it.

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    usa
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    989
    IMHO Lindberg all the way. Best frames made as far as I have seen. This assumes you are doing them in house. Sending them out to a lab is a crap shoot, no matter what frame company it is. The person at Lab isn't going to care nearly as much as you do about how the finished product turns out. I have done Lindberg frames for years, and have put lenses in plenty of patients own silhouette frames. I, and the patients who switch from Silhouette to Lindberg, always prefer Lindberg.


    More color and design options, the colors won't chip, fade, or crack, customizable temple lengths, multiple bridge styles, 4 bridge sizes, 5 nose pad styles, I would say far more adjustable, more durable, different endpiece lengths for higher Rxs, they last forever....





    Quote Originally Posted by lensmanmd View Post
    Unlike Lindberg, SLH drill data is readily available. 2 tools, not 4. A compression plier and a chappel plier is all that is needed (maybe a reamer, to make 3). As long as you know the difference between soft and hard 1.4 bushings, done and done. Did I mention no glue?
    Lindberg frames are awesome, no doubt, but I would rather assemble SLH any day over Lindberg.
    Lindberg has every pattern for every model they have made, current and discontinued, available for download as OMA files. They also have PDFs of slotting coordinates available. Even without that, how hard it is to layout and drill holes for either brand? What 4 tools are you referring to? A dab of glue on the clip and insert it into the hole. Done.

  13. #13
    OptiBoardaholic
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    space
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    275
    Silhouette has A LOT of issues.

    Lindberg, is by far the best. NO screws and nuts to work with. The chassis won't splay if it's mounted on a higher-plus lens. No screwing with stupid bushings on the backside of a high-minus lens. They hardly ever, EVER, break.

    ALSO! For the love of god stay away from 2.5 and Kawasaki. Those are legit the worst rimless frames ever.

    ALSO ALSO: Lindberg's non-drill frames are awesome!

  14. #14
    OptiBoardaholic
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    space
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    275
    Quote Originally Posted by mike.elmes View Post
    I agree with lensmanmd, Silhouette is the way to go....Ive been building rimless for 30 years. Standardization of drill hole data, plugs that don't loosen, just perfect engineering. If we could just get them a little cheaper.
    Have you worked with Lindberg though?

  15. #15
    OptiBoardaholic
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    space
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    275
    [QUOTE=lensmanmd;543523]
    Quote Originally Posted by ajonesgirl View Post
    Personally, I would take Lindberg any day over Silhouette. Once the lens is glued in, you rarely ever have any problem with it working loose and it's super easy to mount new lenses in a patient's old frame. You don't need 3 - 4 special tools to work with them, either. I worked at a practice for over 10 years that did Lindberg, but we didn't take insurance. I now work for an OD who does. I think the key to doing Lindberg with VSP would be to find a VSP lab who is Lindberg certified. Also, while I would never consider trying to drill Silhouettes or other rimless lenses myself, Lindberg drills are super easy to do. With their drilling blocks and drill, you would have to work hard to mess up the lens

    Unlike Lindberg, SLH drill data is readily available. 2 tools, not 4. A compression plier and a chappel plier is all that is needed (maybe a reamer, to make 3). As long as you know the difference between soft and hard 1.4 bushings, done and done. Did I mention no glue?
    Lindberg frames are awesome, no doubt, but I would rather assemble SLH any day over Lindberg.
    And then the customer comes back five times in a year because their adjustment.

  16. #16
    OptiBoardaholic
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    space
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    275
    Here's the hard truth:

    Opticians can like Silhouette more and that's fine. Just opinions. What is NOT an opinion is this: Silhouette is no longer "high-end". Everybody has it. It's not special and it is out of place in an office with Face a Face, Bevel, and so forth.

  17. #17
    OptiBoard Apprentice
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Edmond, OK
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    40
    Quote Originally Posted by Jaketull View Post
    Silhouette has A LOT of issues.

    Lindberg, is by far the best. NO screws and nuts to work with. The chassis won't splay if it's mounted on a higher-plus lens. No screwing with stupid bushings on the backside of a high-minus lens. They hardly ever, EVER, break.

    ALSO! For the love of god stay away from 2.5 and Kawasaki. Those are legit the worst rimless frames ever.

    ALSO ALSO: Lindberg's non-drill frames are awesome!
    Great feedback: I completely agree! AND I totally agree with you that Silhouette is out of place with Bevel, Face a Face, etc.

    Unfortunately we don't have our own lab in house.... YET! Something I'm shooting for for sure. So for now we brought in a few Silhouettes to fill the need, but I have my eyes set on Lindberg for when we are edging!

  18. #18
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    in Naples FL for the Winter months
    Occupation
    Other Optical Manufacturer or Vendor
    Posts
    23,240

    Redhot Jumper just make sure your lab puts a drop of "Drillseal" into every hole .................

    Quote Originally Posted by MissMolly View Post

    Unfortunately we don't have our own lab in house.... YET!



    .........................just make sure your lab puts a drop of "Drillseal" into every hole if the lens used is "POLYCARBONATE". That material can get rips in the drill hole if the drill is not new and totally sharp and you will get cracks going out from the holes. Drillseal will fused those rips and lenses will not crack.

  19. #19
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    usa
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    989
    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    .........................just make sure your lab puts a drop of "Drillseal" into every hole if the lens used is "POLYCARBONATE". That material can get rips in the drill hole if the drill is not new and totally sharp and you will get cracks going out from the holes. Drillseal will fused those rips and lenses will not crack.
    Or just don't drill poly. Seems like an easier solution.

  20. #20
    Master OptiBoarder mike.elmes's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    edmonton,alberta, Canada
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    541
    Quote Originally Posted by Jaketull View Post
    Have you worked with Lindberg though?
    No, as a store owner/optician that sells, tests, and manufactures, I can only support one vendor. I have taught many opticians over the last 30 years how to
    make the silhouette's and they all picked it up quickly. The new crop of edgers all mostly drill. The reaming, plugging with compression pliers isn't tough.
    I have made numerous kawasaki's, and Airlock's by marchon over the years but detest the single plug and notch.

  21. #21
    Master OptiBoarder AngeHamm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    2,369
    Quote Originally Posted by mike.elmes View Post
    I have made numerous kawasaki's, and Airlock's by marchon over the years but detest the single plug and notch.
    +1. Ugh.
    I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.

  22. #22
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Massachusetts
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,428
    Quote Originally Posted by mike.elmes View Post
    No, as a store owner/optician that sells, tests, and manufactures, I can only support one vendor. I have taught many opticians over the last 30 years how to
    make the silhouette's and they all picked it up quickly. The new crop of edgers all mostly drill. The reaming, plugging with compression pliers isn't tough.
    I have made numerous kawasaki's, and Airlock's by marchon over the years but detest the single plug and notch.
    While they're not my favorites, I like Airlocks and dislike Kawasakis. I can just about do Silhouette-type rimless frames in my sleep. What I'd like to learn about next is where to get the parts for Eyephorics and Swissflex frames so I can make them myself since Italee lost their distributorship (and won't make them in their lab) and I own about 70 of those frames. :(

  23. #23
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    canada
    Occupation
    Optometrist
    Posts
    706
    Once you've really got your drill calibrated, nothing beats lindberg with trivex lenses. Definitely my favorite.

  24. #24
    Master OptiBoarder
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    UK
    Occupation
    Optical Laboratory Technician
    Posts
    939
    Silhouette is crap.

    Flair make the best quality rimless on the market in my opinion.
    Markus T, Lindberg, Avantek are all great too.
    Tag and Bugatti used to be good but of course they're gone now.

  25. #25
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    in Naples FL for the Winter months
    Occupation
    Other Optical Manufacturer or Vendor
    Posts
    23,240

    Blue Jumper Having been watching thread about the glory and downfall of rimless frames...........

    Quote Originally Posted by Robert_S View Post



    Flair make the best quality rimless on the market in my opinion.
    Markus T, Lindberg, Avantek are all great too.
    Tag and Bugatti used to be good but of course they're gone now.
    Silhouette is crap.

    Having been watching this thread about the glory and downfall of rimless frames and how good or bad they are.

    Having been around for a while, since the old Numonts and or BalGrips were the in thing, I can only say...........................................

    .........there is no good or bad ones....................... it is the technician that either can do it or not....................

    it is how you treat them. If you're good at it, you can do all of them. We used to mount them all, even flint glass lenses in the old days, either drilled or notched.

    Today you can only drill if the beveledger is equipped for it. We used to have special drills for lenses from diamond tipped ones, until the carbide tips came up in the mid 50s.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. Base Curve / PD Remake Rimless Drill Mount
    By b0mbsquad1 in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 30
    Last Post: 01-26-2017, 05:43 PM
  2. Drill Mount Rimless Question
    By Sir Jeffrey in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 11-16-2010, 09:49 AM
  3. Drill mount/Rimless frames for strong perscription
    By Sir Jeffrey in forum Just Conversation
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 11-16-2010, 07:18 AM
  4. Drill Mount Rimless Question
    By For-Life in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 04-25-2007, 10:24 AM
  5. A Drill-Mount/Rimless question
    By optigoddess in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 31
    Last Post: 08-28-2003, 07:07 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •