Would /diy/ers make thier own eyewear frames? Wether it be for prescribed or just for fun shades to wear. That would be pretty pretty cool. I think.
>>974110
apparently we make our own dentistry supplies, so why the fuck not.
>>974110
If you're an artist and a man who has an impeccable taste of aesthetics, would you want to build one your self?
Of course you would. You're a /diy/er.
>pic relate
How I imagine yours will look like
>>974111
Then how come Its rare to find people who make their own custom shades? I know the answer but I want to see more threads dedicated to it.
Can I bump myself? Or nah
>>974118
because this isnt africa or chinkland, and most of us dont inhabit sanfransisco or some other hipster/faggot town, therefore we have enough self respect to not walk around town with recycled garbage strapped to our face with rubberbands and paperclips.
However, if it is done up right I do see a potential for this, but it would belong in a jewlry making thread.
hope I didn't sound like a dick, I sincerely hope that answers your question. if this thread tanks, try making a /diy/ jewelry thread and drop in some GOOD custom glasses and the idea might take off.
The more I think about it, the more potential I see for this, just dont turn it into some hipster fad and this could be good.
>>974123
don't bump on this board unless its been about two weeks. Its slow here
>>974110
There's a guy on /m/ that has a laser cutter and makes rave goggles.
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/illumicyberwear?page=1
>>974125
Lol thanks my dude. You just taught me something about the community. This place is alright
>>974131
Funky. See, people have the potential to create and make a small business. If they have the resources to do it. :(
>>974110
This company in London makes handmade glasses.
http://savileroweyewear.com
As kind anon mentioned above this would be considered jewellery making.
In the UK there plenty of summer college courses in jewellery making, perhaps there is course where you are? Maybe consider doing one of those, email the course leader and tell them your intention I'm sure they be happy to help.
Then who knows, one day you could also be selling handmade frames for £300.
>>974143
Thanks for the idea. I think I just might.
>>974110
What material do you want to make frames from? I have no idea how wire or metal frames are made, but I believe that acetate frames are carved from a single sheet of acetate that is then buffed and polished.
>>974110
I got new lenses a few months ago (prescription changed a bit) but I asked to have the old ones back so I could goof around with making my own frame.
Have not started yet. Seems like a good indoor project for next winter.
>>974143
If they're good at catch on you could sell them for more than that. My ray ban prescription glasses cost that.
I've been looking at a pair of Oliver peoples and they're upward of 400 with prescription lenses.
>>974364
Probably just wires, frame hinges, and glue. I just want a minimalistic look with aesthetically pleasing details.
>>974377
Be sure to keep me updated on those. I wanna see
>>974398
One of the reasons I wanted to make my own frame is because of pic related. They control the whole eyewear industry and slap a $300 price tag on a $15 frame. Nah, I just wanted you guys to know that. I'd probably still buy a $300 frame lol.
>>974438
Forgottenpicture.jpg
>>974440
isnt the money in the lenses, not the frame?
>>974505
Not from my knowledge (limited). Nowadays the lenses are made from a certain plastic or polycarbonate. The plastic is cheap and effective so blanks as mass produced. Then they are shaped to your specs (pun intended).
The frames is where its at, at least in Canada. I go to lenscrafters and get priced $1400 for my prescription lens ( really bad eyes). Meanwhile i can go online and buy the exact same set for $200 including shipping.
The quality is the same, bought a pair from lenscrafters and had bought the exact same frame + lens. $1200 price difference.
>>974537
Optical technician here. You're right, lenses are either made of CR-39 plastic, polycarbonate plastic, and a few other plastic blends with high refractive indices (known as trivex).
As far as frame profit goes, If you buy a shit frame from a chain retailer, the actual production cost on the frame is going to be around 1 USD (retail price: $99+). If you buy a frame that was hand-made in Europe, USA, or Japan, the cost of the frame is more like 80-100 USD, and the retail price will be around 300-400.
Lens profit is based almost entirely on how bad your presbyopia is. If you are a kiddo with just a bit of nearsightedness, the cost on the lens will be around $5 each, and the retail price will be around $70 each. If you're an old far who wears some sort of progressive multi-focal lens, the cost on the lens will be about $100 each, and the retail will be around $200 each.
>>974438
As an optical tech, I can promise you two things. One, we will refuse to fit lenses to your shitty 3-D printed frame. In fact, we'll laugh you out of the store. Two, you're wasting your money on the wrong "name brand." Luxottica is the Apple of eyewear. There are plenty of frames that retail for around $150 that are sturdy, effay, and comfortable.
>>974440
40 years ago, Luxottica frames were hand-made in Italy (and occasionally the US). They were some of the highest-quality, best-looking frames on the market. Then in the 80s, Luxottica put on a power suit, changed its last name to Gatsby, and outsourced all their manufacturing to China. So people still trust the brand, even though the frames (yes, that includes Ray Ban, Versace, Bulgari, Oliver Peoples, Coach, Chanel, Persol, Burberry, and Brooks Brothers) are all dogshit injection-molded disposable sporks. And That's not even the most fucked up thing Luxottica did.
>>974377
What is your prescription? The base curve of the lens will determine what spheric section your eyewire needs to be.
>>974364
There are a dozen materials frames can be made from. The most common are acetate and zylonite. Optyl is fun to work with, but I rarely see frames made with it. As far as metal, Chromium-steel alloy is the most common. There's also an alloy called morel.
>>974587
Lfmao. Nah, my original plan was to just buy extra lenses and plan on from there. Anyways, where would one cop a decent quality, effay frame?
>>974593
Yeah, i remeber i saw a video on youtube that shows how luxottica made the Ray Bans, saddly i can't find it anymore
>>974110
i made a wire frame with round lenses and another made of wood. Not so great work.
I would love to learn how to make acetate frames.
>>974605
Most vision insurance companies own their own frames. For example, the vision insurance giant EyeMed owns all the Luxottica frames (and the Lenscrafters stores where they're sold, for that matter). So your EyeMed insurance will pay a lot better for their own brand.
On the other hand, if you have VSP (Cigna) vision insurance, they will pay higher for anything made by Altair eyewear or Marchon.
If you have trash insurance, like Superior, Humana, Davis Vision, March Vision, Healthsprings, Wellcare, Blockvision, or something like that, then I'm sorry.
Good frame manufacturers that tend to run pretty cheap include Kenmark Eyewear, Legre, Altair Eyewear, Tura, Proof, Linea Roma, Reeva, and Charmant just to name a few. Those are just manufacturers. The quality depends on the collection.
>>974610
A lot of the work is done by hand on a bench grinder. Start by cutting out the pieces with a saw.
>>974605
Penguin Original and Zac Posen are both good collections by Kenmark. Penguins, especially, are sturdy as hell.
The Genesis and Altair Evolution lines by Altair eyewear are not only hella cheap, but they've started making some of the frames in Italy like the rare auld days.
Ted Baker is a good men's brand by Tura, but most Tura frames are well-made.
Linea Roma are very high-quality frames handmade in Italy. Reeva eyewear is made by the same company.
Charmant is the brand of choice for people who want well-made, cheaper titanium frames (although all titanium frames are gonna cost a bit more).
I currently wear "The Chester" from the Penguin Original collection by Kenmark. I've also worn the "Aldo" from the Caravaggio collection by Nouveau, but it's a bit out of style now.
>>974610
If you want to talk to someone about making wood frames, I would talk to the guys at Proof eyewear. Wood frames done right, and handmade in the USA.
>>974537
(disclaimer: very tired, wording stuff poorly)
I thought you were wanting sun glasses frames, like aviators made out of coke bottles. Didnt know you wanted medical type glasses.
huh, then this is defiantly a good idea for /diy/.
I wasn't aware of the scheme going on in the glasses industry. I thought you were wanting either artistic expression or some jerry rigged bullshit.
This is borderline similar to the situation another /diy/ anon experienced with the dental industry. He was quoted a ridiculous amount for teeth straightening things and didn't have the insurance or money for it.
The crazy bastard actually got molds of his teeth made, 3d scanned them, and CAD'd the retainer things himself and wore them for a year and has straight teeth now.
that anon took /diy/ to a whole new level that not much else compares too (besides bunker anon, sex robot anon, and a few others), but the underlying medical scheme in place is very similar.
>>974608
I actually have a pair of vintage Ray Ban frames that were handmade in the US. The hinges look like they belong on a bank vault. If you held it up to a contemporary "Ray Ban" frame, you'd swear the new one was a Chinatown ripoff.
Because it is.
>>974631
There's something you need to understand about the medical insurance industry. If an optometrist (or a dentist) says that the exam they gave you was worth $100 and the glasses they made for you are worth $400, they bill the insurance company for $500. Then, 3 months later, the insurance company will mail the doctor a check for $150. And they have no choice but to cash it or get nothing at all. That's why our healthcare costs so much. If the insurance company paid what the doctor asks for, then your glasses would cost a third of what they do. Your braces would cost a fourth of what they do. And your overnight at the hospital sure as hell wouldn't be $10,000. Believe me, eye doctors don't want to have to charge out the ass for healthcare. They also don't want to have to accept insurance just to make a living and keep the office out of the red. But when insurance companies turn a fat profit and the government can't help, everybody hurts. Except for Massimo Vian, that is.
>>974627
your pic looks like wood/plastic ply. not fully wood framed. sure its easy when you've got a stable plastic backing to hold in the glass, and also be a bonding surface for the wood..
>>974640
I'm not dismissing high quality glasses but when it comes to the shit tier entry quality brand names, you are better off buying from Zenni optical. Single vision from $16
>>974505
Yes but it's a false market. Opticians want you to buy new frames so when you refuse and say you just want new lenses they wack a massive charge on top so they're still making money.
>>974587
Someone will do it. Someone always will. Where's there's money there's something willing to do a job.
>>974616
yeah, but i need molds to heat form the pieces, and also there are techniques to make the patterns in the acetate
>>974633
the old Bausch and Lomb made in the US and the old luxottica were really high quality.
I bought a new pair of Ray Bans and they're ok quality, but the had a bend nose pad.
>>974110
3d printing is the easiest way. Also Google this "luxottica cbs 60 minutes"
>>974720
At least read the fucking thread before posting
>>974724
>At least read the fucking thread before posting
Hothead pls.
>>974587
>As an optical tech, I can promise you two things. One, we will refuse to fit lenses to your shitty 3-D printed frame. In fact, we'll laugh you out of the store. Two, you're wasting your money on the wrong "name brand." Luxottica is the Apple of eyewear. There are plenty of frames that retail for around $150 that are sturdy, effay, and comfortable.
>refuse to fit lenses to your shitty 3-D printed frame
Oh that's not a problem. I can understand why.
>we'll laugh you out of the store
And you wonder why the chinks are on the rise.
>>974670
Hard to disagree with that. Unless you need someone to take optical center and PD measurements, and to adjust and fix your frames when they break. Because a website can't do any of that for you, and most people don't have a set of optician's tools lying around.
>>974658
Using plywood is really the only way to keep the frames adjustable. Almost all frames need to be adjusted to fit the face of the wearer, and that's virtually impossible with solid wood frames.
>>974673
I'm an optician. I charge the same amount for a plain set of lenses as I do when someone buys a frame. There's really no point in charging people random fees since we don't make commission.
>>974673
>where there's money there's something willing to do a job
This is not how healthcare professionals operate. Just because you walk into a plastic surgeon's office and ask for a tail to be sewn to the top of your ass, doesn't mean they'll be willing to turn you into a permafurry.
>>974772
Last I checked, the chinks aren't opening optical dispensaries.
>>974125
well, you did sound kind of dicky, but it's ok, we're on /diy/ but is still 4chan.
>>974398
What pair of Oliver peoples were you looking at? I just bought some fakes off of aliexpress and they're really damn good fakes for $35. You can also get them with prescription lenses already in them.
Well OP, I hope we didn't Trump up your thread too much talking about China. Wasn't trying to derail your discussion. Time to get back on topic.
Most of the plastic frames I sell are made of cellulose acetate, which is also what screwdriver handles and camera film is made out of. It's a flexible polymer. It can be easily heated, deformed, and then annealed. it also responds fairly well to grinding/buffing, as long as the grinding wheel isn't hot enough to melt it.
If you want to manufacture plastic frames, I would start buy buying sheets of cellulose acetate online from a merchant like alibaba or aliexpress. You can get them in a variety of classic frame colors, including black, crystal, tortoise shell, and ram's horn.
Fun fact: before acetate was invented (mid 1800s) you could actually buy frames made of carved tortoise shell and ram's horn. These are still available, and they cost about 700-800 just for the frame.
It is important to note that while the frame front (the part that holds the lenses) is usually made of solid plastic, the temples (side arms) typically have a steel shank embedded in them for reinforcement. Very few optical-quality frames come without this feature. You'll probably have to find a way to embed metal parts (like the hinges and reinforcement bars) into the molten acetate BEFORE you smooth out the rough cut plastic parts. I've seen some frame manufacturers circumvent this problem by using heavy bolts or rivets to hold the hinges in place, but that's rarely as sturdy.
I really want to make a set of prescription goggles suitable for a motorcycle. I couldn't find any decent services providing that, or I would have just bought them
>>974116
Asianbro definitely gets fashion.those shades are suhweet!
>>975270
Wiley X makes good, inexpensive frames (that can hold prescription lenses) designed for motorcycle riding and shooting/hunting.
>>975252
>doesn't cellulose acetate decay and make that famous old crayon box smell?
No not really.
Certainly not under standard conditions. I imagine it could decay if it were incubated under extreme heat or concentrated UV rad. But all the spare frame parts in the junk drawer that have been sitting for 20+ years don't smell like anything.
>>975163
Where to buy ram horn /tortoise shell eyeglasses?
>>975773
I'm pretty sure the Blackened collection by Kovalis (website: smartOD.com) sells frames that have a ram's horn front and plastic arms. They're hella expensive though.
>>976307
Thank you kind anon, I have a genuine tortoise shell cigarette case that I am planning to turn into eyeglasses.
