Lab efficiency tips?

[DentureDude]

hi everyone,
new here on DLN, but not to the business.

great website, i cant imagine the years of combined experience here? thank you all in advance. im very appreciative to have this site as a resource.

its funny i remember in the first lab that i worked in (way before the internet) there was an old timer in the corner that used to try and hide the way he did his work i guess he thought someone might try and take his job... so glad times are a changin.


im in the middle of a new lab build here in monterey ca.
definitely working this out on a budget for now, as much as i would love to have kavo and nevin thats not happening any time soon.

i believe the best way to make money in the lab is organization and efficiency.
i have always tried to push this to the limit without going over the line of diminished returns.

im setting up now from scratch and trying to build in all the efficiency i can.

i have never seen a better bunch of innovators than dental lab techs so any ideas, no matter how large or small would be welcome.

some areas im interested in gaining new insight:

workflow in general
keeping things clean and organized
bench and counter setups
marketing tips
custom gadgets (love the gagets)
favorite products or equipment that you cant live without.

anything that saves time without sacrificing quality.
any pics would be great if possible.

thank you all. anytime i can i will return the effort.

 

[DentureDude]

arrordable dual hand piece adapter

maybe i could start this thread out with something i have found to be really useful.

with the price of a good brush style hand piece getting more and more affordable, (just the hand piece not the control box) sometimes i really like to use 2 at time instead of switching back and fourth with burs.

one example;
if im working on a stay plate and pressed for time i use a larger bur for knocking down the necks of the teeth as i set up but i like to diatoric for retention at the same time with a small round. i have found its smother to switch between two hand pieces with one foot pedal. i started this years ago because a had the upower 500 and happend to have another hand piece laying around. but i have found it to be a really nice setup for many applications.

not to many dual hand piece systems out there that are affordable. i always thought about making up an adapter that would allow for this with any control box but it seemed like allot of work (lots of pins to solder) so i never got around to it.

the other day a stumbled on this product and got one. its great. really useful if you have some old hand pieces laying around.

NailDrill.com

im not a rep in any way i just think its a great alternative to buying a dual control box.

 

[CYNOSURER]

Don't know if you've seen my Tips for Techspage on my lab's website.

I've been a little lax in adding newer stuff. I'll get on that when I get back from the CDA meeting in San Francisco next week.

 

[Bobby Orr ceramics]

This is like posting a thread asking to explain the Bible........where to begin ???

 

[araucaria]

Adam's clasp ?

 

[AJEL]

This is a dust work box that I designed around the size of the brownie slide out bottom pan June 2009 & has a suction tube attached to a heppa filtered shop vac in the next room. The hand cutouts were placed on a pop rivet & are used as bur holders. The material was purchased from Menards as a sink cutout around $1. I cut it out on a table saw & used biscuit & glue to hold it together. & painted the inside with epoxy white paint.

This was it originally in use. With just a safety glass front in the slides.



This is the dust box today (Sept 0211) with the blick Magnifying Lamp with 7" Lens 28W T5 Circular Tube, 4000K I also cut lengthwise a 1.5" ID by 2" OD Clear PVC tube as wrist cushions. When trimming plaster on a model no dust in lab, when shaping acrylic or nylon no mess on the old bench, reduces grinding noise, keeps pieces from flying in face (especially eyes) seems to work fine. aj luckow

 

[DentureDude]

LOL, love the full upper fishing lure... i bet a marlin would love that thing!

Great ideas. thanks for taking the time.

 

[AJEL]

Isn't that lure in my fishing & messing around thread?

 

[DentureDude]

not sure, i was just looking at the pics from this thread?