How To Make Sunglasses

A complete guide on how to make your own pair of recycled sunglasses with the Sustainable Design Studio’s Injection Machines and mould.

 

Introduction

The recycled sunglasses designed by the Sustainable Design Studio is a showcase of what can be achieved with recycled plastics using our equipment and our methods. However it’s important to note that there is a steep learning curve to creating wonderful and attractive eyewear with every injection, but we believe with practice and this step-by-step guide (along with all our other resources) you will be able to master the process.

NOTE: This guide assumes you already have one of our Arbour Injection Machines and have purchased our latest sunglasses mould from our online store.

Getting Started

You will need:

  • Sustainable Design Studio Arbour Injection Machine.

  • Sunglasses Mould.

  • Dremel Tool (Or Similar).

  • Variable Speed Drill (Battery powered is better).

  • DREMEL Multi Tool Accessories Number 199 (9.5mm High-Speed Rotary Cutter).

  • 1.4mm PCB Drill Bit (Get a few as these break easily).

  • Small Cross Head Glasses Screwdriver.

  • Small craft knife or blade.

For every pair of sunglasses you will need:

Step 1

First using a small knife or scalpel, mark the centre of the top of each arm hinge as shown.

Step 2

You should be left with a small marking as shown. Its important to get this as accurate as possible to ensure good hinge operation.

Step 3

Now using the 1.4mm Drill Bit drill a parrel hole through both portions of the arms plastic hinge. This should be done by viewing the part from different angles to ensure it is perfectly straight.

Note: The 1.4mm drill bit is very delicate. We recommend to do this very gently, and keep the part as still as possible to avoid breaking the bit. If you have time you may want to build a jig for a drill press for optimum efficiency.

Step 4

Now take the the arm you have just drilled and place it on the relevant side of the sunglasses. Pressing the arm firmly against the frame.

Step 5

Now with the arm firmly held in place using the existing 1.4mm hole as a guide to drill a hole through the frame.

Now repeat steps 1-5 for the opposite arm.

Step 6

With the holes drilled through the frame and the arms, you can now secure them together using a 10mm long M1.4 screw in each of the temples.

Step 7

Now using the Dremel and the 9.5mm High-Speed Rotary Cutter route a 2-3mm groove around the inside of each of the frames lens slots. There is a guideline built into the design and it’s best to do several passes taking a little more off after each pass.

After each pass try placing the lenses into the frames, if they are too tight, try identifying the area and removing a little more.

Step 8


Congratulations! Once you have successfully added the lenses you have now completed your first pair of recycled sunglasses! You may want to give them a little clean-up and remove any excess or sharp edges with a sharp blade or use a microfibre cloth to remove any fingerprints from the lenses.


Related Resources.

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    3D Printing vs Injection Moulding

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  • How To Inject PLA

    How to convert 3D printing waste into eco-friendly products with our injection mini

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  • How to 3D Print FDM Moulds

    A guide on how to 3D print a mould using FDM printing and what you need to do it yourself.

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  • How to 3D Print SLA Moulds

    A guide on how to 3D print a SLA mould, including what you need to purchase, and the full process of doing it yourself.

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  • Good Product Design

    A comprehensive guide to what makes a good, and bad recycled product.

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