Stepping inside almost is like leaving your everyday world, to step into something completely different. No state of the art machinery or shiny white floors and air conditioned spaces. Instead, a concrete floor, with bits and pieces of left over material strategically placed under desks and in corners. One side of the shack consists of roller doors. When opened, giving a wonderful look out over the vegetation on the surrounding hills.
On one side, at two ‘work stations’, Fritz and his assistant Elise meticulously make their eyewear frames. Each and everyone by hand. In the middle, a very large table provides extra space for trays with temples, or parts of the machinery needed for further production. At the other side the machinery to laminate the wood, cut out or sand parts of a frame and the coating room. And, that magnificent view across the hills.
All machinery needed for the production of a Fritz Frames, is somewhat tweaked by Fritz himself. Nothing is new off the shelves. An ordinary drill is mounted up side down in a wooden construction, so it can be used to cut out the thin bevel in which a lens will be mounted. All guided by hand. Tiny pieces of plywood are used to guide and hold frame parts, so drill holes can be done at exactly the same spot, over and over again.
In the video below, Fritz explains how he uses feathers on the eyewear frames.
It has been very inspiring to watch Fritz and Elise work in this setting. A shack filled with passion and pride in what is being done here. The world’s most awesome wooden eyewear, fully produced by hand.
Below some more photo’s I took at the workshop.
