Oakley C Six shades: CNC-milled from solid carbon fiber billet
Carbon fiber. It's light, it's strong, and it looks so darn cool. As such, we doubt we're the only ones who've wondered why we don't see more eyewear made out of the stuff. Well, there are a couple of good reasons – namely that it's expensive and difficult to work with. While it's complicated enough to lay it down in sheets to make a crash-resistant race car tub, for example, forming it into intricate shapes like sunglass frames is apparently on another level.
Enter Oakley, the eyewear company already plenty familiar with the challenges of using exotic materials. Oakley has teamed up with racing specialist Crosby Composites to make the upcoming C Six. But instead of laying down sheets in the complex form, Crosby and Oakley mill the frames out of solid blocks of carbon fiber, each 40 layers deep, using state-of-the-art Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) drills spinning at 10,000 rpm for 24 hours to create a single pair of these bad boys. The result could very well be the ultimate driving shades, but don't expect every wheel jockey on the turnpike to be wearing a pair. Oakley is only making 250 of 'em, and they're expected to sell for a cool four grand apiece when they hit the market.
[Source: Carbon Fiber Gear]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
ccweems 9:05AM (8/28/2009)
24 hours to mill one frame? Put down the pipe. 5 minutes to mill one side and part. Probably transferred to another machine which has a contoured fixture that holds the frame for another 5 minutes machining. Southern California rates for carbon fiber machining? My guess $100 - 200 per hour. If it in fact took 24 hours of machine time they would cost $5000. Expect to see chinese copies in 30 days for $20.
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citroen67 10:39AM (8/28/2009)
"Expect to see chinese copies in 30 days for $20."
That is the whole reason I do not buy Oakley sunglasses anymore. Don't get me wrong, I love the style of them, but if 90% of the people that see me wearing them are going to think that I bought them at the Qwik-E-Mart for $19.99...I might as well just buy a cheap off brand that doesn't say "Oakley" on them.
Raz 8:19AM (8/28/2009)
CNC aren't that state of the art... been around for 20/ 30 years and those pair of sun glasses are just way over the top
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spookthehamster 10:48AM (8/28/2009)
It's probably also not as hard as they say to lay up some glasses and do some machining after. We make a lot of small CF parts where I work - granted, I work for a Formula One team, but that's not the point.
What I'd like to see is some glasses made out of something like Windform XT. They'd be good for anyone wanting some light and rugged glasses.
spookthehamster 10:50AM (8/28/2009)
Forgot to add, these do look pretty cool though.
To all the people worrying about fibres poking in your face and so on, have you heard of lacquer?
Jung 9:08AM (8/28/2009)
Wouldn't CNC milling a block of carbonfiber result in less structurally rigid body than molding/wrapping layers of carbonfiber sheets?
I guess it would be impossible to use molding/wrapping carbon fiber into small shapes like sunglasses...
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Carlos 9:15AM (8/28/2009)
My guess is that they used pre-pregnated carbon sheets and baked them until they were one solid part so you could just treat it like a solid piece of material rather then a layered piece. That would explain the not so normal weave patterns.
If these weren't 4k a piece I would buy them, until then I guess I'll be buying the x-metal half jackets.
wer 8:22AM (8/28/2009)
Nice, but i'd rather have this chair-seat..
http://www.carbonfibergear.com/direct/authentic-ferrari-challenge-carbon-fiber-office-chair
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Jag 8:27AM (8/28/2009)
CNC Milling is a terrible way to make a carbon fiber part... course for sunglasses I suppose it doesn't really matter.
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Dan Mosqueda 9:21AM (8/28/2009)
Why is it terrible? I used to work in machining, but never saw them work on carbon fiber. Does it have some nasty properties? Wear through the end mills?
I'm fascinated by this, though the glasses are pretty hideous! I'll stick to my Persol and Revo specs with real glass lenses!
MBS 9:54AM (8/28/2009)
It's terrible because you end up cutting all the fibers which are what gives carbon fiber it's strength.
The whole point is to have the fibers as long and woven into as much of the piece as possible.
Patrick 12:24PM (8/28/2009)
Hey Dan, guess what. Oakley makes Revo now. And Persol? Poor company...they still make some nice looking stuff but now that Oakley has been bought out by the devil Luxottica I will never buy them again.
And ge with the 21st century. Glass lenses are no longer better than PC. Wahhh wahhh oh they're more scratch resistant right? Well stop using your shirt to clean them lazy ass and get a microfiber. Ever see some glass lenses after being hit with an airbag? It's not pretty. I wear my Oakleys to drive, but they are all pre-2008 era. These look pretty cool but for $4k they're not even polarized? Pfft. Oakley and Luxottica can shove it.
/Rant.
Patrick 12:27PM (8/28/2009)
Whoops. Just barely saw that they are indeed polarized. Posting from my phone so resolution isn't as good. Either way. Horrible price. I'm sure only the SF, Vegas, NY and SoCal Oakley stores will get these. Just like the diamond edition Time Machine watch. They'll sit in the cases on display for months, maybe years. Until they get marked down and forgot about.
Dan Mosqueda 1:08PM (8/28/2009)
I see re: fibre length. I imagine the benchwork on them is significant. I suppose it's a novelty item, albeit a pricey one!
I wore my Revo's in Iraq (both combat tours) because they are ballistic rated specs. And I always have microfiber on me (more for my iPhone).
Taylor. Yes, Taylor. 2:19PM (8/28/2009)
Agreed, milling something from a block of carbon fiber is just silly, they're only doing it for the "cool" factor.
If they're going to bother milling some sunglasses, they should use aluminum or maybe titanium.
I can't imagine cutting a shape like that though. I design parts and program the mills for my company, and that sounds pretty damn tough!
-Taylor
garlinski 8:31AM (8/28/2009)
Oakley glasses are pretty sick... but $4G's? Obviously I'm not in that class of peeps making $4000 purchases...
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CB 8:46AM (8/28/2009)
Anyone else think these are ugly? For four grand, they should look phenomenal. How much lighter are they than the normal material ones? A few ounces?
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FamilyGuy 9:23AM (8/28/2009)
Yep. They are hideous. But somebody will buy them for the "ohh carbon fiber" factor.
xpolarx 1:13PM (8/28/2009)
It really is a perfect storm of lameness. You look like a douche bag because of the style; meanwhile, you look like an idiot because of the price.
416Hammy 8:47AM (8/28/2009)
I'll look so cool in these when my VTEC kicks in, yo!!!
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