Comprehensive Gloss Measurement Thread - WaxMode Testing

[Loach]

Tremendous thread and a most interesting read.
Brian from Apex detail managed to achieve gloss readings of between 99 to 102 using TAC`s Òne Step Master. It would be an interesting exercise to see what level of gloss it is possible to achieve with this product over a base coat of Essence primer.

I appreciate it Mac! TAC System appears to have some gloss producing gems in the lineup, eventually if they get the U.S. base up and running I might finally be able to grab Shinee Wax and others to run some tests with to see how well it fares on this specific panel.

The higher humidity in the garage is proving to have an impact in the gloss testing, mainly with the calibration tile over these warmer months here in Florida. This is one of the main reasons for the lack of updates in the thread. The issue with humidity is I can calibrate the meter to the gloss tile after cleaning, pick the meter up to run measurements on the panel, come back to the calibration tile and no longer be able to match that calibrated baseline number. The tile is able to fog over very slightly just from the humidity after lifting it the meter up, which skews the numbers. Likely the same fogging could also be occurring on the actual lenses of the meter itself to some degree.

My Poorboy`s Black Hole Glaze expired on me, it`s able to mix well during shaking but applying it to the paint I can see it`s not going on as it used to when it was fresh. Even though it`s thick and not runny in the bottle, it`s a bit watery on application and so although the short term results were promising, the expiration of the glaze and the inconsistency of the humidity put the gloss testing on the back burner and I haven`t replaced the glaze with a fresh bottle yet.

 

[TheMac]

Loach
Florida may seem to have some drawbacks re the weather but you need to live in Ireland to realise just how lucky you are. Our summers last maybe 6 weeks and it becomes quite a talking point if we see 22C / 70F!
Thanks for the prompt reply. I will look forward with interest to any future review by you on TAC Systems One Step Master.
Your thread was an absolute revelation.
TheMac

 

[Accumulator]

My Poorboy`s Black Hole Glaze expired on me, it`s able to mix well during shaking but applying it to the paint I can see it`s not going on as it used to when it was fresh. Even though it`s thick and not runny in the bottle, it`s a bit watery on application and so although the short term results were promising, the expiration of the glaze and the inconsistency of the humidity put the gloss testing on the back burner and I haven`t replaced the glaze with a fresh bottle yet.

Ah, thanks for posting that. I`m always interested in hearing about limited shelf-life since all my products have to stay good for years.

 

[Larry A]

since a mirror has a very high gloss what are the numbers of a mirror

 

[Loach]

Loach
Florida may seem to have some drawbacks re the weather but you need to live in Ireland to realise just how lucky you are. Our summers last maybe 6 weeks and it becomes quite a talking point if we see 22C / 70F!
Thanks for the prompt reply. I will look forward with interest to any future review by you on TAC Systems One Step Master.
Your thread was an absolute revelation.
TheMac

We`re definitely lucky down here in Florida, I`ll take this extreme heat and the humidity over the frigid winters from up north any day!

Ah, thanks for posting that. I`m always interested in hearing about limited shelf-life since all my products have to stay good for years.

I picked up my gallon of Black Hole about 5 years ago from Autopia. I`ve got the rest of the gallon up north and had a few bottles that I pulled from that brought down south to me, I`ll have to check to see how the rest of the gallon is doing when I get back up there.

since a mirror has a very high gloss what are the numbers of a mirror

The bathroom mirror I just measured at the 20° angle was reading at 1,941GU. At the 60° angle it reads 632GU. The higher the gloss of the substrate that you`re measuring, you want to switch to using the 20° angle on the meter, the lower the gloss you want to switch to the 85° angle. And for most paint testing around 80-110GU I`ll measure at the 60° angle.

 

[acuRAS82]

The bathroom mirror I just measured at the 20° angle was reading at 1,941GU. At the 60° angle it reads 632GU. The higher the gloss of the substrate that you`re measuring, you want to switch to using the 20° angle on the meter, the lower the gloss you want to switch to the 85° angle. And for most paint testing around 80-110GU I`ll measure at the 60° angle.

That’s some bomb ace mirror right there. 20x what Essence is. I’ll give you $800 for it if you’re looking to part ways. Or $600 if it’s been opened for more than a year.

 

[SWETM]

That’s some bomb ace mirror right there. 20x what Essence is. I’ll give you $800 for it if you’re looking to part ways. Or $600 if it’s been opened for more than a year.

Maybe you could wrap with a mirror looking one LOL. There are some chrome ones I`ve seen. Then you have some high gloss readings LOL. Wondering what LSPs would be doing on such of surface to the gloss readings.

 

[Oneheadlite]

There`s a name we haven`t seen in a while! Glad to see you post - Hope you`ve been well!

Heck, you even got your own thread of us wondering about ya over on AG: https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/127066-anybody-heard-swetm.html

Maybe you could wrap with a mirror looking one LOL. There are some chrome ones I`ve seen. Then you have some high gloss readings LOL. Wondering what LSPs would be doing on such of surface to the gloss readings.

 

[acuRAS82]

Maybe you could wrap with a mirror looking one LOL. There are some chrome ones I`ve seen. Then you have some high gloss readings LOL. Wondering what LSPs would be doing on such of surface to the gloss readings.

OMG, Tony! So awesome to hear from you! We’ve missed you dearly. Check your emails more often, man!

 

[Coatings=crack]

Maybe you could wrap with a mirror looking one LOL. There are some chrome ones I`ve seen. Then you have some high gloss readings LOL. Wondering what LSPs would be doing on such of surface to the gloss readings.

Welcome back! I hope all was and is well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Loach]

That’s some bomb ace mirror right there. 20x what Essence is. I’ll give you $800 for it if you’re looking to part ways. Or $600 if it’s been opened for more than a year.

LOL! That`s true, but it`s also 20x glossier than Zymol Vintage. So in reality it`s worth $2,945 x 20 = $58,900...or basically the price of just one fancy container of Zymol Solaris. I love wax math, don`t forget Rhopoint verified!

Maybe you could wrap with a mirror looking one LOL. There are some chrome ones I`ve seen. Then you have some high gloss readings LOL. Wondering what LSPs would be doing on such of surface to the gloss readings.

Good to see you again in here Tony, I remember that thread popping up on Autogeek with the guys looking for you!

So I just did a test with the mirror, after cleaning with Jax Wax Glass Cleaner it was peaking at 1,947GU at 20°. Quick coat of Pinnacle Souveran was peaking at 1,950GU! Real close, probably within the margin of error. Later on I might pull out the abrasives and see how they would impact the measurements of the mirror over time. The upper gloss limit that this meter can measure at is 2,000GU.

 

[J. Martin]

Finally joined the forum, and I`ve read every single page of this thread.
Great work, great insights, and a great resource that should stand the test of time.
Waxmode has always been a favorite YouTube channel of mine.

Some random thoughts on Griot`s 3-in-1:

Griot`s ceramic spray is a remarkable product for the money. They really spent time with it, and thought about all walks of detailers.
Given its ease of use (post-learning curve) and decent longevity, you can`t go wrong.

I`ve used it repeatedly and extensively on fully-corrected finishes (typically 3D One and an IPA), and conclude that there definitely is a learning curve when laying it down.
Ample lighting, ample MF cloths and a mindfulness of temperature/humidity are key.

I also realized that I prefer to wear a basic mask when using it. If you inhale any of the mist on accident, you`re gonna feel it in your lungs the next day.
Probably true for any similar product, but if you`re using `the one you prefer` you might as well take heed. Plus, it scares your neighbors...

I`ve compared this on my own against other similar products, and would consider a runner-up to be Xtreme Solutions` Poly-Seal. Griot`s applies more `communicatively` with a tiny bit more grab and consistency. I like that. It isn`t too thin or transparent.

Once you figure out your flash time, the wipe-off needs to be done with a plush and semi-dry MF towel. Multiple wipes until it`s clear. I`ve found that the wipe-off towel should work right for a few panels until it loads-up with bi-product. Then I use that one to apply, and grab a new towel to replace the wipe-off one.

The fact that it can go on trim without penalty is a big plus. I`ve used this on glass with great results.
By the next day, it all really tightens up on the car. Hell, I`ve used this on brass instruments with success (see avatar).

I`m sure there are products that last longer or shine a tad more, but if you can spend ~$20 and quickly apply this monthly...who cares?
It`s not a magic bullet, but definitely worth having in the arsenal at all times. Just my take.

 

[rand0m]

Finally joined the forum, and I`ve read every single page of this thread.
Great work, great insights, and a great resource that should stand the test of time.
Waxmode has always been a favorite YouTube channel of mine.

Some random thoughts on Griot`s 3-in-1:

Griot`s ceramic spray is a remarkable product for the money. They really spent time with it, and thought about all walks of detailers.
Given its ease of use (post-learning curve) and decent longevity, you can`t go wrong.

I`ve used it repeatedly and extensively on fully-corrected finishes (typically 3D One and an IPA), and conclude that there definitely is a learning curve when laying it down.
Ample lighting, ample MF cloths and a mindfulness of temperature/humidity are key.

I also realized that I prefer to wear a basic mask when using it. If you inhale any of the mist on accident, you`re gonna feel it in your lungs the next day.
Probably true for any similar product, but if you`re using `the one you prefer` you might as well take heed. Plus, it scares your neighbors...

I`ve compared this on my own against other similar products, and would consider a runner-up to be Xtreme Solutions` Poly-Seal. Griot`s applies more `communicatively` with a tiny bit more grab and consistency. I like that. It isn`t too thin or transparent.

Once you figure out your flash time, the wipe-off needs to be done with a plush and semi-dry MF towel. Multiple wipes until it`s clear. I`ve found that the wipe-off towel should work right for a few panels until it loads-up with bi-product. Then I use that one to apply, and grab a new towel to replace the wipe-off one.

The fact that it can go on trim without penalty is a big plus. I`ve used this on glass with great results.
By the next day, it all really tightens up on the car. Hell, I`ve used this on brass instruments with success (see avatar).

I`m sure there are products that last longer or shine a tad more, but if you can spend ~$20 and quickly apply this monthly...who cares?
It`s not a magic bullet, but definitely worth having in the arsenal at all times. Just my take.

Learning curve/temp/humidity/flash time? I haven’t used 3in1 but that doesn’t sound like a quick apply.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[J. Martin]

"Learning curve/temp/humidity/flash time? I haven’t used 3in1 but that doesn’t sound like a quick apply."

That`s a fair response. I suppose easy is relative, but I`m weighing that with the expectations most users likely have of the product.
If a brand claims +6 months durability and jaw-dropping gloss, I honestly don`t expect it to be so easy to apply that I can carelessly apply it.
TBH it was the discussion earlier in this thread that reminded me of the subtle quirks of the product. I just don`t think it deserves to be written-off by anyone if they have a less-than-perfect first experience with it. That`s all. Again, I consider it really easy, but it took two brief sessions to conclude that.

 

[rand0m]

"Learning curve/temp/humidity/flash time? I haven’t used 3in1 but that doesn’t sound like a quick apply."

That`s a fair response. I suppose easy is relative, but I`m weighing that with the expectations most users likely have of the product.
If a brand claims +6 months durability and jaw-dropping gloss, I honestly don`t expect it to be so easy to apply that I can carelessly apply it.
TBH it was the discussion earlier in this thread that reminded me of the subtle quirks of the product. I just don`t think it deserves to be written-off by anyone if they have a less-than-perfect first experience with it. That`s all. Again, I consider it really easy, but it took two brief sessions to conclude that.

If it lasts 6 months at full performance then that certainly warrants it. If you apply it monthly though, I think there are so many spray sealants/coatings that fit this category that are spray on wipe off. I remember Waxmode/Loach had good opinions about it`s durability. It didn`t really stand out to me though, perhaps because I remember watching his review of Wolfgang Uber Ceramic Spray coating around the same time and being pretty impressed with it.