Ive been looking at different posts on the Before & AFter, and Click & Brag. I've seen the different supplies that people use, but I only remember coming across 2 posts that stated they used a Paint Thickness Gauge. In DavidB posts it is suggested to use a paint thickness gauge. Is this actually necessary and do yall use it?
Paint Thickness Gauge Needed?
- Thread starter dawgboy
- Start date
Dan
Well-known member
It depends. I just got one, and its comforting to know that I can measure and know when to stop. I think being a little too autopian means I want perfection and sometimes I might go a bit overboard. The paint guage lets me set a firm stopping point.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Mine has saved me from a real "oops!" on a pal's showcar..it woulda been a serious disaster; one area on his trunk lid had super-thin clear for some reason.
But OTOH, I got by for decades without one.
*GENERALLY* I don't think you need one unless you're a) buying a used car and need to check it (this has saved me from buying a car that woulda needed a repaint), b) doing *very* serious correction, especially on a car with unknown history, or c) working on other people's vehicles, where it's simply smart to CYA.
But OTOH, I got by for decades without one.
*GENERALLY* I don't think you need one unless you're a) buying a used car and need to check it (this has saved me from buying a car that woulda needed a repaint), b) doing *very* serious correction, especially on a car with unknown history, or c) working on other people's vehicles, where it's simply smart to CYA.
imported_Jakerooni
New member
I think they are like all the the other tools in detailing. They definatly have their place. You don't absoultly *need* one per say to detail a car. I've personally have never used one but I do want to get one. I think just like everything else in detailing the more prepared you are the better off you're going to be. I wouldn't put it in the class of *must have* tools by any means but I would put it right up there with *if you can find a deal grab it up quick like!!!* Kind of like D/A's and carpet extractors.
CosminTX
ProReflection
save me twice so far, i would say it paid in full already and i am not full detailer yet.
well ... it let u know things that u can`t tell and can`t see :
repaint panels , thin panels so u don`t try to hard to get the scratch out , thin spots on panels , gives u a map of the car`s paint u deal with , if u remove scratches or do paint correction i think is a must.
well ... it let u know things that u can`t tell and can`t see :
repaint panels , thin panels so u don`t try to hard to get the scratch out , thin spots on panels , gives u a map of the car`s paint u deal with , if u remove scratches or do paint correction i think is a must.
Barry Theal
New member
I think there a good thing for beginners, but once you have the knowledge and understanding of what truly correcting a car is about there worthless. Now keep in mind thats just my opinion.
Dan
Well-known member
bufferbarry said:
So you can tell how much clear is left by just looking at paint?
Accumulator
Well-known member
yakky said:
Heh heh, I can only tell on metallics, and only when I've gone a bit too far
Yeah, that's right...this *is* one topic that bufferbarry and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye on :argue :hifive:
Accumulator
Well-known member
07e90 said:
But you can extrapolate to some degree. If a clearcoated panel reads 80-90 microns you'd better think twice about aggressively correcting it.
Crude/extreme IRL example: Last summer I was looking at a *VERY* nice black car I planned to buy. Zero serious cosmetic issues, which I found suspicious. A few ETG readings showed that the paint was *VERY* thin...as in, too thin to correct again, maybe even soon-to-fail. Seller's response: "well, yeah, I did some wetsanding on it due to acid rain pitting". Without the ETG I almost certainly would've bought it, so the readings saved me from a big "oops". Could've just as easily been a car I was about to compound, like the readings that showed my pal's Jag wasn't safe to correct in a few places.
Dan
Well-known member
Accumulator said:
Exactly. I'm a hobbyist, but I can tell you if I was a pro, there would be no way I would touch a car without taking readings first. Who knows how many times a car has been polished. Sure you don't know how much clear is left, but you pretty easily tell which areas are thin, which areas are factory and which areas have been repainted.
here is one that I just bought and it is not too expensive . Works great so far .
PAINTGAGE FNF-A PAINT METER MIL COATING THICKNESS GAUGE:eBay Motors (item 150355023481 end time Sep-24-09 22:42:01 PDT)
Cheers , Jean Paul
PAINTGAGE FNF-A PAINT METER MIL COATING THICKNESS GAUGE:eBay Motors (item 150355023481 end time Sep-24-09 22:42:01 PDT)
Cheers , Jean Paul
Dan
Well-known member
Barry Theal
New member
yakky said:
yakky, can I tell how much clear is left by a digital number? NO. Can I tell when its time to back off the paint? YES. Ok now onto these so called paint meters. First there design for this business was for dealers who don't have time to check cars while running threw an auction. It was designed to give a general idea of what was painted. Now adventually they got introduced to a other areas of the automotive field. Detailers and Body Shops. NOw I'm gonna exclude a body shop here. Now onto us the DETAILERS. These meters can be good to tell you how much clear your removing in a digital number. Which can help the average joe. As a professional. Now I have no document saying Barry's a pro. I consider myself to be a professional at this stuff. If you disagree with that. Thats your choice. Now If your eye has been trained the way my has over the years you would understand where I'm coming from. I see you said you were a novice at this. Thats great. NOw keep in mind I have litterly corrected paint on thousands of cars over the years. I'm not talking 1 or 2 Im talking in the ranges of ten thousand. I'm not talking out my butt either. Thats is a serious qoute.
Before the meters were in this business it was all eye hand and feel. You can tell a panel has been painted or so called thin numerous ways. You can tell from texture of the panel. Thats the biggest. You can also tell thin spots by dullness in the paint. A spot with less clear will have a duller look. With many more ways I'm not gonna get into. truthfully to some it up. I think they are a waste of money. thats just how I feel. For those who do use them thats great. Its another tool. For me I have one but its more of a dust magnet then nxt. lol
Accumulator said:Heh heh, I can only tell on metallics, and only when I've gone a bit too far
Yeah, that's right...this *is* one topic that bufferbarry and I don't exactly see eye-to-eye on :argue :hifive:
Lol Accumulator I would love for us to be in a locked garage with a car that has a few painted panels! lol me against your meter! :argue :LOLOL:hifive:
Accumulator
Well-known member
bufferbarry said:
Heh heh, glad you're taking my comments in the spirit intended :xyxthumbs Hey, you'd give my meter a good run for its money, no question in my mind. It's like some machinists I've met who can read minute dimensions with their fingertips; I sure don't know how they do it, but I've seen it often enough.
Maybe if I had *your* experience I too would have the magic eye
Man-oh-man I was *certain* I could do that correction on my M3 without any issues but I got those %#&@ing "too light, too metallic" patches that say "hey bud, you went too far" 
I guess that amateurs like me (and yeah, heh heh, that means *talented* amateurs
) need stuff like the gauges to make up for not having corrected zillions of cars. Like I'm always saying, you'll probably correct more cars this year than I'll correct in this lifetime.imported_Jakerooni
New member
If you've been at this for years. And you still can't tell the difference between a panel that can be and a panel that can't be corrected just by looking at it you obviously didn't learn proper methods and need to go back to the basics. Like barry said it's a good beginners tool. It does make you "Look" more professional when dealing with higher end clients. But by and by it's not needed. it's just an extra back up tool to have. If your a true paint correction professional your eye's really should be all that is ever needed.