Swirl Finder Flashlight

dschribs

dschribs

New member
I figure with my eyes going downhill quick - now that I'll be 49 next month (YIKES!!!!) - it's time I grab anything that will make detailing easier on me.


 


Is this still the "standard" for a detailing flashlight?


 


http://www.autogeek.net/brinkmann-swirl-finder-light.html


 


 


Won't any LED light work about the same for seeing swirl marks?   I mean my local Harbor Freight gives them away for free...
 
dschrips:


I bought a 2-AA Battery Mini Maglite Ultra-Brite LED at a local farm supply store for about $25.00 US. It has a 182 lumen output. Most "cheaper" LEDs of that size are about 90-100, so it is quite bright. It's small size is nice because  you can stick it in your pants pocket as you detail and grab it as needed. I know that you can also buy much brighter flashlights by Maglite that have a 310 lumen output, but they are about $50-$60 US, depending on the number of D-size batteries, and they are larger. The only drawback  for the higher lumen output is a (greatly) reduced battery life of about 2-1/2 hours for "normal" alkaline batteries. I cannot comment on the battery life if you use the lithium batteries, like those for digital cameras. I've replaced mine with the newer Duracell's Quantum high-density core batteries after those that came with the flashlight began to diminish.


 


Does it show swirls, marring, and streaking? Yes, but then so do incandescent light bulbs. This flashlight with its brightness for its size is very useful. A REAL bonus is how much illumination it has, as it makes a great spotlight/work-light in tight areas where you may be doing maintenance or inspection on, like car engines, home appliances, or crawl spaces. It's a great tool to investment in , even if you don't use it that often for detailing.
 
The Brinkman seems to have fallen out of favor these days.  The important thing with an LED flashlight is that it have a single point of light--not multiple LEDs.   I found a Cree flashlight on eBay for $10 that works extremely well, but when doing correction I use LED flood lights from HD on a photographic stand -- this set up shows swirls really well even on light colors.
 
pwaug said:
The Brinkman seems to have fallen out of favor these days.  The important thing with an LED flashlight is that it have a single point of light--not multiple LEDs.   I found a Cree flashlight on eBay for $10 that works extremely well, but when doing correction I use LED flood lights from HD on a photographic stand -- this set up shows swirls really well even on light colors.
Click to expand...


  


Totally agree with this.  I picked up one of these last winter and was a bit disappointed.  Now my single diode LED flood light stand that I set up......whoa.  That thing is the bees knees
 
House Of Wax said:
Totally agree with this.  I picked up one of these last winter and was a bit disappointed.  Now my single diode LED flood light stand that I set up......whoa.  That thing is the bees knees
Click to expand...


 


House of Wax - Can you give me a link to the stand and bulb(s) you use?  I'm trying to put together a similar set-up and I'm overwhelemed with the selection of LED bulbs out there.
 
Here's the thread I got the idea from:

http://www.autopiaforums.com/forums...omprehensive-review-best-bulbs-out-there.html

The stand and bulb holder I got off amazon and the bulbs I got at Lowe's. The bulbs are a different brand but same idea.

The important thing for the bulbs is they need to be single diode and be in the 5K light spectrum range (I think some packages label that as "daylight" color). You should be able to look at the bulb in the package and see if it has one big LED or multiple small ones
 
I've been using a headlamp for years now.  Single light, near two hundred lumens and rechargeable - I have three at all times, two on chargers.  Also, I use rechargeable led shop lights, again single light source.  The other day, I saw some security lights at costco that looked interesting.  Couldn't find them on their sight though.  


 


Robert


-
 
dschribs- Heh heh, you're still a young-un at 49  ;)


 


I find the xenon Brinkman to be pretty mediocre (at best) for swirl-spotting.


 


pwaug hit the nail on the head- you want "point source" illumination for this and you should inspect in an otherwise dark room.  No matter what you use (I often use a plain old incandescent lightbulb) you'll have to vary the illumination and viewing angles/distances until you get it just right.


 


Watch you don't use something *so* bright that it washes out the marring.  I've had things look great under bright halogens, and then found marring after all under a single 60w lightbulb mounted up in the ceiling!
 
I would suggest having a few different light sources to check your work, as each is better suited for seeing certain defects. Bryan Burnworth turned me on to Fenix LED flash lights a couple years ago and I haven't looked back since! IMO they are king when it comes to spotting faint micro marring. There is a difference between the cheaper LED's and the high end lights like Fenix, so IMO, you get what you pay for.


 


Here is my most used light


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00935SL2M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


 


I also use an LED Lenser head lamp when I'm doing full, or more extensive correction jobs


http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053GV2T4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


 





 


I also have a LED light stand I use on most my basic jobs, one from Home Depot, and I do still use my Brinkmann Duel Xenon along with the Fenix to double check my work.


 


Rasky
 
RaskyR1- That's a very good point; I generally use five or six different light sources, even fluorescents for some things.


 


So the Fenix isn't *too* bright for use on metallics?
 
Accumulator said:
RaskyR1- That's a very good point; I generally use five or six different light sources, even fluorescents for some things.


 


So the Fenix isn't *too* bright for use on metallics?
Click to expand...


 


On the highest setting (4) it will wash things out. I usually have it on setting 2 of 4 though. ;)


 


It's a warmer colored light then my LED Lenser headlamp too, which almost has a blueish color to it.
 
RaskyR1- Ah,OK, that makes sense.  Next time I have to do inspection/correction I think I'll try my flashlights...only did a cursory test quite a while ago, and I've upgraded most of my flashlights since then.  Maybe I'm missing the boat here!


 


dschribs- For some reason that link won't work for me, but then my PC doesn't like the current forum upgrade at all.
 
Accumulator:


You're not the only one who has "problems" with links on a computer within this forum. I have the same problem. I've contacted the administrators within this forum, but no response. I am running Windows 7 on my new PC. I bought it from a local computer shop because all the box store computers came with Windows 8 and I did not want to struggle learning a new GUI (Graphic User Interface) and what I have been told, is a less-friendly GUI. Wonder if this is part of the problem??
 
The new models from both Coast and Led Lenser are interesting.  I've been wearing a headlamp for years and the hundred dollars I spent a few years ago gets me a much better light now.  The Led Lenser 14.2 looks particularly good because you can adjust the color of the light - at least that's what the specs say - though I'm not sure exactly what that will mean in practice.   A headlight works well doing interiors too, and motors, and...


Robert 


http://www.photonlight.com/products/led-flashlights/led-lenser-h14-2-headlamp/?utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cse&gdftrk=gdfV21383_a_7c1216_a_7c5238_a_7cLL_d_H14.2


 


http://www.photonlight.com/products/led-flashlights/led-lenser-h7r-2-headlamp-rechargeable/
 
I have a LED Lenser, its ABSOLUTELY awesome. For hands free interior work it shows everything. It's pretty unrelenting on paint as well. You'll see more in a shop than in the sun, so adjust accordingly. 


 


LED FTW!
 
Lonnie- Yeah, Windows 7 here also...


 


WhyteWizard- Thanks for those links, the older I get the more useful I find headlamps.  Wonder how much the "color" of the light really has to do with it (paint-matching excepted of course).


 


SilvaBimma- That "more than in the sun" is a good standard to aim for IMO.
 
SilvaBimma said:
I have a LED Lenser, its ABSOLUTELY awesome. For hands free interior work it shows everything. It's pretty unrelenting on paint as well. You'll see more in a shop than in the sun, so adjust accordingly. 


 


LED FTW!
Click to expand...


 


Silva,


 


Which model do you have. I want to get one of their flash lights. So many choices. I think anything above 160 lumens is over kill. Even the Rupes Pen light is a max 140 lumens.
 
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