Paint Meters- Waste of time?
09-08-2013, 06:14 PM
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Paint Meters- Waste of time?
I am getting different opinions on paint meters. I really am looking to getting a read on the clear coat thickness instead of the "total paint' thickness for detailing purposes and I really don't see how a paint meter can read separate layer readings. So what do I do?
09-08-2013, 08:39 PM
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You wing it, and try not to rub through the clear. Paint meters read total thickness, and I imagine at least some systems have a chemical (vs. only physical) bond so the clear IS part of the paint. If you're worried enough to buy a paint meter, are you worried enough to get a re-spray when you realize you're almost to bare metal in spots already? If not, skip the meter and keep up with your waxing.
09-12-2013, 10:37 AM
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Unless you are spending close to $300 and up for a magnetic thickness indicator, most PTG (pain thickness gauges) aren't worth it. When you get to high end carbon fiber ect, you need to start spending ~$1k on the electric/sonic type measuing mircons (much smaller than mils). Those 'cheapo' kind will really only help used car salesman/inspector check for bondo ect.
It can help though, but it is more for high end or show cars. If you DD it even if it is garage kept weekend car, you will end up swirling it and making the use of a PTG or sanding/polishing to mirror shine not worth your time. It might not be able to tell you how thick your CC is, but if you know how many coats it has you can do some math and guestimate. Or you can polish down to some color and measure and do some math. The simple way to find out you went through the CC is when you start seeing color on your buffing pad. But if you didn't measure before and after, you will never really know how much you removed and you are doomed to repeat it, or you will end up stopping short of that mark and leaving a stupid thin CC almost pointlessly left on. But when you really start to know your cars, you will know how many coats of paint and will be able to guess the paint thickness (if no work has been done on it yet) and therefore know how thick the CC is, though you will still need a PTG to know how much you can remove before you have to put another coat on.
Basically it is for letting you know how much you are removing, not so much how much you have left, that is learned/figurd out. If you want any UV protection on your car, you want to leave at least 50% of the CC on, which doens't give you much room for wet sanding. If more than ~50% of the clearcoat finish is removed, you stand a good chance of premature paint system failure. If more than 75% of the clearcoat finish is removed, you will experience immediate paint system failure. Which is known, by many detailers, they go below this benchmark, mirror polish it, then put another coat on, mirror polish, and rinse and repeat, untill you have a mirror polished, yet still thick enough to have a protective layer of CC. Again, not worth it for your avg car.
It takes years of experience to master the skill......The short answer for you....If you are reading less than 5mils, I would advise to only polish with the most fine of polishing. And if it is less than 8mils, I wouldn't wet sand it or use agressive cutting compounds. That is a guess based of a factory avg car paint on how thick your CC is.
It can help though, but it is more for high end or show cars. If you DD it even if it is garage kept weekend car, you will end up swirling it and making the use of a PTG or sanding/polishing to mirror shine not worth your time. It might not be able to tell you how thick your CC is, but if you know how many coats it has you can do some math and guestimate. Or you can polish down to some color and measure and do some math. The simple way to find out you went through the CC is when you start seeing color on your buffing pad. But if you didn't measure before and after, you will never really know how much you removed and you are doomed to repeat it, or you will end up stopping short of that mark and leaving a stupid thin CC almost pointlessly left on. But when you really start to know your cars, you will know how many coats of paint and will be able to guess the paint thickness (if no work has been done on it yet) and therefore know how thick the CC is, though you will still need a PTG to know how much you can remove before you have to put another coat on.
Basically it is for letting you know how much you are removing, not so much how much you have left, that is learned/figurd out. If you want any UV protection on your car, you want to leave at least 50% of the CC on, which doens't give you much room for wet sanding. If more than ~50% of the clearcoat finish is removed, you stand a good chance of premature paint system failure. If more than 75% of the clearcoat finish is removed, you will experience immediate paint system failure. Which is known, by many detailers, they go below this benchmark, mirror polish it, then put another coat on, mirror polish, and rinse and repeat, untill you have a mirror polished, yet still thick enough to have a protective layer of CC. Again, not worth it for your avg car.
It takes years of experience to master the skill......The short answer for you....If you are reading less than 5mils, I would advise to only polish with the most fine of polishing. And if it is less than 8mils, I wouldn't wet sand it or use agressive cutting compounds. That is a guess based of a factory avg car paint on how thick your CC is.