Paint thickness gauge?

[A1monky]

Why are paint thickness guages not popular in the USA?
I have recently been on some UK forums, and in most of the details I see a paint gauge is used. The cheapest qaulity gauge I could find was around $280. This seems like alot but, when I think about all the money I (we) spend on detailing supplies. It seems worth it when you think about it that way.
So it makes me wonder why dont we see more paint gauges used on US based forums?
Is there any place that I could use(rent) a gauge? I am realy interested in using one.

[trhland]

i should get one being that i compounded my one truck with a /pc and compound and burned through the clear cote woops. had i have had a guage i could have seen i should have stoped.

[Nica]

I can't really answer the question as to why paint gauges aren't used, my opinion would be that it's just not something that the detailing indurstry does not demand for it here...but that's just my guess. I just purchased two gauges my self, one is the PosiTector 6000 and the PosiTector 200. One is for Ferros and Non Ferros and the other is for plastic, carbonfiber ect..ect..

From the re-search I did on the gauges the PosiTectors are one of the best gauges that are reasonable in price. I saw gauges worth way over $10,000.00

Well just my opinion.

[Z06-Goose]

I know I will get one eventually. That said, I agree with what's been said. It's a nice tool to have, it strenghtens your credibility as a serious detailer, and it builds confidence in the client
The price is also a factor why is not as used here in the States. Those ain't cheap!

[TOGWT]

Paint Thickness Gauge (PTG):
Using a paint thickness gauge gives a professional detailer credibility and also acts as an insurance against ‘break-though’ of a clear coat, which would entail a re-paint and I suspect a very irate customer. Original paint has a better resale value than a re-painted vehicle, plus they will lose the use of their vehicle for some days.

An electronic paint thickness gauge can be an invaluable tool, before buffing it’s always a good idea to check the paint film thickness to see how much of the paint film thickness available, check is periodically during the process and on completion to see how much was removed. Take measurements with a paint and coating thickness gauge and mark them on a template so that you have a reading of before / after polishing – Paint Thickness Template - http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y88/TOGWT/?action=view&current=carplan9br-3.jpg

If you use a car outline template and mark the paint thickness, you can advise the customer of any potential problems and you’ll also have a permanent record of the customers paint surface, which can be used as a reference each time the car is polished.

Most paint thickness gauges work by sensing the distance between the sensor and the metal base material. That’s total distance, which would be the thickness of all layers (primer, base, colour, and clear coats) and any repainted material, etc. You have to take an educated guess as to how much each layer consists of.

Magnetic Induction - using this technology the thickness gauge utilizes non-destructive principles when measuring coatings on Ferro-magnetic substrates such as Steel and Iron. The coatings must be non-magnetic such as; paint, enamel, aluminium, chrome, copper and brass.

Eddy-Current - this technology utilize a non-destructive principle when measuring coatings on non-magnetic substrates such as; aluminium, aluminium alloys, bronze, copper, brass tin and rustproof weak magnetic steels. The coatings must be electrically insulating such as; paint, enamel, plastics, anodized coatings and ceramics.

Ultrasonic- this technologydetects the distance from the coating surface down to the most significant density change such density changes are commonly referred to as “echoes” and measures paint thickness over non-metals such as fibreglass panels

Most factory paint jobs range from 3.5 to 5.5 mils (87 to 137 microns For this reason, it’s also recommended that paint be measured when buffing since you can’t see how much paint is being removed during the buffing process. If an insufficient thickness of clear remains after polishing premature failures such as fading or delamination may occur as the colour coat won't be protected from ultra violet (UV) radiation and a warranty issue may develop in the future. Such risks can be alleviated by monitoring and minimizing the amount of top coat removed, which is best done through quick and easy measurements with an electronic paint gauge, and maintaining a record on a paint thickness template.

It’s interesting to note that painters must now demonstrate proficiency with an electronic paint thickness gauge in order to become certified to perform refinish warranty work for General Motors Corp. (GM) vehicles.

[6LS2]

Originally Posted by trhland

i should get one being that i compounded my one truck with a /pc and compound and burned through the clear cote woops. had i have had a guage i could have seen i should have stoped.

lol @ woops

your a funny man tom!