Another Paint Thickness Gauge Question....

[mcpp66]

Are there any paint gauges out there that can differentiate between the clear and base coats or do they all just give a reading of the total coating thickness?

Also, what should I be looking for in a paint gauge? What I plan on using it for is to keep an eye on my paint thickness as I buff it and also for measuring paint on any car I may buy.

[Shade Tree]

Are there any paint gauges out there that can differentiate between the clear and base coats or do they all just give a reading of the total coating thickness?

Also, what should I be looking for in a paint gauge? What I plan on using it for is to keep an eye on my paint thickness as I buff it and also for measuring paint on any car I may buy.

Just be sure the gauge you purchase can read from all painted surfaces. Some gauges are particular about the underlying surface when measuring thickness.

As far as I know, the meters are unable to differentiate between the different coating types (base coat & clear coat). With the gauge you will receive a chart showing typical thickness of paints (including clear coat). This chart is meant to be used as a starting or base point to work from. Lots of common sense should be used in determining when to polish & when not too. The gauge is a must for professionals as a safety net.

[mcpp66]

Well, let me ask this. I'm not doing any wet sanding. I'm using a PC7424XP and Griot's Garage 3" polisher with white Lake Country pads. The compounds I'm using are Meg's UC, Meg's SwirlX, M205, and Menzerna. So I'm not using an aggressive pad and the only time I use Meg's UC is when I hand buff stubborn scratches. So, I guess what I need to know is do I need a PTG when I'm not wet sanding and am using the above tools? I've been told many times that with the above tools the likelihood of my going through the clear is really very, very small. I'm just a nervous nellie I guess.

[Rsurfer]

Well, let me ask this. I'm not doing any wet sanding. I'm using a PC7424XP and Griot's Garage 3" polisher with white Lake Country pads. The compounds I'm using are Meg's UC, Meg's SwirlX, M205, and Menzerna. So I'm not using an aggressive pad and the only time I use Meg's UC is when I hand buff stubborn scratches. So, I guess what I need to know is do I need a PTG when I'm not wet sanding and am using the above tools? I've been told many times that with the above tools the likelihood of my going through the clear is really very, very small. I'm just a nervous nellie I guess.You will probably not need one. Just be careful when using UC by hand. Some have rubbed to hard and gone tru the clear.

[mcpp66]

You will probably not need one. Just be careful when using UC by hand. Some have rubbed to hard and gone tru the clear.

Wow, really? I've spoken with techs at Meguiars and they basically implied that even though it's their most aggressive consumer-line product that it would be pretty darn hard to go through clear.

[mcpp66]

Well, let me ask this. I'm not doing any wet sanding. I'm using a PC7424XP and Griot's Garage 3" polisher with white Lake Country pads. The compounds I'm using are Meg's UC, Meg's SwirlX, M205, and Menzerna. So I'm not using an aggressive pad and the only time I use Meg's UC is when I hand buff stubborn scratches. So, I guess what I need to know is do I need a PTG when I'm not wet sanding and am using the above tools? I've been told many times that with the above tools the likelihood of my going through the clear is really very, very small. I'm just a nervous nellie I guess.

I should have been a little more clear, when I said Menzerna I meant to also state 85rd.

[Wax Gorilla]

You can hand rub through Clearcoat with even some of the mildest abrasives - Is it hard like the Meg's tech told you...yes - Impossible... NO ! You have been warned !

[mcpp66]

You can hand rub through Clearcoat with even some of the mildest abrasives - Is it hard like the Meg's tech told you...yes - Impossible... NO ! You have been warned !

Oh I get the message alright! But when I say that he implied it's hard to do that, he made it sound like it's next to impossible. I'll be a little more careful now. This sort of tells me that if I want to play it safe then I perhaps should get the DeFelsko PFT paint meter, which was the original point of my starting this thread. From the video it looks like that paint meter just measures the entire paint job and doesn't differentiate between the coats (which would obviously be very nice). Maybe there is no paint meter that can do that, I'm just trying to figure out all of my options so I can make the best decision possible.

[Rsurfer]

Wow, really? I've spoken with techs at Meguiars and they basically implied that even though it's their most aggressive consumer-line product that it would be pretty darn hard to go through clear.If you use common sense, you won't have a problem, but let's say you have a bird etch and you get a mf wraped around your finger and start rubbing the hell out of that one spot...guess what. UC is pretty aggressive..just under 105 and not as mild as say Swirl X.

[mcpp66]

If you use common sense, you won't have a problem, but let's say you have a bird etch and you get a mf wraped around your finger and start rubbing the hell out of that one spot...guess what. UC is pretty aggressive..just under 105 and not as mild as say Swirl X.

I'm still quite new to all of this........I don't know if I have "detailing" common sense or not. I wish I lived near at least one of you guys so I could pay one of you to worry about it for me. Since I'm probably going to continue to hand buff perhaps I should step it down to ScratchX 2.0? The applicator I'm using is the white Lake Country CCS Euro hand pad.

[Wax Gorilla]

In some respects you are better off if the car looks swirled because its a safer bet it has not been worked much and you may be the first one hitting the clear with anything serious. The only Guage to own is the Defelsko - everything else is 2nd best. Theres is 100% reliable. Easy to calibrate. Will survive drops due to its robust protection of internal electronics. I once left mine on a vehicle where it proceeded to travel some 11 miles before falling off at 70MPH. It still works perfect years later ! :)

[mcpp66]

In some respects you are better off if the car looks swirled because its a safer bet it has not been worked much and you may be the first one hitting the clear with anything serious. The only Guage to own is the Defelsko - everything else is 2nd best. Theres is 100% reliable. Easy to calibrate. Will survive drops due to its robust protection of internal electronics. I once left mine on a vehicle where it proceeded to travel some 11 miles before falling off at 70MPH. It still works perfect years later ! :)

It's a new black Camaro so if anyone hit the clear it would have been the dealer. I put swirls and scratches in it just from improperly washing it (obviously I did all of that before I found this site). I have most of it corrected, but as I go around I'm still finding an occasional RID and I've turned into quite the swirl/RID monster and I can't let it go. This car has become more than a part-time job now, it's made me quite certifiable. I'd hate to spend almost $700 if it's not necessary but if that's what I have to do to sleep right then that's what I'll do. So I take it that they don't make paint gauges that can differentiate between the different coats?

[Rsurfer]

It's a new black Camaro so if anyone hit the clear it would have been the dealer. I put swirls and scratches in it just from improperly washing it (obviously I did all of that before I found this site). I have most of it corrected, but as I go around I'm still finding an occasional RID and I've turned into quite the swirl/RID monster and I can't let it go. This car has become more than a part-time job now, it's made me quite certifiable. I'd hate to spend almost $700 if it's not necessary but if that's what I have to do to sleep right then that's what I'll do. So I take it that they don't make paint gauges that can differentiate between the different coats?I think the military has some or NASA if you want to pay 25k for a paint meter. If 700 bucks won't take bread and buttter off the table then get it. Who knows you might want to do some side jobs where the PTG will come in handy.

[mcpp66]

I think the military has some or NASA if you want to pay 25k for a paint meter. If 700 bucks won't take bread and buttter off the table then get it. Who knows you might want to do some side jobs where the PTG will come in handy.

If I were that rich I'd just buy a new Camaro and start over (which I have given some thought to, but I'm not quite that well off). I'll probably get it anyhow (the paint meter, that is), whenever I buy a used car that could come in handy for paint inspection.

[Rsurfer]

If I were that rich I'd just buy a new Camaro and start over (which I have given some thought to, but I'm not quite that well off). I'll probably get it anyhow (the paint meter, that is), whenever I buy a used car that could come in handy for paint inspection.
If your willing to spend $700 on a PTG, why not invest that money into a Flex DA and some pads and polishes. $700 will give you a good start. It will cut your time and give you a better finish than you can get by hand.