whats the best lighting for metallic Silver?

[350z00m]

best lighting for Metallic Silver?... 8)

[loudog2]

? are you talking about halogen's and etc? Having some good florescents on the ceiling and side walls helps a lot. Then have a halogen tri-pod for direct inspection.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

BRIGHT flourescents or metal halide.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Generally speaking, it's hard for any lighting to bring out defects in metallic silver, unless the paint is thoroughly beat up.

[rfinkle2]

put your head as close as you can to the paint, and look down the panel @ a light source (look @ the light sources bulb reflection in the paint). If you go slow, and look very closely, you will see the light source being interupted by the defects. Try to have the light source which you are looking @ overhead. Halogens are often too bright. Regular standard bulbs seem to work best @ least for me. Hope this helps.

[350z00m]

so 500watt or 100watt holgens would be too bright?

[Rob T]

Flourescents actually work quite well for silver.

If you really want to look for defects, nothing seems to work better than driving your car under the cover of most gas stations at night!

[WRAPT C5Z06]

If you really want to look for defects, nothing seems to work better than driving your car under the cover of most gas stations at night!
Absolutely!!! Problem is, you can't polish your car there. :laughing:

[Rob T]

Absolutely!!! Problem is, you can't polish your car there. :laughing:

I've been tempted! :D

[Dubbin1]

6500k flourescents work great on showing defects in silver.

[Vjeszczi]

6500k flourescents work great on showing defects in silver.

Can you use that in any fluorescent light fixture, or do you need a special fixture for it?

I have a metallic silver Forrester and I am also having difficulty reliably finding swirls and the like.

[Dubbin1]

You can put them in any fixture and you can find them at Lowes, Home Depot and Menards.

[loudog2]

so 500watt or 100watt holgens would be too bright?
I have a dual 1000watt tripod. It works just fine. I think I still see better with the flourescents looking at a angle.

[Rob T]

I have a dual 1000watt tripod. It works just fine. I think I still see better with the flourescents looking at a angle.

I agree. I use my halogens to work in the garage, but I still think the floursescents reveal swirls better.

[Dubbin1]

The problem with the big halogens is the heat the produce. Before I had AC in my garage the halogens would really bring the temp up.