Trouble finding defects with white paint?

[jcarson112]

Not anymore...

Stumbled across this around Halloween when I was dinking around with my work light and colored bulbs. Just change the light color you're working with.

My tests suggest that orange works the best. This one is shown on my old white wagon (doesn't get treated like it should) using the street light to illustrate the benefits of off colored lighting.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5182986707_25577b36a1_z.jpg


Feel free to comment or discuss other ideas...

[indiej1]

for light colored surfaces, it's about getting an intense reflection of the light source and as little light thrown by it on the side so if you move the light source away, the light thrown does not reach the surface as much, easier to see the swirls.

i need the proper lighting terms/words.

i haven't given this much time. you may want to try to pipe the light through a long barrel/tube to minimize light on the sides (ambient) and use a large reflector so the reflection of the source is useable, large and intense enough even at a distance to show the swirls at least on a quarter of a panel

[mg6045]

good tip.

I have an Ibis White B8 S4, and the most effective way to easily see defects on the paint is to use the dark room method.

I close the garage door with all the lights off and only use my halogens. By doing so the flaws will pop right out of the paint.

Even if you have the brightest swirl finder, you will not see the defects easily if its being drowned out by outside light. dark room polishing is the easiest way to work on a white car.

[indiej1]

:) i just don't have that space. i'll try to make one although it's a lot for someone who does this only for one's self (not a biz).

i take you have a wide garage where you can prop the halogens for away enough not to flood the panels with their light. since the light from source should significantly be greater than the light spread from it

an analogy may be a big showerhead with a center and shower spray

___||___
/// ||| \\\
..............

if the shower is sprayed on a pool, the pool surface will be riddled with small droplets all over with their waves bumping one another, while if it's just the center spray, there'll be concentric waves (i assume) from where the center spray hits the pool surface -- the desired effect.

that's most of what i got, cheers

[Shane731]

An LED flashlight works very well on light colored paint. I have a Fenix P3D. Particularly on light colored paint, an LED will concentrate the light, rather than reflecting it back in your face like a Brinkmann can.


LED on white (has been polished with TSR and an LC 5.5 inch orange on G110v2 - you can still see some very light swirls and some RIDS, which can be seen to the left of the light)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/../gallery/data/500/medium/P1010197.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/35629/size/big/cat//ppuser/24886)

LED on beige (showing swirls before polishing)
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/../gallery/data/500/medium/P8060333.jpg (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/21585/size/big/cat/ppuser/24886)

[indiej1]

way to go with the power efficient LED. there is a way to find swirls with different light sources. it is harder to find swirls in a well maintained car but it's more pain to see those spiderweb swirls on your car :)

i'd like to find power efficient lights that are similarly capable like jcarson's pics above. that covers a big part of the hood :xyxthumbs:.

[ihaveacamaro]

woah, that orange light is showing everything!

Sorry for bringing a necro thread back lol

[Bill1234]

Led is great as it does show defects but produces less heat which is good for the compound to not dry up

[vegas911gts]

Nice tip with the orange bulb. Thanks!

[AllanS]

Not anymore...

Stumbled across this around Halloween when I was dinking around with my work light and colored bulbs. Just change the light color you're working with.

My tests suggest that orange works the best. This one is shown on my old white wagon (doesn't get treated like it should) using the street light to illustrate the benefits of off colored lighting.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5182986707_25577b36a1_z.jpg


Feel free to comment or discuss other ideas...

To replicate the "orange light" concept, consider this..... if using a flashlight as your swirlfinder, most of them have a removable lens. One could use a photo / lighting gel to change the lighting color (such as 1 full CTO - an orange gel) under the lens. If it's a cheapo flashlight, one could even use a colored Sharpie to color the lens (a rather permanent conversion). A less destructive and more creative alternative - I saw that the cap from a plastic jug slips over the front of my flashlight. I could use a hot Exacto knife to cut a circle in the cap, then attach a colored gel covering the hole. (For a temporary / removable option)

Just brainstorming - haven't tested it yet though.