Best lights for detailing bay?

[Mike Phillips]

Best lights for detailing bay?


I get e-mails, PM's and FB messages all the time with questions that are better asked and then answered on this forum for a host of reason. One reason is more eyeballs see the questions and answers so more people are helped versus one set of eyeballs in an e-mail, PM or FB message.


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Hi Mike.

Hope you well.

Could you please advise me, what will be the correct lighs to put in a detailing bay please, the bay will be 7mx5m, just want to know what the correct lighting will be like what kind of lights please.

Thanks a million

Werner


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[Mike Phillips]

First, there's a NUMBER of good threads on this forum that already discuss this topic.

Could one of our regular forum members that's familiar with how to search for thread maybe compile a list of these threads and add it to this thread?

As for me?

I've buffed out cars in the dark before as I know that when car paint has defects no matter what type of lighting you have you're still going to,

Wash
Mechanically decontaminate
Compound
Polish
Wax

That's a basic overview and you can add or take away steps as you like but that is the jist of it.

So then for lighting the most crucial aspect is light to see what's wrong so you know what to fix.

Sunlight and florescent lights plus a good swirl finder light are more than enough to enable your eyes to diagnose what defects the paint on a car has. Then it's just doing the above list to remedy the problem.

As far as filling a room with light so that there's plenty of light on the car to see the paint as you're working on it then we're back to basic florescent lights.

Fancy or hi-tech lights will do a better job of showing or revealing defects but these will cost more to run, tend to create a lot more heat in your shop and will cost more to replace when they break or burn out.

Plus, once you see the defects that need to be removed, the BIG PICTURE idea is to do a TEST SPOT to one area to dial-in your process for removing the defects and then REPEATING the Test Spot over the rest of the car.

As long as you do a thorough job of repeating the same things you did in the test spot to the rest of the car, section by section, panel by panel, you should end up with the same results over the rest of the car as you did in your test spot thus having more and more fancier and fancier lights may not hurt but in the long run you're stilling going to do the same type of process regardless of the light.

Make sense?


When I wet sanded this kustom lead sled back in 1999 I did it on the third floor of a parking garage.

Look at the 8' overhead florescent lights in the parking garage.




That's NOT a lot of light to do this type of work. Yet I did the job simply by using good technique and duplicating my test spot over the rest of the car.

Here's a picture showing my Test Spot



See the circle on the front fender? This is called a TEST SPOT in 1999.





This is what I mean when I say I've buffed out cars in the dark and by buffed out I mean the full meal deal, wetsanding a car like this with minimal light is no walk in the park and if I can do it anyone can do it.

So when you go to light up your shop "yes" use good lighting and lots of it but keep the focus on where the rubber meets the road and that's

Good abrasive technology - This means your compounds, polishes and cleaner/waxes.

Quality buffing pads and lots of them.

Quality tools - Use the right tool for the job.

Lots of clean, soft uncontaminated microfiber towels.

Education - I think my 3-day detailing classes are the best investment a person can make into becoming a successful detailer. If I didn't... I wouldn't be investing my entire life teaching them.

The above all said, can someone that likes to help others do some searching and post the numerous threads about garage lighting to this thread to help out our buddy in South Africa?


Or if you've already been down this road and have recommendations for great lighting then post your findings.


Thanks everone... have to get back to a hot project.

[TFTADetail]

Yup, experience will eventually "light" your path.

Once you're familiar with what you're doing and have a process that works for you; you likely won't need to question your progress 80% of the time.

[Mike lambert]

As I got older I needed both glasses and more light, we went all led, it shows things sunlight doesn't

[custmsprty]

Nice hair cut Mike.

Spike

[Justin at Final Inspection]

Typically I use a Halogen painters light and just have my one garage ballast with white sunlight type lights. Seems to work good for my work.

[oboroballa03]

My dad got one from bigasslight.com and those things are great but expensive. I normally use some smart electrician led lights on a tripod works good for me and they don't put off a lot of heat like halogens

[Mittenz]

I use two clamp lights with 100watt (output) coolwhite CFL bulbs. I mount them on an old floor lamp.

[Mike Phillips]

Yup, experience will eventually "light" your path.

Once you're familiar with what you're doing and have a process that works for you; you likely won't need to question your progress 80% of the time.

I agree. The above plus doing a test spot to make sure you're getting the results you want before buffing out the entire car.

Nice hair cut Mike.

Spike

Ha ha....

I used to always wear a flat top. Like them on me, short and easy to take care of especially when you swim a lot and drive convertibles.

[banzaitoyota]

I use 4' T5 HO High Bay fixtures for general lighting.

I see the marketing experts at BIGASSLIGHTS.COM, have released a $400+ solution for those with lots of disposable cash