Paint Gauge

[Rsurfer]

I use a Highline 2nd Generation paint thickness gauge. It was only $150 on Amazon. I am not a professional so it suits my needs.

I've had and used one for years. It's about 10 years old, I suspect that its a 1st gen. By the way it works great.

[2black1s]

My use for the thickness gauge is to garner more information and as a tool with a customer. I grew up in a family that had dealerships and body shops so I know paint work but my eye and explanation for customers is further solidified with a thickness reader. Thus it's a tool to justify and provide a measurable bit of information to the client...

I get that point. Impressing the customer is always a good thing.

The customer of the Ford Fairlane below wanted a correction done.....

It was original single stage paint with a thickness of 17 - 20 microns.

That means that someone that did not measure like I did, (I do it as a profession)
and just dove right in compounding and polishing, would have found where the primer starts lol and probably would have found steel in some areas (single stage is soft)

This vehicle got a hand glaze and wax only

Here is me reading the Fairlane paint, dive in head first to this one and you're in trouble.

15 microns is INSANELY thin !

.0005" YIKES

A gauge tells you a lot about EVERY CAR, even brand new cars

I understand your perspective too.

But on the other hand, anyone working on a car like this should be acutely aware of the risks involved, and approach the task accordingly. Anyone who would tackle a 60+ year-old car with factory original paint and think they could go at it the same way as today's typical vehicle, paint gauge in hand or not, would be in for a rude awakening.

BTW... Nice car. '58 or '59. One of those two. I'm just not sure what the slight changes were between the two model years.

My very first car was a '61 Ford. I can't remember if it was a Galaxy or a Fairlane... The body styles were identical with only trim levels and appointments being the difference.