Best paint thickness gauge / meter for a home detailer to use on his own cars?

yellowmitch · 24th June 2013, 13:18

As the title suggests,

Can anyone suggest a good (reasonably cheap) Paint thickness gauge / meter for using on my own cars prior to buffing with DA

rovexCDTi · 26th June 2013, 12:35

Even cheap ones are a couple of hundred pounds, unless you are going to do a lot of cars its probably not worth it. The cheap eBay ones are often wildly inaccurate, but CAN be ok, its pot luck.

I never bothered, you have to be pretty aggressive and ham fisted with a DA to burn through.

trebor · 26th June 2013, 21:07

Got mine via a group buy on detailing world, cost about £185 at the time.

If you are just doing your own car you can always borrow one to read your paintwork if you know someone who has one. ( i am too far away )

Personally i wouldnt do other peoples cars without the peace of mind one of these gives just in case

yellowmitch · 26th June 2013, 21:12

Thats the problem trebor. I have 5 classic cars myself and i look after all my relatives cars, so i am always worried about what might happen!

I have to admit to striking through on a door with meguiars 105 on an orange hexlogic pad. In fairness the door wasnt great to begin with and had a nasty parking dent in it. I improved the rest of the car, but unfortunately the door will now need a bit of basecoat and then lacquered out. I have other paintwork to do anyway, so will have to live with my mistake.

It has made me a lot more wary of the mop though!

24th June 2013, 13:18	#1
yellowmitch Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Londonderry Posts: 226 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Best paint thickness gauge / meter for a home detailer to use on his own cars? As the title suggests, Can anyone suggest a good (reasonably cheap) Paint thickness gauge / meter for using on my own cars prior to buffing with DA

26th June 2013, 12:35	#2
rovexCDTi This is my second home MG ZT+ 135 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Exeter Posts: 3,626 Thanks: 9 Thanked 42 Times in 26 Posts	Even cheap ones are a couple of hundred pounds, unless you are going to do a lot of cars its probably not worth it. The cheap eBay ones are often wildly inaccurate, but CAN be ok, its pot luck. I never bothered, you have to be pretty aggressive and ham fisted with a DA to burn through. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

26th June 2013, 21:07	#3
trebor This is my second home Rover 75 CDTi Connoisseur SE & MG ZT Saloon 190 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Coven Posts: 12,530 Thanks: 526 Thanked 1,877 Times in 885 Posts	Got mine via a group buy on detailing world, cost about £185 at the time. If you are just doing your own car you can always borrow one to read your paintwork if you know someone who has one. ( i am too far away ) Personally i wouldnt do other peoples cars without the peace of mind one of these gives just in case __________________ www.midlandsnanomeets.co.uk Robs Car Gallery Coven near Wolverhampton WV9 2000 Cowley Built Rover 75 2.0 V6 Club SE/ Atlantic Blue/ Sandstone/Walnut (daily driver) 2003 Land Rover Freelander 1 TD4 HSE Helsinki Blue/Black Leather (swmbo daily driver)

26th June 2013, 21:12	#4
yellowmitch Avid contributor Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Londonderry Posts: 226 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Thats the problem trebor. I have 5 classic cars myself and i look after all my relatives cars, so i am always worried about what might happen! I have to admit to striking through on a door with meguiars 105 on an orange hexlogic pad. In fairness the door wasnt great to begin with and had a nasty parking dent in it. I improved the rest of the car, but unfortunately the door will now need a bit of basecoat and then lacquered out. I have other paintwork to do anyway, so will have to live with my mistake. It has made me a lot more wary of the mop though!