Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

[eyezack87]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

Brinkmann and LED lighting are my choices. I've heard good things about the 3M light as well as the Fenix FK10. I'm thinking I'm gonna pick up a Fenix light pretty soon....

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

Called one here and no luck so I picked one up at Pep Boys in Tampa for $29.95. Well, it was supposed to be. She charged me an additional $6.99 (by accident she said when I called to find out what the unwanted item was on my receipt) for the extended warranty and didn't notice until I got home 2 hours later and 50 miles away.

Ha ha... they did that to me to at our local Pep Boys...

As for capturing swirls, I personally find it easier to do using the sun than using the Brinkman, if you don't have good sun then you have to get creative and start playing around you did.

Also practice using your camera flash.

[10degreesbtdc]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

I picked up my Brinkman for $19.99 @ a store called "Tuesday Morning". Its a discount sheet and bath store. They are nationwide from my understanding.

Called one here and no luck so I picked one up at Pep Boys in Tampa for $29.95. Well, it was supposed to be. She charged me an additional $6.99 (by accident she said when I called to find out what the unwanted item was on my receipt) for the extended warranty and didn't notice until I got home 2 hours later and 50 miles away.

Tried it out and found there is definitely a lot to be learned about photographing swirls. Couldn't point my finger at the surface for focus, hold the light and take the photos too, so I shined the light on a piece of trim, held the button on the camera to focus and then aimed the light and camera back over to the paint trying to keep the distance to camera the same.

This is with the dual Zenon reflecting directly back into the lens, camera on manual 125th of a second @ f6.3 (Nikon 5700 Coolpix 5mp) Inferno Red Pearl Paint (painted in 2000, never buffed or corrected...YET! As soon as my M105, M205 comes in!)
Can't see the swirls.


This is with the light slightly angled so it doesn't reflect into the lens, same settings.
Better, but not great.


The was taken with the light held as far back as I could hold it using my thumb on the trigger (thanks SuperiorShine) while the camera was 3ft from the surface, light reflected directly into the lens, camera on P (priority mode)
Not bad!


Same setup using tape to focus (cropped out) with camera on Manual Mode 60th @ f4.0 same distance from surface.
Better yet!


All were taken in a pitch black garage at 6am this morning.

[Lexus Guy04]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

Uhhh... told ya so! Their website doesn't list much of anything.

When using the device, hold it one to two foot away from the car. Angle it so that it bounces at a 45 degree angle onto the car and then bounces the light 45 degrees off the car to your eyes. You will get the most out of the tool this way. Move the light slowly over the paint to find the swirls and marring, if any.

Great piece of advice. Thanks a lot!

[TerryAdams]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

Update: Went to PepBoys in my lunch break and $29.99 later I'm holding a brand new Brinkmann Dual Xenon. Oh and the correct spelling is "Brinkmann" not "Brinkman". I guess it has two N's not one. Learn something new everyday.

Uhhh... told ya so! Their website doesn't list much of anything.

When using the device, hold it one to two foot away from the car. Angle it so that it bounces at a 45 degree angle onto the car and then bounces the light 45 degrees off the car to your eyes. You will get the most out of the tool this way. Move the light slowly over the paint to find the swirls and marring, if any.

[hondamtrco4life]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?



Update: Went to PepBoys in my lunch break and $29.99 later I'm holding a brand new Brinkmann Dual Xenon. Oh and the correct spelling is "Brinkmann" not "Brinkman". I guess it has two N's not one. Learn something new everyday.

[hondamtrco4life]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

I couldn't find it on the website either but a trip to the local pepboys and I was sucessful in locating them at the store.
Paul

Okay, I'm going in my lunch break today to the local PepBoys to see if they have them in stock. I called yesterday and the guy was like "um well sir I can't locate merchandise just parts..." I'm like okay have a nice day. Nice customer service... ya right.

[Lexus Guy04]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

I picked up my Brinkman for $19.99 @ a store called "Tuesday Morning". Its a discount sheet and bath store. They are nationwide from my understanding.

Interesting. I think I actually saw one of these go up in my area recently and wondered what the heck it was. I'll have to check it out. $20 has never sounded better. This forum is so useful. Thanks J.A.

[TimG]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

Anyone tried LEDs (high lumens - ie:Cree/Luxeon/etc)? I've got good results from them. There were times I thought the defect was already corrected and used LED - still have micromarring on them especially on light silver.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

I picked up my Brinkman for $19.99 @ a store called "Tuesday Morning". Its a discount sheet and bath store. They are nationwide from my understanding.

[Paul S]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

I just did a search on PepBoy's website and nothing came up for the Brinkman. Does anyone know for sure who has it other then online vendors?

I couldn't find it on the website either but a trip to the local pepboys and I was sucessful in locating them at the store.
Paul

[Blr123]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

OK guys here are a couple of links where both are used there is even some videos aswell where Dave tries to show how to use the light source: -

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=77892

You can see in the above link that the SunGun will pick up hologrames and pigtails where the Brinkman has not picked them up.

And another: -

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=69810

Bryan

[Lexus Guy04]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

This was kind of my underlying point.

Close to similar results, at least the kind of results the will help you reach your goals at a much lower price point.

Works great for a flashlight around the house or when you go camping too... plus the Brinkman comes with a car charger and a household wall charger.

Sure sounds like a winner to me. I think I will be picking one up in the near future. Thanks guys.

[hondamtrco4life]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

I thought I would post this question in here since it's along these lines. Does anyone have any experience with silver cars? My wife's car is a 2007 Civic EX (silver) and I have the hardest time trying to see defects out in the sun because when the sun hits it the silver flakes are so bright you can hardly look at it up close. Any tips? I will be buying the Brinkman so maybe that will help. So far I have a halogen lamp and I've had no luck with it at all.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Best Swirlfinder/Defect Light?

Thanks for the info Bryan. I'm hoping the Brinkmann pictures that someone will hopefully post in here will at least be somewhat close to the results you just showed with your 3M SunGun. I would much rather spend 30 bucks compared to nearly $400.

This was kind of my underlying point.

Close to similar results, at least the kind of results the will help you reach your goals at a much lower price point.

Works great for a flashlight around the house or when you go camping too... plus the Brinkman comes with a car charger and a household wall charger.