More than a buffer or DA.

[Superior Shine]

Proper diagnosis of a vehicles finish is of the up most importance before a plan of attack can be made up. Misdiagnosis will cost you time, wasted product, possibly a damaged finish and as a pro. detailer, money.


The best tool you have is your brain. Nothing you can buy can substitute for proper training and knowledge of paint finishes and the products and tools to care for them.

You can buy a few things to help you though. To help me diagnose a vehicles finish I keep a little kit I made up of various tools to help me determine what condition a finish is in.

I store it all in a canvas bag. The kit includes a paint thickness gauge, xenon light, and an illuminated microscope. I also keep my TDS tester in there.

[Superior Shine]

Here is an illuminated microscope you can get at radio shack. This is an older model that I bought about 10 years ago. The newer one looks a little different but works the same.

You will be amazed at what a painted surface looks like close up.

You can use this tool to determine if a finish is cracked, has overspray or to see if a scratch to too deep to remove.

[Superior Shine]

To give you an idea if there is enough material on the vehicle to "play with" I use my ETG-1 paint thickness gauge.


This tool will give you a reading of all the material between the metal and the surface of the finish.

It will give you an idea if the panel has been refinished or buffed before.

[Superior Shine]

Then there is my XENON light . I love this thing.

Yesterday I polished a car that had bad buffer trails. They were easy to see in direct sun light.




About half way through the job the skies turned over cast making it impossible to see the defects.

Out came my trusty XENON. I used it to check each panel after I polshed it to make certain that the defects were removed.

Here is a before and after pic of a panel iluminated with the XENON.

[Superior Shine]

You can see in this pic how over cast it was outside. This pic was taken at about 11:00 am.

Nothing would be worst than pulling this car out of the garage on a sunny day to find buffer marks on it after the owner paid me to remove them.

With the use of my XENON I am confident that it will look good in any light.

[Superior Shine]

Last in my bag of tricks has nothing to do with diagnosis but helps me insure that I am using high quality ultra pure water to wash with.

Total desolved solids, TDS, are inpurities that make water hard and that will spot a finish.

Anthing above 150 ppm (parts pr million) is classified as hard water.

Here you see two glasses of water. They both look the same.



When I take a reading of tap water from my home I get a reading of 221 ppm. This water will spot and possibly damage a painted surface.



Here is a reading of deionized/ultra pure water, 0 ppm.
This water wil lnot spot.

[Superior Shine]

Cost----

Canvas bag $20 at sears.
ETG-1,$200 on EBAY, They cost about $400 new.
Micro scope, about $12.00 radio shack
Xenon light, $24.95 at lowes.
TDS tester, $19.99 on EBAY

So total is less than $300. I still want to add a laser thermometer to the mix.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Joe,

This is great information, also very professional. One of the things I like about our forum is the University Level information available here through the contributions of peoples such as yourself that you just cannot find on other forums.

[Superior Shine]

One of the things I like about our forum is the University Level information available here through the contributions of peoples such as yourself that you just cannot find on other forums.

Thanks Mike.

Professor Joe at your service. LOL!!!

[Tim Lingor]

Awesome post Joe!!!

Using equipment like yours is what makes a Pro detailer!!

Tim

[scrub]

Went out and got the micro scope tonight. $9.99 Radio Shack.

PLEASE make this a sticky for others to learn from.

Outstanding.

Thank you Joe!

[RamAirV1]

Very informative thread! It makes us realize that lighting is everything when it comes to evaluating a finish.

I imagine there often cracks in the paint that the unaided human eye can't see but you can with the magnifier. Sort of advanced warning what's coming down the road.

How do you alter your wash routine if the water is very hard?

RamAirV1

[Beercan31]

Joe

Awesome write up, not only what each tool does but a good picture to show the devise in use. Can you please get me some more info on your tools you displayed. I have found the Radio Shack Illuminated Microscope locally for $9.99 and I'm sure I'll fine the Xenon light at Lowe's locally also but as of yet I have not found the rest. The info that would help is who makes the ETG, TDS and Xenon light, also if there is a part number available.


Thank You

[Superior Shine]

Automotive International sells the ETG and I got the TDS on Ebay.


We don't really change the way we wash cars other than dry it right away but the pure water improves the quality of our wash. Also, water that drips from mirrors and moldings dry spot free.

[George Wax]

Joe, good info for sure I plan to make the same kit you described here for my own use. You are the definition of a professional mobile detailer. I alway's talk to my friend's and co-worker's, and my brother about your work.