More than a buffer or DA.

[scrub]

Thanks again for the info. Tonight I got the carry bag and light. Next up is the ETG.

Where can the laser thermometer be purchased? How much too?

Thank you.

[Bill D]

I've seen some decently priced infrared thermometers on Ebay and they run about $50 at Radio Shack.

[Superior Shine]

Any mechanic tool supply shop should have them with RAYTECH being one of the more popular ones.

Ebay is an excellent source.

[rusty bumper]

I like Joe's TDS tester.....Very convenient!

But there is another option.

Just go to a place that sells tropical fish, and ask for a water hardness test kit....I think they sell for less than $10.00.

But for simple convenience, it's hard to beat the TDS tester.

Does it have to be calibrated Joe?

Might could use one for my aquariums.

[gb387]

This is great information... Thanks for the post!

[Tom Weed]

need some advice,

I went to Lowes looking for the Xenon spotlight that they had advertised for $22.00, as thier web page showed it to be in the store in my area. I could not find one, and the salesperson kept trying to talk me into one of the quartz halogen spotlights.

I told him that I would be using it to look for scratches and swirls in a cars finish when I wouldn't be able to view it in the sunlight. He didn't think the Xenon light would be the best for that.

So my question is, is the Xenon bulb better than a Quartz Halogen for identifying swirls, etc.?

Thanks everyone,

Tom

[Superior Shine]

So my question is, is the Xenon bulb better than a Quartz Halogen for identifying swirls, etc.?

I have never compared the two.

[Bill D]

Different lighting can reveal things others don't. Different lighting may also be better at spotting defects on different paints than others. I don't find my 1000 watt halogen stand to work well on my white car but it works great on my black. A hand held fluorescent light seems to do better on the white as does a good ol' 75-100 watt trouble light. I also have 200-300 watt halogen inspection lights. All a matter of experimenting and mixing and matching to see which combinations show you the most defects.

That xenon light sounds like a terrific addition to the defect spotting light collection

[MichaelM]

Where can the laser thermometer be purchased? How much too?

I got mine at Radio Shack for ~$50.

[imacarnut]

i went to my local lowes and they didn't have the xenon light

[Jimmy Buffit]

I got the same xenon light Joe pictured at Lowes yesterday. Guy in electrical said no, we don't have any xenon lights at all, period.
A little online research taught me that Lowes calls it a flashlight, and they are kept at the checkout area, along with MagLites, etc.

I've used this morniing and I like it alot. I use a 500 watt halogen on a stand, but the flexibility of the handheld unit lets me a great reflection from so many more angles!

I think it is equivalent to the halogen in terms of what it reveals, just so much more flexible.

Jim

[Bill D]

Yes, Jim is correct. I just came back from ****** and got the xenon light

You can use it right out of the package but I am charging it now. I tried it in the garage and already saw a "spot I missed" that my other lighting sources neglected to reveal. So I'll go over that spot and throughly inspect the cars both inside and outside once the light is fully charged.

Oh boy, when I'm doing a complete detail now or just a spot repair I can now have quite an elaborate inspection procedure before I move on to the next panel using the halogens, the fluorescents, the two levels of incandescents and this xenon spot light! Off my rocker, oh yeah, for sure, I know

[the other pc]

Originally posted by Rusty Bumper
I like Joe's TDS tester.....Very convenient!...Does it have to be calibrated ...?...

First off, sorry about the nit-picky tone of this reply, it's a subject that's close to home for me. It both pays my mortgage and causes me endless headaches.

If you want to be really picky any measurement device has the potential to deviate out of its intended performance range and if the readings have any importance the instrument should be calibrated.

From a practical perspective many measurement devices are stable enough to provide useable performance in non-critical applications without routine calibration. It depends on the device, required measurement performance and the operating environment. Just about everybody expects to reset their watch every once in a while. Nobody wants to have to verify the accuracy of their thermostat or bathroom scale regularly.

The TDS meter is basically an electrical resistance meter. The technology used in them is quite stable and for non-critical uses it is possible to maintain usable accuracy for the life of the product. A pH meter, on the other hand, utilizes technology that is highly unstable and it is common practice to calibrate one every time it's used.

Calibration, or at least comparison with a similar unit, is a good idea every once in a while if it's at all feasible.


PC.

[Mike Phillips]

***Bump***

[Jim Hammill]

The paint magnifier is a great tool, here is an example that is similar to what you can expect to see.




It is great for identifying different contaminants and then using the correct procedure for removing them.

Jim Hammill.