CM8801FN Paint Thickness Gauge - Affordable for Everyone!

Opening Comments


I purchased this Paint Thickness Gauge (PTG) this winter because we have recently bought a used car that is going to need quite a bit of work (some wet sanding), and I wanted to be very sure I was not going to cause any permanent damage when trying to tackle some of the severe defects. I have been toying with the idea of purchasing a PTG for a while now, as the added piece of mind would be very much appreciated when working on customer vehicles. While I do not do too much of what I would call "Really Aggressive Stuff" - ie wet sanding or Surbuf + M105, I often do multiple step corrections using compounds like M105 w/ Orange Pads (what I would consider a heavy medium combo) or FG 400. I consider these combos to be very safe, and would never feel like I was going to cause any permanent damage using a compound and light cutting pad paired with a DA machine... but the added confidence is a plus.


I purchased this gauge not to justify whether or not I should or should not compound a certain area of a vehicle, but as a way to further progress my detailing skills and knowledge by allowing me to make better decisions based on the extra information that I can gather with a tool like a PTG.




Now on to the review....

As stated, this meter will function on both ferrous and non-ferrous surfaces. While I have not had this meter for too long, I have gathered quite a few initial impressions as to it's build quality and features. It seems to be well built - solid plastic. IMO it appears to be completely identical to a couple of other more affordable PTGs on the market right now. While I cannot be certain, it would not surprise me if this unit was built with identical components to those other meters as well... yet this one is available for a lower price.


Unboxing
While I did not take a picture of the box that was delivered to my door - I can tell you it was very nicely packed. Filled with foam to surround the box that contained the PTG, and was wrapped in bubble wrap as well. Nicely done!



^Once removed from the shipping container, You will see this



^Removing the nice, hard shell case from the box. This is a very sturdy case. Similar to a nice glasses case.



^Opening the case, you can see the PTG along with instructions and calibration shims in the upper sleeve.



^Below the PTG are the uncoated Ferrous and Non-Ferrous metal samples used for calibration (along with the shims)



^Here is a close up view of the actual probe that touches your paint - Nice, smooth plastic.



^Testing the gauge on the Non-Ferrous sample. You can see that it reads NFe in the lower corner.



^Switching to the Ferrous sample, the gauge automatically detects the change and now reads Fe in the lower corner.



^All of the contents unpacked. You can see the original box, storage case, PTG, metal samples (x2), instruction booklet, shim sleeve, and 4 shims.



^Here you can see the 4 shims, with their values written on them, as well as the tolerances for each shim (seen on the sleeve).


Very Basic Testing
I did a very quick testing of the gauge with each of the 4 shims to get an idea of it's accuracy and repeatability.




*The only error that was taken into account was the error of the actual shims, and not the error of the gauge itself. It is impossible to know (given the amount of tools available to the general public for a reasonable amount of money) which source of error is causing the difference.


**Please take note: I understand this is not a truly scientific/statistical method of testing. As an engineer, I know that there is much more that needs to be taken into consideration for proper validation, but for the purposes of this review - I figured this was all that was needed.





To summarize the chart above:

• 5 readings were taken for each of the 4 shims (Column F)
• Max & Min values were then calculated for each of the shims (Column D and Column E, respectively). These values were based on the supplied thickness and tolerance for each shim (as stated provided from the manufacturer).
• The value that the gauge read (again, Column F) was then compared to the max & min values of the shim (based on the given tolerances). If the measured value was within the appropriate range of the shim, then it was said to be IN TOLERANCE

Using this very basic method and assumption of the error being in the value of the shim itself - all of the readings were found to be within tolerance. It was also found that the readings were very repeatable - which is very important.


The good news is that the gauge can be calibrated if you ever find that it is not producing reliable results.


Pricing
At the time of this review, this meter can be purchased for approximately $150 (including shipping). It is most easily available on your favorite online auction site... hint hint.


Shipping
This was shipped to me from China. Shipping was incredibly quick! I received it within 5 business days!


Final Thoughts
For the price, I feel like this is a great tool for someone like me - the weekend warrior - who works on a couple of cars a month just to fulfill my detailing passion. It provides an added sense of safety, especially when working on a car that is not your own. It also shows the customer that you go the extra mile when it comes to protecting their vehicles.


This meter has the features I was looking for - memory for storing previous readings (stores 10 readings), screen can be switched to read both right side up and upside down (which is very handy when taking readings on vertical panels), reasonably priced, and seems to be quite accurate.


The only downside, other similar gauges provide a better warranty, so in the event that something goes wrong with your meter - you may be able to get a replacement much quicker and easier. Keep in mind, though, that the other "budget friendly" meters also cost about $100+ more. So you must decide how much that risk is worth to you. I obviously cannot comment on the durability or reliability of this item, however for such an awesome price - I am not particularly worried about it.




Thank you for taking the time to read this. I really hope it has helped some of you decide on whether or not you need a PTG, and hopefully many of you have realized how affordable they can be - when you are not seeking the absolute best equipment available.

*Note to moderators: I know the pics have watermarks on them, but please know that is not meant for advertising. I copied this post from my post on another forum and it would take a great deal of time to redo with new pictures. Hopefully you understand that this thread may help other people and you will not shut it down. Thanks

 

Great review, just ordered one!!!

 

So it's a knockoff of someone else's hard work? Great review, but I'll pass.

 

interesting, I may have to look into one of these crom spring time

 

Looks excatly like my Highline II except for the face plate. Even my case is excatly the same.....

Not sure if I would assume it is a knock off. My first thought is that they are all from the same "mothership" and then labeled.....

 

Dont think it is a "knockoff" just not the re-branded version of one.

 

I believe this is called: pretzel logic.

 

^Thanks - hope you like it!

^Your choice... I'm pretty sure that all of these units that appear to be identical are in fact manufactured in the same location, and re-branded to whatever re-seller they will be shipped to. I have no way of proving this, just my hunch.

^Definitely a nice tool to have in your tool box

^I have had several people confirm that this is identical in every way (in terms of appearance) to the Highline II meter except for the color of the face. Now someone just needs to take each unit apart and compare the parts that really matter... though I assume they are completely identical.

^I agree

 

Interested to see how accurate it is in real world use

 

Pretty much the same as the Highline II which I have. Defelsko is next one to get for me.

 

Most likely, thats not the way it works Socal. Its more than likely the SAME unit as alot of places like Highline sell. But when you order it directly from China and dont have to pay for a "brand" name then the price gets alot cheaper. This kind of thing happens all the time in multiple industries.

The reason I think that it is most likely an unbranded version is because it comes in the SAME box, packaging, and case as a highline2 and has the same plastic shims and instructions. If it was a knockoff product, the instructions, shims and all that would not be the same. But the fact that EVERYTHING about the packaging and contents is the same really suggests that these meters are essentially the same unit, not a knockoff. The lower price is just due to the fact that there are less middle men to mark up the price. I actually posted a thread about this on the other detailing forum that i frequent. The CM8801FN looks identical to Highline 2's and another popular model offered at Paintgages.com.

The only way to really figure it out is to buy a Highline 2 or Paintgage.com unit, and buy a CM8801FN and take them apart. My bet is that the chip set and inner components are all the same model or brand.

I actually ordered this same unit in orange last week and got in tuesday. Fantastic unit so far, very accurate right out of the box. Very happy with my purchase. It also came with a 1 year warranty.

 

I have had my Highline meter open and I can say the inside is NOT made in the US. Board inside says Made in CHINA. I would say that you are paying for the name. I'll bet these are both manufactured in the same place. As far as the measuring electronics.

 

I agree. I did alot of research before i purchased my CM8801FN and it was seeing the same packaging and such that convinced me that they are the same unit. On ebay you can buy them in Red, orange, and the exacts same shade of green that highlines are.

Maxepr, you should post pics of your unit and the contents and ill post some of mine for comparison.

 

Got it, thanks! Potentially the actual manufacturer without a third-party re-box/rebranding. It would be interesting to compare results of this meter against a high-end Defelsko.

 

Being that everything about the item is the same including all the specs, the unit itself, container and contents....Im pretty sure its the same. 100 bucks is worth the gamble.

I love my CM8801FN. I measured my Mach 1 and got very consistant readings. One panel that i knew was resprayed was 100 microns more than everything else lol.

 

For those with PTG's - was getting one a game changer for you?

I want one, I'm just unsure if I need one. I'm a weekend warrior that does maybe 4-7 cars a month

 

I don't you are really going to need if if you only offer AIO's. If you do any kind of correction, having a paint gauge is a MUST in my book.

You can actually pay this device by offering pre-purchase paint inspections. I helped a few friends and co-workers during car shopping and I save them a lot of money and headaches.

 

zmcgovern45, when you order from China did you get hit with any import tax.

 

I have one and have been using it for over a year now without issues. Pretty accurate, and even on the "safe side"as it reads a few microns lower than the Highline 1. I, haowever, only have the Ferrous one and regret not having gotten the combo. I will be upgrading to the combo one this year.

 

Im going to look into this. Awesome!