Hey guys, I was wondering is there a light that you guys would recommend for checking swirls? I was looking into the Brinkmann Swirl Finder Light, Xenon detailing light, Brinkman spotlights, but was wondering is there anything I can pick up from places like CT or Walmart. I am mainly trying to get one that shows the mirroring, inconsistent paint reflection caused by poor polishing, thanks!:applause2:
a simple 500W halogen headlight can do a decent job of spotting swirls. I just picked up a portable 500W unit from home depot for 12 bucks. it came with a spare bulb, too. There's the 3M sun gun if you want to get really serious about it.
A less expensive alternative- Dark Field Micro Inspection: Since concourse cars are judged solely on the way light reflects from their surfaces this is what really determines the appearance of a car, so you should inspect it under all possible lighting conditions. For a surface to be optically near ‘perfect’ it should be free of all surface imperfections. The surface should be viewed very closely and from all possible angles. Start by looking at the surface in a darkened room, once your eyes have fully dilated, turn on a bright Halogen light beam. Direct the beam away from you and at a low angle and from various directions (you’ll be able to see even the most minor paint film surface imperfection) this is 100X more sensitive than viewing a vehicles paint film surface in normal light. This viewing technique is an adaptation of “Dark field microscopy” used in many scientific fields. Direct or cloudy sunlight, shaded, low-angled, directly overhead or light reflected from other surfaces, or the type of artificial light the surface is viewed under can all influence what surface imperfections can or cannot be seen
I have the Brinkman and hate the thing. I would say it holds a charge for a very very short period of time. I also noticed unless you hold is absolutely perfectly its very hard to find the swirls or imperfections. It can be found at walmart, just make sure you get the Brinkman that is the maxfire dual xenon, they sell like 2 models which look alike but are totally different light output wise and the packaging is very similar.
I have not had a problem with it holding a charge. It should not always be used as the sole light since different flaws are better seen in different lights.
I picked up a 500w work light from home depot, does the job when its darker around, but the sun's cheaper and better. =]
Infratech CM5300 – Colour Matcher - this light is a great alternative to the 3M Sun Gun. Runs on mains electricity not batteries, a must have tool and it’s also an inexpensive investment. High Colour Temperature 5300K Duplicates Natural sunlight under any condition, high power 70 Watts, large coverage area, hand held lightweight, momentary "On/Off" switch, identify pre-or-post paint correction / renovation defects, eliminate re-doing or call-backs – http//:Infratech - World Leader in Infrared Heating Technology and Products http://www.detailersdomain.com/lighting.aspx
