How to check progress when removing swirls?

RP-350Z · 03-18-06, 07:35

I find it really hard to see whether I'm removing swirls on my paint when it's daylight outside. I polished the car today with OP and it was a cloudy day. I turned on the outside halogen lights but I could only see whether I was making progress on the hood and top of my car. Is there an easier way to see the swirls that are otherwise unnoticable when not in direct sunlight or under a bright halogen light? Is there a portable light I can use to check to see whether the polishing I'm doing is removing the swirls?

Should I just wait for a sunny day to re-polish the areas that I can see need doing? It was frustrating after the sun went down and under the halogen light to see a lot of the swirls still existed.

Any help would be appreciated. Let me know the methods ya'll use to check progress when trying to remove swirls.

Thanks

Ryan

White95Max · 03-18-06, 07:43

A portable halogen light or a powerful flashlight is a good tool for monitoring swirls on vertical panels.

tomee · 03-18-06, 08:38

yup, i jsut bought 2x 500w halogen lights, with stand
so i can move it around the garage to see swirls, without having to drive the car outside everytime i want to see my progress.

gtbaka · 03-18-06, 09:18

I bought a couple from sears

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/searc...&gobutton.y=17

I've always had the 1000 tripod halogens

and I recently bought the 15 watt portable fluorescent work light. Just hold it up against the paint, shows everything.

Plus they're crafsman so if they break....

Accumulator · 03-19-06, 08:07

High-wattage incandescent light (250-320W) in an othewise dark shop. Best swirl-spotting lights I've found, and I have a scad of halogens/etc. for comparison.

If you're working outside, I'd try to shade the area being inspected so your light source is the only source of illumination.

RP-350Z · 03-26-06, 08:20

Well I went out and got me a 1000w halogen light on a tripod at Home Depot for $29 and what a difference it makes. I still might try getting a portable flourescent light to see if that works even better. Thanks for all the help!

Accumulator · 03-26-06, 09:24

Unless you're working on white, I don't think you'll find fluorescents to be any good at *all* for swirl-spotting, I know I don't. But a fluorescent worklight is handy as it doesn't get hot (so it won't catch your car on fire or burn you

).

Bill D · 03-26-06, 09:38

Yeah, fluorescents seem to be OK on white. Interestingly enough, I find the halogens not to work all too well on it, but for all intents and purposes, with other colors, I would have the following:
the fluorescents, the 1000 watt halogens, a 250-300 incandescent light, and maybe one more hand held, such as a Brinkmann Dual Xenon. Then, after all that, roll the car outdoors and check under natural sunlight.

As you will certainly notice, inspection can take as long/longer than the actual defect correction.

maximus96 · 03-26-06, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtbaka

I bought a couple from sears

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/searc...&gobutton.y=17

I've always had the 1000 tripod halogens

and I recently bought the 15 watt portable fluorescent work light. Just hold it up against the paint, shows everything.

Plus they're crafsman so if they break....

OT, but only craftsman handtools are lifetime warrantied...everything else, including these lights are like 90 days or whatever...