correction under flourescent lighting

jdoria · 02-15-08, 04:47

Does anyone do paint corrections under flourescent lighting exclusively?

I use halogen.

weekendwarrior · 02-15-08, 05:44

I use flourescents on some cars. Since the tubes are so long, I can look at the reflection of the light on the panel for consistency along the whole length of the reflection from the flourescent (does that make any sense?). In addition, with some metallics, I find that halogens make the metallics pop so much, that it is hard for me to see the true quality of the paint - the metallic reflections distort it a little...in which case I pull out the flourescents as they are a little warmer, and don't make the metallics pop as much.

Here are a couple of examples of what I was saying about being able to evaluate the panel all along the length of the reflection from the flourescent....

The first shot is a black BMW hood, and the second is a metallic blue Honda hood.

themightytimmah · 02-15-08, 08:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsatek

Does anyone do paint corrections under flourescent lighting exclusively?

I use halogen.

I only use flourescents for the compounding step. Finish polishing under flourescents is likely to end with a whole ton of hologramming - a car that looks perfect under them will sometimes look like a hack job in the sun.

jdoria · 02-15-08, 08:29

I agree. I thought it was extrememly difficult to work.

Accumulator · 02-15-08, 09:43

Yeah, and remember to actually *turn the fluorescents off* when inspecting with other, more appropriate lighting

fergnation · 02-18-08, 07:41

I hate fluorescents!!!!! For over all lighting they work great (washing, vacuuming, wheels) but when it comes time to do paint correction, I hate nothing more than fluorescents. When inspecting paint you need the direct light of halo's. The only way you can see scratches and swirls is when light reflects of the edges of the scratches. Fluourescents have such a soft light that they don't reflect off of the edges of scratches. That is why when you can't remove a scratch (too deep) the best you can do is round off the edges. That way the scratch is not as noticeable (light doesn't reflect as well). Sun light is the most direct light you can have, hense why you can see flaws so well.

AP2TUDE · 02-21-08, 07:51

I have tons of fluorescents in my garage, but I don't use them for any corrective work. You really need to have more direct and intense lighting for spotting actual defects.

I really contemplated a ring of ceiling mounted halogens in my new garage, but decided against it in favor of the easily moveable stand lights. Sometimes you just need the light in an exact location, and stationary lights wouldn't really cut it.

gleam · 07-27-08, 07:09

How do you deal with heat from the halogens? I find the flourescents a lot cooler.

Accumulator · 07-27-08, 08:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by gleam

How do you deal with heat from the halogens? I find the flourescents a lot cooler.

I keep the halogens back far enough that the heat isn't much of an issue...but then I'm working in a climate-controlled shop so I can just turn the thermostat down. In the previous shop, which would get well over 100f in the summer, I simply suffered through it.

Heat or not, being able to see the paint's condition is simply a required part of the job, and IME (which is pretty extensive when it comes to this topic) fluorescents won't show marring well enough for a proper detail.

Note that an incandescent light will usually generate a lot less heat than a halogen, and IMO it works better for final inspections anyhow.

You could use fluorescents for general illumination and then turn 'em off and use an incandescent or halogens to evaluate your progress. That way you could get by without having the hot lights on all the time.

weekendwarrior · 07-28-08, 10:56

I am currently working on a green, 03 Miata. I washed it, and inspected it in the sun. I could see a ton of swirls. I then pulled it into the garage, and looked it over with the Brinkman, and a halogen. I saw more swirls. I then, flipped on my flourescents, and saw stuff on the hood I couldn't see under the other lights. I saw spots where it looks like someone scrubbed bird droppings off, and a few other defects.

What's my point? I find that you should use as many different types of lighting during the inspection and correction phases. Depending on the type of paint (metallic, candy, pearl, etc...), you may miss a lot of stuff by not doing so.

Accumulator · 07-28-08, 11:51

weekend warrior- That's the best advice

And yeah, much as I criticize fluorescents, some stuff does show up under them (just usually not scratches/swirls IME).

bufferbarry · 12-20-08, 02:50

A lot of people criticize flouresenct lighting! when my wife and i got our new house attached to it was a body shop! i thought holy sh>T i walked in to a a huge compressor and all kinds of lights and a brand new detail shop for me to do work at home finally! and to top it off it has a drain. with a seperator. amazed we moved in! but anyway. my shop looks like the forth of july with all the flouresents. now i do use halogens all the time for all work but ill tell what i can see things in the flouresents that i can't see under halogens. so for me i like the mixture of both!