Heat Laser

[Got Wax]

I just finished up a car and have a referral from this same guy. It is going to be a ceramic clear coat (nano-particle) and I have been given a speciaif method to achieve maximum results. So, I need to be able to read panel temp as I go.



Any suggestions?

[Setec Astronomy]

Sounds like you`re talking about an infrared thermometer. You should be able to get one at Lowe`s or Home Depot, $75-100 I think.



And you were given a special method for Ceramiclear?

[Got Wax]

Thanks, yes, heat thermometer. And, the process I was given was in 1ftX1ft sections and:



Meg 105 on white wool @ 1800 rpm heating panel to 125 degrees



Meg 105 on compounding foam @ 1600 rpm heating panel to 125 degrees



Menz PO203S on polishing foam @ 1400 rpm, heating the panel to 120 degrees





Do not use any water or other liquid in between as it will cool panel. I haave done one 599 in the past but, it was pretty much just an interior and a coat of nuba on the exterior. This will be interesting if this is truly the process.

[Setec Astronomy]

Looks like the HD ones are online only, but Lowe`s has this: EXTECH at Lowe`s: Non-Contact 750 Degree Infrared Thermometer (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=25720-85476-42505-L&lpage=none)



Probably need a helper to shoot the panel, by the time you stop the rotary, put it down, pick up the thermometer, turn it on and shoot, the panel will have lost 20 degrees, IMO.

[Got Wax]

I was thinking the exact same thing! I was told, if you let the panel cool, you`re $crewed!!



Maybe a bit of hype in there but, I wanna give it a shot. Most everything I`ve seen has been an arduous task when contending with these cars!
Looks like the HD ones are online only, but Lowe`s has this: EXTECH at Lowe`s: Non-Contact 750 Degree Infrared Thermometer (http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=25720-85476-42505-L&lpage=none)



Probably need a helper to shoot the panel, by the time you stop the rotary, put it down, pick up the thermometer, turn it on and shoot, the panel will have lost 20 degrees, IMO.

[imported_Ivan Rajic]

Thanks, yes, heat thermometer. And, the process I was given was in 1ftX1ft sections and:



Meg 105 on white wool @ 1800 rpm heating panel to 125 degrees



Meg 105 on compounding foam @ 1600 rpm heating panel to 125 degrees



Menz PO203S on polishing foam @ 1400 rpm, heating the panel to 120 degrees





Do not use any water or other liquid in between as it will cool panel. I haave done one 599 in the past but, it was pretty much just an interior and a coat of nuba on the exterior. This will be interesting if this is truly the process.



I would be very careful with those recommendations... a 1ftx1ft section done @ 1800RPM with a rotary doesn`t sound like a good idea when it comes to heat...

[D Tailor]

Did the car owner give you these recommendations?

[Got Wax]

Nope, I ended up speaking with an authorized Ferrari body shop, one of seven in NA, in Houston. Might be fluff, I don`t know. But, this would be my first full correction on one of these and I was wanting to get some first hand info.

[imported_Jakerooni]

First question you have to step back and ask yourself is does any of it make any sense?



The obvious question is what does the magice number of 125* mean? why that number. Is that temp they bake the paint at to seal it up? (I would bet not) Is there a proven study anywhere that shows 125* get`s the paint moving around at all (again I would bet not) Does a 125* on any other cermaic suface in the world mean anything? (doubtful) and if not why would it mean anything here then? Then why only a 1x1` section instead of the normal 2x2`? What`s the signifigance of this tight of a space?



To me it sounds like a bunch of hype and BS personally. Why any one would recommend checking panel temps over proper techniques is beyond anything I can make sense of. Heat comes more into play with soft clears and in the regard of you don`t want to get it too hot and move around too much. I highly doubt that 125* is going to do much to effect ceramic clear coats. Now I`m not saying this oddball method isn`t the bee`s knee`s or anything but I would love to see some documentation on how they came to these recommendations and why they picked the numbers they did. (I`m guessing they picked them out of their arses myself)

[Got Wax]

Yeah, I`m not really sure about that myself. Like I said before, it all may be just a bit of fluff. I do know that there have been a few on Autopia that have mentioned how difficult correction had been on these ceramiclear cars. The thing about this process is that it was suggested that you need to complete all three processes at the same time, 1x1 at a time. That seems a bit too time consuming to me. And, after having had given it some thought, a panel sitting in the sun could conceivably reach 125 degrees. Maybe I should just let the car sit outside all day then drag a MF across the panels and call it polished??:buffing:

[Setec Astronomy]

I do know that there have been a few on Autopia that have mentioned how difficult correction had been on these ceramiclear cars.



No offense, but Ceramiclear has been talked to death here starting about 4 years ago. The process is pretty well worked out, you need polishes with hard abrasives, yada yada. There`s probably a hundred threads about hard Corvette clear and Ceramiclear Benzes, in fact working on Ceramiclear has become so passe that there`s not really any threads about it anymore. The key was the Menz polishes "designed for scratch resistant coatings" Menzerna Polishing Compounds Products, menzerna polishes, menzerna car polish, menzerna nano polish, menzerna final polish, menzerna compound, (http://www.autogeek.net/menzerna-of-germany.html)

[MichaelM]

You can get an IR thermometer at radio shack for around $20.



IMO 120 degree paint temp is borderline reckless. Hot paint increases the amount of cut you`ll get with any given process and really isn`t necessary to correct any paint job. Friction removes material, heat is the byproduct. Paint shouldn`t get any hotter then warm to the touch during polishing.