Seeing swirls/scratches on a SILVER color car - suggestions?

**gth181a** · 03-20-2009, 10:54 PM

Any tips to showing swirl/scratches easier on a silver (Acura TL `Alabaster Silver Metallic` to be exact) car while polishing? Will a halogen work light help or just a waste of money on a light colored car? Florescent lighting, maybe?

Thanks for any feedback! :thx

**eyezack87** · 03-20-2009, 11:01 PM

I`ve had great success with an LED set up. The one I use is the energizer one sold in stores that has 4 white and 2 red LEDs in it. It spots things in metallic paints that neither my Brinkmann nor my halogens can see. You can try that since it works well on darks as well

**GLuXuRy** · 03-21-2009, 12:02 AM

^^^ can you post a link for me please =) (for the led light)

**eyezack87** · 03-21-2009, 12:29 AM

They upgraded the model I bought but I`m sure it`ll work the same

Walmart.com: Energizer Head Beam with 6 LEDs: Camping

Fenix TK10 is another option that quite a few detailers use if you want to go big. I`ll probably pick that up in the future haha

**imported_themightytimmah** · 03-21-2009, 09:45 AM

Polarized sunglasses in full sun.

**Accumulator** · 03-21-2009, 10:34 AM

Noting that I always have at least four silver vehicles and I`m a fanatic about the "light marring that doesn`t show"...

I can see *everything* under incandescent light in an othewise dark shop. I use the halogens for illumination when working, but I turn them off for the final inspections. No more surprises under weird lighting conditions at night

I don`t get great results with my LED lights (including my wife`s SureFire) or my 3M SunGun, at least not as good as with the incandescents.

**imported_DetailDan** · 03-21-2009, 10:38 AM

Dont look at the paint straight on, look at it at different angles.

**Accumulator** · 03-21-2009, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by D&D Auto Detail

Dont look at the paint straight on, look at it at different angles.

Yeah, good point :xyxthumbs

Try varying the viewing and illumination angles and distances. You can look at a panel for ages without seeing anything and then you get all the factors just right and the marring is suddenly obvious (which is a good time to mark it with a dab of polish or something so you don`t have to struggle to find it again once you pick up the polisher).

And brighter isn`t always better when it comes to lighting, not by a long shot.

**gth181a** · 03-21-2009, 12:14 PM

Thanks for the replies!

That`s actually how I noticed some minor scratches on my hood - under a incandescent light and at a side angle. Just figured they`d be a light source that will help me see it straight on, like darker colored cars. The doors and sides will be a little difficult with this method though...

**Accumulator** · 03-21-2009, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by gth181a

..That`s actually how I noticed some minor scratches on my hood - under a incandescent light and at a side angle. Just figured they`d be a light source that will help me see it straight on, like darker colored cars. The doors and sides will be a little difficult with this method though...

Ah yeah...tell me about it

I got an incandescent trouble light at Lowe`s. Cheap, crappy thing but it does the job. But *man* is it a PIA to get the light positioned right and then get yourself into the right position

Last time I did correction I was lying on a creeper in a goofy position by the time I saw what I`d been missing. Now, do ya think anybody woulda ever really *seen* that marring in real life? :grinno:

**gth181a** · 03-21-2009, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Ah yeah...tell me about it

I got an incandescent trouble light at Lowe`s. Cheap, crappy thing but it does the job. But *man* is it a PIA to get the light positioned right and then get yourself into the right position

Last time I did correction I was lying on a creeper in a goofy position by the time I saw what I`d been missing. Now, do ya think anybody woulda ever really *seen* that marring in real life? :grinno:

LOL at lying on a creeper. I know what you mean though! I know that I will probably be the only one to see the small imperfections, but I`m kind of a perfectionist when it comes to stuff like this...

Do you have a picture of the incandescent trouble light? I`m not sure what a "trouble" light is :think:

**gth181a** · 03-21-2009, 01:14 PM

Nevermind, just goolgled it. Got it, thanks!

**Accumulator** · 03-21-2009, 03:57 PM

gth181a- If you have a Lowe`s nearby, they might have one like what I use (that`s where I got mine).

Mine has a conical metal shade and a spring-clamp for a handle. No switch so you either have to DIY one or plug/unplug it.

I found it near the extension cords and they had maybe three different kinds. I got the one rated for high-wattage bulbs.

**gth181a** · 03-21-2009, 06:40 PM

like this?

I`ll try it out, thanks!

**Accumulator** · 03-22-2009, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by gth181a

like this?

I`ll try it out, thanks!

Yeah :xyxthumbs

That one looks nicer than mine as it appears to have an on/off switch.

But I`ll repeat my caveat that you still have to really mess around a lot to get the angle/distance/etc. etc. right. IME it`s a case of making things *possible* not making them easy

Remember not to get it too close/bright or it`ll just wash out what you`re looking for. Sometimes the little 60w bulbs in my other garage`s ceiling show flaws better than all my efforts out in the shop!