Paint, thickness meter gauge

[enigma-2]

Was at Dealers today to pickup a seat belt extender so my grandson can buckel himself into his new "big-boy" car seat. The extenders are free from Ford (as many as you want), but, and did you know that the FRONT seatbelts are a different size than the REAR seatbelts??? (By this I mean the metal tab on the connector. The front is approx 3/4" wide and the rear is approx 1" wide). So I got a front and go back tomorrow to pick up a rear.

 

Anyway, while I was there I learned that the dealers check over all new and used cars with a paint thickness meter to determine if the car has ever been damaged and repainted. (No, I didn't know about this either. And if you did, why didn't you share this with us sooner???)

 

Anyway(2) If your measuring the side of a car at 10 mils and suddenly the next panel measures 20 mils, you know it was damaged and repainted. They told me they check every new car as well as they sometimes get damaged in transport and get repainted to cover it up. Especially if it comes from another dealer.

 

Anyway(3) when I got home i checked on Amazon and they have dozens. Some run over a thousand. El'chepo starts for around $20.

 

So I'll post 3 references and you can check them out for yourself.

This looks like a nice one ($55)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0779T34QB/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0779T34QB&pd_rd_wg=R9EhT&pd_rd_r=RJ9RR865AK3JJ056MY1S&pd_rd_w=VkQYV

 

Little less expensive ($24)

https://www.amazon.com/KKmoon-Handheld-Thickness-Instrument-Switchable/dp/B06XC7XK76/ref=pd_sbs_469_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B06XC7XK76&pd_rd_r=TPZ9GER9D90NGXFB3WSY&pd_rd_w=wQciq&pd_rd_wg=6VYX1&psc=1&refRID=TPZ9GER9D90NGXFB3WSY&dpID=51nFu1EW83L&preST=_SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

 

And even less expensive ($20)

https://www.amazon.com/all-sun-EM2271-Digital-Painting-Thickness/dp/B0126JMCQM/ref=pd_cp_469_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0126JMCQM&pd_rd_r=TPZ9GER9D90NGXFB3WSY&pd_rd_w=3kzEy&pd_rd_wg=6VYX1&psc=1&refRID=TPZ9GER9D90NGXFB3WSY&dpID=413bjLg%252BjnL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

 

Think I need one of these (shhhh don't tell the wife).

[Nick Halstead]

cheap ones only measure the outer layer. The more expensive ones can measure how many mils from metal you are.

 

Most of these are only measuring the mils of the clearcoat till it reaches paint. Though I wouldnt trust most of them in that proce range

Edited May 9, 2018 by Nick Halstead

[enigma-2]

I'll let you know, bought the $55 one.

 

(No, I don't know why I need one, I just do. Stop asking). (Rehearsing for when the wife asks ....

[Nick Halstead]

ok, so I had it backwards, the cheap ones read total mils, as someone doing paint correction, I'm more concerned with the thickness of the clear coat.

though you have to spend some money if you want to be able to gage on plastic and metal
https://www.detailedimage.com/DeFelsko-M40/PosiTest-DTF-Paint-Thickness-Gauge-P348/Combo-S1/

[enigma-2]

I don't believe these work on plastic, ferrious and non-ferrious metals. The more expensive ones work with ultrasonic, not certain about the cheaper ones. The least expensive work with magnets (hence ferrious only).

 

Edit:

The $55 one I bought works on either magnetic induction (ferrous) or on eddy current's (non-ferrous).

 

Has 1 um, mm or mil resolution and can be used over insulating coatings.

 

The instructions state "Please allow 1-2cm error due to manual measurement". Believe something was lost in the translation, heh.

 

Anyway, need to claibrate before each use, comes with a bare alumunim plate, bare steel plate and plastic calibrate film in 50um, 100um, 250um, 500um and 1000um thicknesses to use on plastic parts (over metal).

Edited May 9, 2018 by enigma-2