[Former_Boosted_IS]

Does anyone recommend any work lights? I read a lot of bad reviews on the 1000w portable work lights on Sears.com, so I thought I would ask for some suggestions. I am looking for something that is not very costly. Lower heat would be better as well.

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Does anyone recommend any work lights? I read a lot of bad reviews on the 1000w portable work lights on Sears.com, so I thought I would ask for some suggestions. I am looking for something that is not very costly. Lower heat would be better as well.

I bought the Lowes Halogen(2x250watt) work-light for $29 works pretty good. But if you have light color car(white, silver etc) swirls are getting hard to detect under this halogen lights.
Now I have installed 4 4' FL lights on the ceiling (6500K color temp) and that's better option if you ask me. I rarely use the halogen anymore. I'll post picture of the FL lights if you want.

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by HPIA4v2

I bought the Lowes Halogen(2x250watt) work-light for $29 works pretty good. But if you have light color car(white, silver etc) swirls are getting hard to detect under this halogen lights.
Now I have installed 4 4' FL lights on the ceiling (6500K color temp) and that's better option if you ask me. I rarely use the halogen anymore. I'll post picture of the FL lights if you want.

Is the 1000W option better for lighter color cars? Does it generate a lot of heat?

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Is the 1000W option better for lighter color cars? Does it generate a lot of heat?

Boost, I can't say for sure but 2x500 Halogen sure wil be hot. That's why you only use it before and after polishing a section to see where the problem areas and how bad they are.
BTW, if the swirls are pretty bad even on light color cars you'll have no problem seeing them, it's after you polish and try to get that perffection when Halogen lamp can be tricky (play with the angles, distance to surface etc). I'll say get the lamp, SEARS have good return policy right

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Does anyone recommend any work lights? I read a lot of bad reviews on the 1000w portable work lights on Sears.com, so I thought I would ask for some suggestions. I am looking for something that is not very costly. Lower heat would be better as well.

The craftsman 1000w lights are crap. The pair i bought didnt work, and when I returned them I opened another box in the store and tried them out and they didnt work either.

I bought a 1000w set from Lowes yesterday. Hopefully these work.

[ScheerSpeed]

i have husky 1000w it works good for me

[Malek@MRF]

Ceiling mounted fluorescent lamps usually do a great job of showing defects and problems in paint.

Those halogens are not a "necessity".

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by Malekreza11

Ceiling mounted fluorescent lamps usually do a great job of showing defects and problems in paint.

Those halogens are not a "necessity".

only if you have a ton of them. most garage lighting is not sufficient.

[Malek@MRF]

Originally Posted by Suareezay

only if you have a ton of them. most garage lighting is not sufficient.

Oh of course, I agree with you completely.

If you have adequate lighting, then fluorescents will not be enough. If you have enough of them and positioned well, it works very very well.

[ChaneRZ]

1200 Watt Oval Twin Head Halogen Worklight


http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId=100567429

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will probably pick up the Lowe's or Home Depot 1000W unit.

[HPIA4v2]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will probably pick up the Lowe's or Home Depot 1000W unit.

Good choice.

This is my modest FL lighting I added recently. No joke on unpainted garage

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Well, I got the Lowe's work lights, but they only tilt up and not down. Is that going to be a problem for areas like the hood, trunk, and roof?

[BK]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Well, I got the Lowe's work lights, but they only tilt up and not down. Is that going to be a problem for areas like the hood, trunk, and roof?

Not a problem. Just put them up higher than the horizontal panel you are looking at, on the opposite side. You look at the lights in the reflection at an angle.

BTW, I think you asked earlier if they generate a lot of heat. Yes, they generate a TON of heat. It's kind of nice in a garage during the winter. Not so much during the summer.

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by BK

Not a problem. Just put them up higher than the horizontal panel you are looking at, on the opposite side. You look at the lights in the reflection at an angle.

BTW, I think you asked earlier if they generate a lot of heat. Yes, they generate a TON of heat. It's kind of nice in a garage during the winter. Not so much during the summer.

Ok that will be enough to examine defects?

[BK]

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

Ok that will be enough to examine defects?

Yes. I hope I explained it clearly -- it should be intuitive that this is how you use them to look for surface defects.

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by BK

Yes. I hope I explained it clearly -- it should be intuitive that this is how you use them to look for surface defects.

BK, I think you were clear. I am just trying to make sure I do understand in my mind. Is looking at the surface from angled light better than looking from light directly behind your inspection position better?

[canucklion]

The following statement is not a smartass remark, but if the light source is directly behind you, then you would be blocking the light. The best would be what BK had suggested. There's no magic to it, basically all you're trying to do is to have the light reflect on the paint surface so you can detect swirl marks, if any. So, there's no set standard, just move the light source around until you can see the surface clearly.

Originally Posted by Former_Boosted_IS

BK, I think you were clear. I am just trying to make sure I do understand in my mind. Is looking at the surface from angled light better than looking from light directly behind your inspection position better?

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by canucklion

The following statement is not a smartass remark, but if the light source is directly behind you, then you would be blocking the light. The best would be what BK had suggested. There's no magic to it, basically all you're trying to do is to have the light reflect on the paint surface so you can detect swirl marks, if any. So, there's no set standard, just move the light source around until you can see the surface clearly.

Not taken personally at all. I appreciate the help.

[UncleWede]

When I use solar power to do this myself, I keep going nearly blind I have to put on my sunglasses then look across the surfaces. I keep rolling the car in/out of the car port to do it.

With halogens, do you get the same sort of painful light reflected back, to the point of needing sunglasses?

[Former_Boosted_IS]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

When I use solar power to do this myself, I keep going nearly blind I have to put on my sunglasses then look across the surfaces. I keep rolling the car in/out of the car port to do it.

With halogens, do you get the same sort of painful light reflected back, to the point of needing sunglasses?

I enjoy humor like the rest, but all you have to do is go a down about a page of posts and see how people see no swirls in the garage, but then everything appears in the sunlight. Clearly, I don't want to see that happen.