PC & paint thickness experiment

FlyingFinn · 11-07-2006, 01:21 AM

I did a small experiment with PC and paint thickness gauge. I polished a hood of an old car. See before and after pics. I used Zaino ZPC and Wolfgang (Lake Country) orange pad for polishing and worked the area twice. For final buffing I used white pad with Mothers carnauba cleaner wax. I just happened to have a small sample bottle of this and didn't want to put any good stuff (Zaino) to this car. Of course I'm not saying that this Mothers stuff is not good. I measured the paint thickness after washing the car and then again when I had the polishing completed and washed again. So I always measured the surface cleaned from dirt and buffing residue etc. I took the thickness reading from ten different points and calculated average. The final result is that I was not able to indicate any difference in paint thickness. The gauge is very accurate (0.1µm) but the wear of the paint was not measurable. After this I think it is safe to say that if used properly PC can't damage the paint and it can be polished tens or hundreds of times. Of course ZPC is not very abrasive and I did not even use the yellow pad but if I can get this kind of results to the hood of 20 years old car I really don't need anything stronger for my Bimmer.

P.S. Guess what car is it?

ADHD · 11-07-2006, 01:50 AM

very nice bro!! i like to see people showing intrest in the technical aspects of things...
Where did u get your digital reader??? I would like to get one myself..
YES i use a DA orbital the megs one and it works great but theres still lots of things it DOESNT do!

Oh is it an older E30 318 or something??

FlyingFinn · 11-07-2006, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADHD

very nice bro!! i like to see people showing intrest in the technical aspects of things...
Where did u get your digital reader??? I would like to get one myself..
YES i use a DA orbital the megs one and it works great but theres still lots of things it DOESNT do!

Oh is it an older E30 318 or something??

The digital reader is bought from a local store in here. I got it originally for construction project to check the paint thickness in steel structures.

No, not a BMW

picus · 11-07-2006, 09:09 AM

Cool. I have been trying to tell people this for awhile. I've polished thousands of cars, and only the ones I wetsand ever see an appreciable decrease in paint thickness. Cheers.

canucklion · 11-07-2006, 10:49 AM

very informative post!

Dante · 11-07-2006, 12:13 PM

Hmm, could that be a Lancia Delta Integrale?

bimmernotbeamer · 11-07-2006, 05:58 PM

Yup, PC's are very safe!! Good test. Just keep in mind that the paint thickness guage measures the total film of the clear AND colour all the way down to the primer, not just the clear coat by itself.

Driv3r · 11-07-2006, 06:23 PM

its a VW or Audi

MonacoBimm · 11-07-2006, 08:50 PM

Jeep Grand Cherokee

DFW_M · 11-07-2006, 08:54 PM

Lada?

FlyingFinn · 11-08-2006, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr325i

Lada?

Quite close

It's -86 Ford Escort 1.4 CL.

FlyingFinn · 11-08-2006, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidN

Yup, PC's are very safe!! Good test. Just keep in mind that the paint thickness guage measures the total film of the clear AND colour all the way down to the primer, not just the clear coat by itself.

Yes, this is good to keep in mind. If I remember correctly BMWs clear cote is 35-45µm.

FlyingFinn · 11-08-2006, 01:46 AM

Oh, and thank you again David. With your instructions I have had awesome results with my PC.

bimmernotbeamer · 11-08-2006, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingFinn

Oh, and thank you again David. With your instructions I have had awesome results with my PC.

No problem!!! I'm glad things worked out well with your detailing!

11-07-2006, 01:21 AM	#1
FlyingFinn Second Lieutenant 23 Rep 294 Posts Drives: M235i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	PC & paint thickness experiment I did a small experiment with PC and paint thickness gauge. I polished a hood of an old car. See before and after pics. I used Zaino ZPC and Wolfgang (Lake Country) orange pad for polishing and worked the area twice. For final buffing I used white pad with Mothers carnauba cleaner wax. I just happened to have a small sample bottle of this and didn't want to put any good stuff (Zaino) to this car. Of course I'm not saying that this Mothers stuff is not good. I measured the paint thickness after washing the car and then again when I had the polishing completed and washed again. So I always measured the surface cleaned from dirt and buffing residue etc. I took the thickness reading from ten different points and calculated average. The final result is that I was not able to indicate any difference in paint thickness. The gauge is very accurate (0.1µm) but the wear of the paint was not measurable. After this I think it is safe to say that if used properly PC can't damage the paint and it can be polished tens or hundreds of times. Of course ZPC is not very abrasive and I did not even use the yellow pad but if I can get this kind of results to the hood of 20 years old car I really don't need anything stronger for my Bimmer. P.S. Guess what car is it? Attached Images
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11-07-2006, 01:50 AM	#2
ADHD Brigadier General 254 Rep 4,201 Posts Drives: F30 328i Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Magic Mountain iTrader: (38) Garage List 21 M540i [0.00] 07 e90 335 [0.00]	very nice bro!! i like to see people showing intrest in the technical aspects of things... Where did u get your digital reader??? I would like to get one myself.. YES i use a DA orbital the megs one and it works great but theres still lots of things it DOESNT do! Oh is it an older E30 318 or something?? __________________
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11-07-2006, 09:09 AM	#4
picus Brigadier General 127 Rep 4,172 Posts Drives: e92 SG 335i Coupe Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto, ON iTrader: (0)	Cool. I have been trying to tell people this for awhile. I've polished thousands of cars, and only the ones I wetsand ever see an appreciable decrease in paint thickness. Cheers.
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11-07-2006, 10:49 AM	#5
canucklion pull my finger to get your kinder® surprise 152 Rep 10,455 Posts Drives: circles around you Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada iTrader: (9)	very informative post! __________________
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11-07-2006, 12:13 PM	#6
Dante Enthusiast 475 Rep 1,789 Posts Drives: F87 M2 / F31 330d Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Bavaria iTrader: (0) Garage List 2004 E46 BMW M3 [0.00] 2017 F87 BMW M2 [10.00] 2013 F31 330d Touring [9.50] 2009 E89 Z4 Sdrive 30i [9.00] 1989 E30 320is 2-door [10.00] 1986 E28 M535i [9.00]	Hmm, could that be a Lancia Delta Integrale? __________________ 2017 F87 ///M2, Long Beach Blue, 6MT 2013 F31 330d Touring, ///M-Sport, Alpine White, Alcantara/Cloth, 19" Style M403, 8AT 2009 E89 Z4 SDrive 30i, Titanium Silver, Coral Red Leather, 19" Style 296, 6MT 1989 E30 320is, ///M-Technik II, S14 Engine, Sterling Silver, Black Leather, 16" BBS RS 003, 5MT 1986 E28 ///M535i, Agate Green, Pine Green Velours, 16" ALPINA, 5MT
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11-07-2006, 05:58 PM	#7
bimmernotbeamer Lieutenant 28 Rep 581 Posts Drives: N/A Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: N/A iTrader: (0)	Yup, PC's are very safe!! Good test. Just keep in mind that the paint thickness guage measures the total film of the clear AND colour all the way down to the primer, not just the clear coat by itself.
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11-07-2006, 06:23 PM	#8
Driv3r Colonel 182 Rep 2,355 Posts Drives: 2006 E46 M3 ZCP Join Date: May 2005 Location: Miami Beach, FL iTrader: (8) Garage List 2006 325i [0.00]	its a VW or Audi __________________ 2006 E46 M3 ZCP 6SPD-Interlagos Blue - 6SPD - SSK - AA Headers -AA Tune - Navigation w/ Splashscreen Mod - 3M Crystalline Series 60 - Carbon Splitters - Swissvax Treated - Bridgestone 2012 Yamaha FZ8 - Matte Black/Grey - Michelin Pilot Pure 2CT - Vortex Rear Sets - Yoshimura R-77D & Fender Delete - Spectro Race Oil - GP Reverse Shifting
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11-07-2006, 08:50 PM	#9
MonacoBimm Banned 45 Rep 1,859 Posts Drives: Sapp. Black 330i(2nd e90) Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Panama City, Panama iTrader: (1)	Jeep Grand Cherokee
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11-07-2006, 08:54 PM	#10
DFW_M Major General 1798 Rep 6,672 Posts Drives: 991.1 C2Sc Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dallas, TX iTrader: (4)	Lada?
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11-08-2006, 01:46 AM	#13
FlyingFinn Second Lieutenant 23 Rep 294 Posts Drives: M235i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	Oh, and thank you again David. With your instructions I have had awesome results with my PC.
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