# Paint Depth Gauge



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Hello there,

Im wanting to use the new carpro denim pads to remove the orange peel out of my paintwork, however would prefer to use a PDG to do this as Iv heard they are quite abbrasive.

It owuld be handy for other cars I do also so thinknig of making the plunge to buy one.

Iv looked at the paint detective in the past.

anything I need to look for in particular?

whats the most reasonably priced?

what to avoid?

thanks

rob


----------



## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

clean your car has a cyc branded pd7 for £159.99


----------



## CivicTypeR. (Aug 15, 2010)

Pd8 seems to be most popular one used check group buys on here


----------



## dooka (Aug 1, 2006)

The PD8 is a very good bit of kit indeed, I have 3 different defelsko's and a PD8, the PD8 always reads around 2 microns under than the defelsko's constantly..


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Id like a pd8 if i can afford one


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

dooka said:


> The PD8 is a very good bit of kit indeed, I have 3 different defelsko's and a PD8, the PD8 always reads around 2 microns under than the defelsko's constantly..


Fancy selling it me dirt cheap haha


----------



## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Just remember it will not give a reading on plastic...:thumb:

For that and the ability to get true levels for the clear the paint and the base your talking big money.

Remember the reading will be for the total depth down to the metal so thats primer paint and clear if it has clear and any filler there may be.


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks for that, i will just use it as a simple guide, and take extreme care, i suppose its better to know the total thickness than not knowing at all


----------



## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

dooka said:


> The PD8 is a very good bit of kit indeed, I have 3 different defelsko's and a PD8, the PD8 always reads around 2 microns under than the defelsko's constantly..


I've lost my delfesko dft! don't know where it went.
Don't want to spend another £500 on one to find it a week later, my back up needed replacing as it isn't very good at all.. so had to order a pd7 and hopefully find the DFT soon!


----------



## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

rob_vrs said:


> Thanks for that, i will just use it as a simple guide, and take extreme care, i suppose its better to know the total thickness than not knowing at all


Common trick is to take reading under bonnet as its unlikely that will be lacquered to help get a better idea of clear level.


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

james_death said:


> Common trick is to take reading under bonnet as its unlikely that will be lacquered to help get a better idea of clear level.


I heard that after a little research I did, will try it.


----------



## Z4-35i (Jun 12, 2012)

I decided to invest in a PD8 and picked one up on the last DW group buy. As well as getting a good understanding of the total paint depth across the different panels on our two cars, it will also allow me to see how much clear is being removed with different pad/polish combinations.

I would have really liked a DeFelsko PosiTest DFT, but I couldn't justify that just for personal use.


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Iv decided on PD8 just waiting on one to come up for sale haha prefer not to spend £200


----------



## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

rob_vrs said:


> Iv decided on PD8 just waiting on one to come up for sale haha prefer not to spend £200


get a new one stop being tighter than a submarine hatch :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

suspal said:


> get a new one stop being tighter than a submarine hatch :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


For once I'm standing up to you this time!!!!!!!!!! Iv spent way more than i should already this month ha


----------



## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

rob_vrs said:


> For once I'm standing up to you this time!!!!!!!!!! Iv spent way more than i should already this month ha


You know i'm right :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:


----------



## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

ps Rob you'll sleep easier


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

You still here haha


----------



## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

PD8 is what i have and kept holding off as not cheap, however what they kept going for second hand i ended up taking up one of the forum group Buys.


----------



## CliveP (Feb 1, 2009)

Less than one month's council tax for a new one, and Feb there's no Council Tax (Feb and March off!)- go for it! Will last forever, so cheap as chips...

Regards,
Clive.


----------



## Kelly @ KDS (Aug 4, 2008)

dooka said:


> The PD8 is a very good bit of kit indeed, I have 3 different defelsko's and a PD8, the PD8 always reads around 2 microns under than the defelsko's constantly..


every single time i have used a pupils PD8 it reads 10-15 microns over.

seen this at least 10 times , (this does not exclude that they may not of been cali'ed and zero'ed) .

kelly


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Kelly @ KDS said:


> every single time i have used a pupils PD8 it reads 10-15 microns over.
> 
> seen this at least 10 times , (this does not exclude that they may not of been cali'ed and zero'ed) .
> 
> kelly


As a keen enthusiast what would be recommended? Obviously funds are not available to be paying a lot, iv been recommended the polished bliss or clean your car one which i believe is the same one.


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

CliveP said:


> Less than one month's council tax for a new one, and Feb there's no Council Tax (Feb and March off!)- go for it! Will last forever, so cheap as chips...
> 
> Regards,
> Clive.


Haha i don't have an house yet  cant use that excuse haha.


----------



## AMD (Dec 30, 2012)

If the PD8 doesn't do plastic, what do people do about plastic bumpers and side skirts?

Cheers
Mike


----------



## steve from wath (Dec 12, 2008)

Rob

seeing as you local

ive got a pd8 if you want to see one in flesh


----------



## macmaw (Mar 5, 2007)

AMD said:


> If the PD8 doesn't do plastic, what do people do about plastic bumpers and side skirts?
> 
> Cheers
> Mike


I use caution there, and use a DA instead of a rotary for that


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

steve from wath said:


> Rob
> 
> seeing as you local
> 
> ive got a pd8 if you want to see one in flesh


Thanks for the offer, I managed to use one at the weekend at cleandetail.

I missed out on one last night on ebay just couldn't pay the money it went for a second hand one.

How do you find it?

Rob


----------



## steve from wath (Dec 12, 2008)

easy to use 

accurate enough for me,never had any problems

i would love a delfesko but like you i aint a millionaire or do several cars a week
and cant justify the cost

i swop the batteries regular and recallibrate etc

we had one at work,was never used and i asked for it 
but nobody can find it,but if they do its mine haha


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

steve from wath said:


> easy to use
> 
> accurate enough for me,never had any problems
> 
> ...


Good stuff, been looking at the Polished Bliss one also as can get it slightly cheaper than PD8, it looks like a PD7 but not up on quality etc etc


----------



## manel (Jan 10, 2013)

what about the shinearama PDG? It measures in metal and plastic they say, has anyone tried one yet?

http://www.shinearama.co.uk/shinearama-paint-depth-gauge.html


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

manel said:


> what about the shinearama PDG? It measures in metal and plastic they say, has anyone tried one yet?
> 
> http://www.shinearama.co.uk/shinearama-paint-depth-gauge.html


This is on my list also

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


----------



## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

manel said:


> what about the shinearama PDG? It measures in metal and plastic they say, has anyone tried one yet?
> 
> http://www.shinearama.co.uk/shinearama-paint-depth-gauge.html


where does it say it measures metal and plastic?

all I can see is ferrous and non ferrous(ie aluminium)


----------



## PeanuckleJive (Oct 28, 2012)

What's the difference between the shinearama one and the paint detective one also on their site for the same price, anybody?


----------



## Shredder (Oct 10, 2009)

When considering gauges I recommend comparing factors such as the stated accuracy and what features they have (for example a memory function, large display and display flip - which are all useful). Some gauges require more batteries than others (which makes them heavier) and some are less ergonomic in shape.



manel said:


> what about the shinearama PDG? It measures in metal and plastic they say, has anyone tried one yet?
> 
> http://www.shinearama.co.uk/shinearama-paint-depth-gauge.html


That gauge will not read coating thicknesses on plastic substrates. To do that requires an ultrasonic coating thickness gauge, such as the Defelsko PosiTector 200.


----------



## Jord (Apr 3, 2012)

This is also something I keep putting off buying as I really don't have the heart to spend £150-200 on something i'll only use a few times a year.. Need to man up or sell some stuff off I think


----------



## forest-sion (Jul 3, 2012)

Very tempted on the group perches that is on offer with Paintdetective but there is also the CYC paint gauge, what to do, is it a case they are as good as each other or is there quite a difference


----------



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Will pd8 measure on aluminium?


----------

