calling all Autobody Technicians

[mikepmcs]

Looking for some further education on finding different brands of spectrophotometers and the like.  I know of the dupont chromavision and acquire rx, but would like other brands and info please on color match cameras.

Where to buy/retailers?
Brand Name?
experiences good or bad?
price if you know it?
does it come with the software?

Thanks

v/r
Mike

[hemi-hampton]

I've never had good luck with these, I've seen others get 3 perfect matches in a row But I've gotten 3 bad Matches in a row. Because of my Bad experiance with them I try to stay away from them, But, I suffer from MLS (murphys law syndrome. LEON.

[mikepmcs]

So Hemi, how do you match the paint?
v/r
mike

[hemi-hampton]

Unless you plan on panel painting you blend, or you tint it yourself if you have access to a mixing machine, or if the Paint code has Alternative #'s you try a Alternative or if you have a Paint Chip Deck with the Alternatives in there you look threw those & pick a winner. If nitpicky on color match you do many test panel spray outs with those cardboard black & white Checkered test panels, ect, ect. Have you ever tried any of these Methods?  LEON.

[mikepmcs]

oh yeah the boys do that here all the time.  thanks for the info.  you ever use one of them light guns to find defects and match color?
v/r
Mike

[Charger-Bodie]

oh yeah the boys do that here all the time.  thanks for the info.  you ever use one of them light guns to find defects and match color?
v/r
Mike

mike the sun gun works awesome ......by the way the color scanning machines arent all that they are cracked up to be they pick the closest formula that is in its memory. so it could be right on and it could be close but needing tinting or it could be blue when you are looking for brown........ps believe it or not its not a tool thats used on a regular basis in a shop, its nice when you need it but for the most part you just look up the code on the computer  check the the variants and mix up the one you chose. the main reason for the tool is to find a formula when there is no code present ect.

[mikepmcs]

Brian
Thanks, looks like i need not pursue the spectrophotometer but i think I will buy a sun gun for the shop.  I read up on it and it looks like a really neat deal.  I just started working here managing(not even getting paid yet, hee hee) and want to get these boys quality up a notch.  Must be my Navy background.

What formula program do you use and what paint to you prefer.   We use SW  u7000 and the formula express program from Sherwin as well.

one last thing, we are a collision center but do take on anything people will bring us but mostly still tailored towards newer vehicles.

Thank You

v/r
Mike

[Charger-Bodie]

Mike
   i prefer Sikkens auto baseplus and auto clear 3 the match is awesome the tech service is great ! if you have guys that are more wastful id probly goe with there cheaper line which is lesonal is very similer product and doesnt have as many bells and wistles all the paint cos out there right now make good products but the color match of sikkens is far superior so in my opinion we save money in the long run cause of the color match and the coverage of the autobase plus [its more expensive on the shelf but less expensive on the car. hope this helps you ,Brian

[mikepmcs]

Thanks again Brian.

You nailed it, the fellas are always mixing too much paint and that is huge money lost.  I stopped that stuff the second day.  I'm right over there shoulder since i'm punching in the formulas and quantity now. This is a father and sons business and they are way old school and don't pay much attention to cost items.  Efficiency and quality are very big deals in my opinion.  I believe if I can turn that around this place will be rolling and some of the money saved will allow Danny(Dad) to maybe up their pay a little.  I just need to get the boys to realize that.

Now if I could get some updated alt chips we'll be in there(his are still 2000, doh!), and my sun gun of course.

v/r
Mike

[Charger-Bodie]

Thanks again Brian.

You nailed it, the fellas are always mixing too much paint and that is huge money lost.  I stopped that stuff the second day.  I'm right over there shoulder since i'm punching in the formulas and quantity now. This is a father and sons business and they are way old school and don't pay much attention to cost items.  Efficiency and quality are very big deals in my opinion.  I believe if I can turn that around this place will be rolling and some of the money saved will allow Danny(Dad) to maybe up their pay a little.  I just need to get the boys to realize that.

Now if I could get some updated alt chips we'll be in there(his are still 2000, doh!), and my sun gun of course.

v/r
Mike

sounds like you are on the right track!!

[hemi-hampton]

I can't stand working on new cars in Mass Production body shops. Nothing is fast enough or good enough. Doing new cars is nothing like doing a Quality old car Restoration. 2 Totally different things but some people see no differance Hmmm

[Charger-Bodie]

I can't stand working on new cars in Mass Production body shops. Nothing is fast enough or good enough. Doing new cars is nothing like doing a Quality old car Restoration. 2 Totally different things but some people see no differance Hmmm

i agree thats why we treat all the cars we work on that way we are not the shop that has 15 cars in the shop at a time we are a fairly low key 2 person [both owners] shop with the main objective to do quality work and having the best reputation around because that will keep us in bussiness unlike a run of quikies like alot of shops do! so just remember a newer car doesnt have to have a less quality repair most people just choose to do it that way!

[hemi-hampton]

Insurance Company's nowadays dont want to pay anything. They try to get off with paying as least/cheap as possible. As a result if a car takes 20 hours to do properly but Insurance wants to only pay 10 then you get a cheap low quality job, I'm not working 10 hours for free on Commision. Happens all the time though. Insurance now only want to pay for cheap low Quality made in Taiwan aftermarket parts, no more dealership parts since to exspensive but these fit better with out the hours needed to make aftermarket fit which you dont get paid for. I actually made more money in 1989 working commision at a Kales Collision (now the Collision Shop) then I make now 18 years later on these newer cars. Now how does that make any sense? LEON.