[heatgain]

I was at my local PBE store buying UltraFina, a 3" backplate and an interface pad when I noticed some items on a shelf marked "Sale." The item is a Mar-Hyde Paint Measuring Gauge #1099 and is selling for $15.00. Of course I bought one. It's a 4 inch long cylinder, about the thickness of a fat pen, and comes in a plastic case with instructions. It has a pocketclip attached like a pen.
It has a small magnet on one end which you place on a coated steel object, such as a car panel. You grasp the top of it and pull slowly away from the object you are measuring. The magnet sticks to the panel and as you pull away, a measuring cylinder pulls out from its sheath. The cylinder has a scale (mils) printed on it, from 14 to 0, and is spring loaded. You have to watch the scale as you pull the gauge slowly from the panel you are measuring, and when it reaches a certain point away from the panel, the spring pops the scaled cylinder back into the gauge. The last reading you saw on the scale is the mil thickness of the coating (paint). The scale markings are 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, etc.
I measured its readings against other gauges and its weirdly accurate.
It has 2 different scales, one for reading a horizontal (top) panel, another for reading a (side) vertical panel. For a panel where you're measuring from underneath, you subtract .002" (2 scale lines) to arrive at a thickness. You get readings like 2, 5, 4, 6, etc. You'll have to approximate for instance 4.5, 6.75, 3.2, etc.
It's cheap, fairly accurate, and you won't be working blindly on a car with no idea of the thickness of the paint, whether it's been repainted, etc.
I could pick some up for any members if they'd like, $15.00 plus shipping. ($6? $5?, I'm guessing).
Let me know if you'd like one. Please be sincere, don't want to lay out money and get stuck! Shipping can't be much, it doesn't weigh much?

[Denzil]

Do you think you could post some pictures of it? It sounds like a decent tool for $15 but since the measurements are only in mm, it probably would be good for just rough estimates.

[Deep Gloss Auto Salon]

Sounds just like the pro gage II

PRO MOTORCAR - ProGauge II Magnetic Paint Thickness Gauge

[heatgain]

Originally Posted by Denzil

Do you think you could post some pictures of it? It sounds like a decent tool for $15 but since the measurements are only in mm, it probably would be good for just rough estimates.

The measurements are in mils, 1/1,000 of an inch.

It looks exactly like the link below, except it says "Mar-Hyde Paint measuring Gauge
Pro Gauge" on it.
Same gauge would be my guess, but with the manufacturer's name on it.

Originally Posted by Deep Gloss Auto Salon

Sounds just like the pro gage II

PRO MOTORCAR - ProGauge II Magnetic Paint Thickness Gauge

[Denzil]

Originally Posted by heatgain

The measurements are in mils, 1/1,000 of an inch.

It looks exactly like the link below, except it says "Mar-Hyde Paint measuring Gauge
Pro Gauge" on it.
Same gauge would be my guess, but with the manufacturer's name on it.

Ah, you said MIL. For some reason I subconsciously thought mm. I think it's mostly because we do all our measurements in mm, um, and nm in class.

[heatgain]

Originally Posted by Denzil

Ah, you said MIL. For some reason I subconsciously thought mm. I think it's mostly because we do all our measurements in mm, um, and nm in class.

It's OK....I need reading glasses too

[advs1]

Originally Posted by heatgain

I was at my local PBE store buying UltraFina, a 3" backplate and an interface pad when I noticed some items on a shelf marked "Sale." The item is a Mar-Hyde Paint Measuring Gauge #1099 and is selling for $15.00. Of course I bought one. It's a 4 inch long cylinder, about the thickness of a fat pen, and comes in a plastic case with instructions. It has a pocketclip attached like a pen.
It has a small magnet on one end which you place on a coated steel object, such as a car panel. You grasp the top of it and pull slowly away from the object you are measuring. The magnet sticks to the panel and as you pull away, a measuring cylinder pulls out from its sheath. The cylinder has a scale (mils) printed on it, from 14 to 0, and is spring loaded. You have to watch the scale as you pull the gauge slowly from the panel you are measuring, and when it reaches a certain point away from the panel, the spring pops the scaled cylinder back into the gauge. The last reading you saw on the scale is the mil thickness of the coating (paint). The scale markings are 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, etc.
I measured its readings against other gauges and its weirdly accurate.
It has 2 different scales, one for reading a horizontal (top) panel, another for reading a (side) vertical panel. For a panel where you're measuring from underneath, you subtract .002" (2 scale lines) to arrive at a thickness. You get readings like 2, 5, 4, 6, etc. You'll have to approximate for instance 4.5, 6.75, 3.2, etc.
It's cheap, fairly accurate, and you won't be working blindly on a car with no idea of the thickness of the paint, whether it's been repainted, etc.
I could pick some up for any members if they'd like, $15.00 plus shipping. ($6? $5?, I'm guessing).
Let me know if you'd like one. Please be sincere, don't want to lay out money and get stuck! Shipping can't be much, it doesn't weigh much?

i would take one for sure, $20 bucks or so, cant beat it

[heatgain]

Originally Posted by advs1

i would take one for sure, $20 bucks or so, cant beat it

That's one.
Anyone else?
Of course this depends if there's any left when I do go back to that store. It IS on a "CLEARANCE SALE" shelf. Too much gas to go for one.

[richy]

I have a pro gauge II..if it's the same, you'll like it. Carlos did some comparison before with his PGII and electronic ones, and the accuracy was very close. Close enough for me given what they cost.

[sneek]

I am scared of shipping or else I would get one just to try out.