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I dropped $450 on a new infrared paint curing lamp and it's been a game changer for my small shop
My old setup for drying filler and primer was just too slow, especially in the winter when my shop gets cold. I kept putting off buying one of those infrared lamps because the price seemed high, but I finally bit the bullet after a job ran two days over. This thing heats the repair area directly, not the whole car, so it cures stuff in minutes instead of hours. I used it yesterday on a quarter panel repair and the filler was ready to block in under ten minutes. It also seems to help with getting a better bond on some of the newer sealers. The upfront cost hurt, but I'm already saving so much time on every job. Has anyone else made the switch to infrared curing, and what brand are you using?
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ray3566d ago
Totally get the winter shop struggle. Something @hollyl25 might find useful is using the IR lamp to pre-warm metal before applying epoxy primer on a cold panel. It drives off any hidden moisture and gets the surface to a good temp for adhesion, which is huge for avoiding future corrosion. I also hit the backside of a weld-through primer spot with it for a minute before plug welding, seems to make a cleaner bond. That direct heat is just so much more controlled than a space heater blasting everything.
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hollyl256d ago
That ten minute cure time on filler is what sold me on the tech too. I started with a cheaper 500 watt panel but upgraded to a 1500 watt unit for bigger repairs. The real game changer is using it between primer coats, it practically eliminates solvent pop on humid days. You ever try it for speeding up adhesive set times on trim?
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