"What's the Light For?"

In the Paintless Dent Removal process, proper lighting and reflection is very important for a quality end result. This is an image of a lighting system similar to one that I use daily.

There was a customer in the Smooth A Dent shop the other day and I was showing him some "before/after" photos. He asked me a question that I had really never even considered some one thinking about.

He said "What's the light for?" What a Great Question!

He was talking about that light band that passes through the dented area you see in many of my photos.

When I am personally showing some one different ways to read a dent and make repairs I explain the light thoroughly. But when expecting customers to see a dent in a photo and use the light, it is assumed. That's not right!

So here you go. I will keep this to a minimum and not get into the training part (mostly because much of how many PDR training facilities teach students to use the light or reflector board is flawed and leads to low quality repairs like you might find on a car lot. To straighten all that out would require a book! or at least a video!)

Simply put, the light or reflector board that you see in the reflection is only there in photos to highlight and or distinguish the area from any other background reflections such as trees, grass, buildings etc. Many times, without that light band or reflector board being in the photo, it would be difficult to see the dent in that photo as well as it can be seen in person.

Look through these photo pages on the SMOOTH A DENT website. You will see many that have either the light or reflector board in them reflecting on the vehicle surface. Some photos didn't need that aid and you won't see them.

Here is a picture of a reflector board similar to the one that I use. (I don't like that many lines on mine)

This type of device is usually used in circumstances where surrounding light is plentiful and just needs to be "reflected" onto the vehicle surface.

Thanks go to the Customer who asked this question. I appreciate it!

If you have a question about Paintless Dent Removal let me know. Maybe I can address it for everyone's benefit.

Michael Parks

SMOOTH A DENT

4533 Sunbeam Rd.

Jacksonville, Fl. 32257

www.smoothadent.com

904-347-1065