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PDR Tool Reviews

PDR LED Light Review | Paintless Dent Repair

Hello, my name is Myke Toledo. I wanted to share some of my thoughts about the latest PDR LED Lights that are available. Now, I was not able to review every LED light made from other PDR companies. I understand I left some out but this is based on my own purchases and what seemed to interest me at the time.

Since I have been in the PDR industry, the development and innovation of lighting has come a long way.Portability, weight and efficiency seem to be the main stream of the new PDR lights. And added to those benefits are now LED lighting. My latest review will be about some common PDR light stands, LED reflections and even a cordless LED light option. So join me as I share my findings and hope you find this review interesting.

I ordered the most common lights around but I do want to note there are a couple other LED lights as well from A1 tools and Dent Gear I did not have a chance to review. Thanks for joining me, so lets check out the goods.

Pro PDR Solutions

I purchased 2 lights from Pro PDR Solutions. The first one I will talk about is the portable 36″ shop light version. I have 5 LED strips that give me plenty of choices when it comes to colors and variations. I can toggle between color sequences to gain the best shadow and lighting. This allows a lot of flexibility depending on the color of vehicle I am working on. In most cases, the warm / cool combinations seem to work best. But it all depends on your personal light preference.

The 3 foot light on the Pro PDR Solutions stand is built well with lots of thought in mind. The wheels that support the stand are very smooth and glides effortlessly around the floor. There are multiple ways to move the light in your desired position by grabbing the collar, ball joint shaft or simply turning the fixture itself clock or counter clockwise. Turn knobs are helpful for adjusting height as well Just as the same as Ultra’s, Pro PDR Solutions neck pivots as well. I find the Pro PDR light stand very easy to set up and travel with. My 3 foot light set up came with battery terminal cables and a battery tray. This safely holds my deep cycle battery without concern. **Note, I did insert the battery tray wrong on the video and will correct it showing another photo later. Battery tray actually fits flush on the opposite side.

The light fixture itself is very thin and light with toggle switches on each end for your desired light reflection. You can order your light with as little as 1 or 6 LED strips, depending on the model you purchase. The most common is the three pattern, 2 warm on the outside and cool white in the middle. Pro PDR Solutions also offers a Fat Head version which is 11″ wide with add on options for up to 12 strips of LEDs.

When the light is properly set up, I see my damage is very apparent. Pro PDR Solution’s light is very bright and works really well. You can customize the Standard LED light with up to a total of 6 LED strips, including Blue, Green, Red or Orange LED’s

 

Pro PDR Solutions 7″ Wide Mini Light

A thin and very light Mini LED light from Pro PDR Solutions. A plug and play 12v corded LED light that is very bright even in broad daylight. The 12″ Standard LED light is 7″ wide and comes with a suction cup, loc-line mount and a cigarette lighter plug to run off a 12 volt battery. You can see the different options and combinations I have with this light. Unfortunately I already striped my lens but you can still see the fade on the outside. If you are planning to work outside, I would consider getting this light. The cool white LED strips are crazy bright and you will need it on a sunny day. It comes standard with a three strip LED. Like mine, you can customize the Standard LED light with up to 6 LED strips. again colors include; Blue, Green, Red or Orange LED’s as well.  

Ultra Dent Tools.


Ultra’s light stand is well built with also a lot of thought in mind. A nice feature is the swivel head that allows you to turn your light fixture from one side or the other without moving the lower half of the stand. Adjustable knobs that permits you to easily customize the height and length. The collar, once adjusted, easily rotates and slides up and down and around the bar. As an option, you can order a battery tray (sold separately) to support your battery for power source.

The LED light fixture is well made with an industrial 12v coil cord that helps prevent messy tangles. Your toggle switch or switches are on one side or both, depending on the LED light sequences you ordered. Compared to the Pro PDR Solutions light, Ultra’s LED’s are further back which gives a slight different look.

The width of the LED housing is deeper than that PDR Pro Solutions but is still very light and strong. The side of the housing also has recessed edges that are tabs, which allow the the lens cover to stay in place without slipping off or the need for tape or velcro. Ultra Dent Tools shop LED light performs very well. I find the light stand very stable and sturdy with plenty of positions to set up my light. A work horse light, especially for the hail industry.

The 3 LED light system gave me multiple options to view. The fade to be very detailed and I prefer the cool white on the outside and warm in the middle. I use this color combo because it also works best with my lines as well.

Ultra Single Pole Stand

If you like simplicity but don’t want to sacrifice quality lighting, then you will appreciate the Ultra Single Pole Stand. Just 2 pieces, the pole and square base with rolling casters. You technically don’t have to take it apart if you have the room. In most cases, PDR techs choose the 2 foot over the 3 foot light for this model. But I prefer the 3 foot because I can easily switch from my single pole stand to my shop stand, no problem. It’s even universal if you happen to have a Pro PDR solutions light or a collar that fits the diameter of the pole.

If haven’t noticed already, I added the ball joint fork for extended rotation that can swivel 180 degrees from one side to the other. Making this my most versatile and full size light set up option. I highly recommend getting this product if you don’t already have one. There is only one small drawback. There are no locks on the wheels so you would need to prevent the stand from rolling away if on a slope. I think a quick trip to a hardware store and purchase some casters with locks would solve this easy challenge. Without a doubt, this set up is travel friendly without giving up set up time.

Carl Stuckey’s Light

I found Dent Specialists International to be one of the most interesting. With a cordless option, there is a lot of flexibility. I had to get use to no cords. What a weird feeling but a welcomed one for sure.  

18″ in length, this very portable LED light is powered with a 12v rechargeable battery that can last up to 6 hours! It reflects more than a proper fog for any veteran or newbie PDR tech. It ships with a neoprene cover to prevent accidental scratching Surprisingly bright, you won’t have a bit of trouble using this light inside or even in outdoor conditions.

The battery must removed from the velcro strap and do not touch the metal flaps on the outside like I did. Duh. I did and broke one off.

Something you need to keep in mind, my light was custom ordered with a different light sequence. It generally comes cool white in the middle and warm on the outside edges. However you can request the same as mine if you desire. They also make a 12″ cordless version as well. You can find them on dentspecialistsinternational.com

I find the the cordless light to have an outstanding fog and fade. A lot of detail is shown with great contrast and texture in the reflection.

About my Reflections

I striped my lens because my main repair reflection I use are lines. But I like options when it comes to repairing dents and with multiple set ups, I have the best of both worlds. I find for hail, this combo pattern works best for me. I have lines on one side and a nice shadow fade on the other. This allows me to quickly use both reflections and cross reference as I go into the dent.

If I am working a big dent, I prefer a wider line pattern like I have for this lens. As the dent becomes smaller, I can flip the lens and then cross check for detail if I wish. I generally stay with lines preferably but wanted to demonstrate some interesting options for you to see as well.

What type of reflection should you use? To be honest, it all depends what you like and comprehend . I’ve mentioned this before again and again. It’s not the reflection you use what matters, it’s how well you understand it. I love diversity and appreciate new ways to see a dent. LED lighting helps enhance my lines and seems to be the same for the fog and shadow systems.

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