Need help with temperature

[Piper]

I don't know if this section is the most suitable but here goes. I am going to purchase a laser thermometer. I have had a couple of sticky calipers, do some exhaust work as well as powder coating various components so I'm sure it'll come in handy. I haven't purchased it yet but will in the next day or 2. I'm wondering if there is any chart or source for various temperature readings "normally functioning" items would have. In the past when I check brakes, if my finger gets a good burn I usually tear it down. I can't tell whether that's 200*F or ???*F.

Does anyone know of a source for this sort of stuff? I'm mostly interested in automotive things as my powder coat stuff all comes with temp values on the box.

Thanks

Piper

 

[alfadan]

I got my dad one of those small, egg-sized (?) remote thermo's at HF for 10 bucks, works pretty well and I checked it against a regular contact thermo, accurate enough I'd say. It loses a little accuracy on shiney metals and things, but not too bad.

 

[SteveU]

The one I have goes to 525*F & is useful on a lot of things except anything close to the exhaust which is hotter than it reads to. Been thinking of getting one which reads to 1400*F but not sure it would be worth the money for the limited applications it would work on that the other one won't. I replaced a sticking rear caliper for a lady at work 3 winters ago, got a reading of 450* or so after driving it 20 miles when it took 10 mi or so before it started squeeling.

 

[Abe]

You might want to read this article http://www.allqa.com/IR.htm . The info there could be very useful if you want to take an accurate mesuremaent with a non-contact thermometer.