Borescopes under $1k

Looking to buy a borescope, figured we can start a discussion here. I know there are dental scopes that are being used and are cheap but I want a "real" borescope, that's flexible, and smaller to fit into tighter areas.

There are options on Ebay for endoscopes that seem to be pretty nice and would work and are under $1k.

Heres another option that I like, but looking for some reviews/input. Anyone use these??

http://www.fiberscope.net/usb-video-...pe-handle.html



So....who owns a borescope and post up your thoughts

At that resolution, the little contractors fiber optic gooseneck inspection devices are probably going to work as well. Mine's a Milwaukee.

Make sure that whatever youi buy will go through the smallest opening you think you will ever use. We use a couple different brands at work, most with 6' or longer capabilities and with changable heads. Body diameters range from 3/16th" or so to about 3/8" with different capabilities. If you can, play with what you are looking at prior to buying it. The ones we use run about the same cost as a new pickup although our inspection group is trying out some new hand held battery operated units that are promising and nowhere near as expensive.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CraigCantwell

Make sure that whatever youi buy will go through the smallest opening you think you will ever use. We use a couple different brands at work, most with 6' or longer capabilities and with changable heads. Body diameters range from 3/16th" or so to about 3/8" with different capabilities. If you can, play with what you are looking at prior to buying it. The ones we use run about the same cost as a new pickup although our inspection group is trying out some new hand held battery operated units that are promising and nowhere near as expensive.

---

do you have names of brands that you liked? What to look for when purchasing?

my main reason for getting one was to inspect the lycoming valves. you need to see at a 90 degree angle right after entering the spark plug hole. the one i tried had a mirror to attach on the end. no luck! i even had a removed cylinder to work with. it was a borescopesrus. good luck.

I'll have to do some digging when we get back to work. Unfortunately we are out on strike now, so I have no access to the plant or equipment. I do know that several of our scopes that have changable heads are Olympus units, but even used, these cost more than a new pickup. I will see if I can come up with a couple of the other names in the next couple of days via web searches. I know that there are bunch of smaller ones out there, but a lot of the inexpensive units have large diameter heads and require access holes at least as large as sparkpugs.

I would like a videoscope. I thought about this one for $279 at Aircraft tool supply.

http://www.aircraft-tool.com/shop/search_result.aspx

However in a flyer, I saw this one from of all places, Harbor Freight. It seems to be exactly the same one sold by ATS. However I am reluctant to buy something I want long term from Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/high-re...der-67980.html

The reviews on it seemed encouraging with one person warning that the mirror came off inside a cylinder.

If anyone has any input I am extremely interested in this subject.

Rick

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CraigCantwell

I'll have to do some digging when we get back to work. Unfortunately we are out on strike now, so I have no access to the plant or equipment. I do know that several of our scopes that have changable heads are Olympus units, but even used, these cost more than a new pickup. I will see if I can come up with a couple of the other names in the next couple of days via web searches. I know that there are bunch of smaller ones out there, but a lot of the inexpensive units have large diameter heads and require access holes at least as large as sparkpugs.

---

Occasionally you see medical endoscopes for sale on E-Bay and stuff. That would be my first choice honestly since they are about as flexible as you can get so you could look around pretty much the entire cylinder, including back "up" the way you came in through. You can also find one that will display on a TV or computer which would allow for documentation purposes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by steveinindy

Occasionally you see medical endoscopes for sale on E-Bay and stuff. That would be my first choice honestly since they are about as flexible as you can get so you could look around pretty much the entire cylinder, including back "up" the way you came in through. You can also find one that will display on a TV or computer which would allow for documentation purposes.

---

Yeah, I was looking at those. There are quite a few options. But they lack a lot of information in the ads, and I don't know much about them. It seems like you'd have to know what model you are looking for....

any ideas?

I'm trying to avoid the harbor freight/dewalt stuff. i would THINK there is a difference in quality, resolution, lighting, etc.....but it's hard to figure out, you almost have to buy everything and try them out.

Maybe there's a market to put together a website that details all this

The Olympus ones are all around pretty great but as someone mentioned they tend to command a higher price as a result. I've never had a bad experience with them (speaking from several years of experience assisting with bronchoscopy procedures). A Google search will tend to bring up a lot of the information on the various models and manufacturers once you have the part or model number.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by steveinindy

The Olympus ones are all around pretty great but as someone mentioned they tend to command a higher price as a result. I've never had a bad experience with them (speaking from several years of experience assisting with bronchoscopy procedures). A Google search will tend to bring up a lot of the information on the various models and manufacturers once you have the part or model number.

---

Here's what I don't understand about the medical stuff.

Something like this, is the scope

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OLYMPUS-GIF-...#ht_500wt_1144

what else do you need to get the video? Do you need the light source? Some sort of power supply? How do you connect this scope to a TV monitor/computer??

I think that's where the price goes through the roof, you can get the scope itself for under $1k, but what else is needed?

Generally, you need a separate light/power source (depending upon the model) but those can be had for about the same price (if not less) than the scope itself. A lot of them can be viewed straight down the "tube" through an eyepiece but for the most part, you very seldom see that being done because of ergonomics. Usually the connection cable to the TV is provided with the scope.

If you were to go with a basic medical endoscope that needed an external power source and were OK with using an eyepiece, you probably could get completely equipped for $2000-2500. Not exactly cheap but just be glad you don't need the full medical setup which can top out $75,000-150,000 once you figure in all the various accouterments.

Need to look at VOscope 6mm tip, 3ft shaft

VOscope VS36-6W Video Scope Sold by Amazon.com LLC (Amazon.com)

$161.82

Snap On makes a very nice Video Borescope with a 18" flexible shaft and dual viewing for straight on or 90 degree viewing, no mirrors to fall off in the cylinder and about $400 bucks. I have had mine for two years now and it has become the most used tool in the shop, not just for looking at valves but to find that washer or screw you dropped into never never land!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RickFE

However in a flyer, I saw this one from of all places, Harbor Freight. It seems to be exactly the same one sold by ATS. However I am reluctant to buy something I want long term from Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/high-re...der-67980.html

The reviews on it seemed encouraging with one person warning that the mirror came off inside a cylinder.

If anyone has any input I am extremely interested in this subject.

Rick

---

I am definitely a Harbor Freight skeptic, but I have been researching recently too and decided to stop and pick up one of these, understanding that I could return it if it didn't do what I wanted (cylinder inspections). I'm impressed, don't know how durable it will be but it works well. Don't like the built in Lithium battery idea but I'll probably be able to replace it when it fails. When using while plugged in a cord symbol shows on the screen so it seems happy with that too.

Mark

Here are links to two of the types we have at work:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Everest-VIT-...item4602d7707e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-IPLE...item3a7399d0d6

For most things I use the Everest as it has multiple heads and with a diameter of less than 5mm, I get it almost anywhere in the airplane. It is a little bulky to haul up on the fuselage, but we make it work. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it tho.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by flylower

Snap On makes a very nice Video Borescope with a 18" flexible shaft and dual viewing for straight on or 90 degree viewing, no mirrors to fall off in the cylinder and about $400 bucks. I have had mine for two years now and it has become the most used tool in the shop, not just for looking at valves but to find that washer or screw you dropped into never never land!

---

Yeah, I was looking into those, as I can get a discount on snapon stuff I think. But they seem to have similar specs to anything else in the market (like the VOscope, dewalt, harbor freight, etc) Have you seen any side by side examples of the picture quality?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by CraigCantwell

Here are links to two of the types we have at work:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Everest-VIT-...item4602d7707e

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olympus-IPLE...item3a7399d0d6

For most things I use the Everest as it has multiple heads and with a diameter of less than 5mm, I get it almost anywhere in the airplane. It is a little bulky to haul up on the fuselage, but we make it work. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it tho.

---

$7k and $15k doesn't help this discussion, lol. If I wanted to spend that much it'd be easy to make a decision.


Justin

I bought a fiber optic borescope ($75), a cheapo endoscope that plugs into my computer ($25) and borrowed a $400 Snap ON scope to look at the valves on my O200. None of them worked well enough to be useful. If anyone finds a $200 model that works well please let me know who sells it!