I thought those cheap fiber optic inspection scopes were junk until a hangar neighbor showed me his.

For years I stuck with the big brand scopes that cost over a grand, thinking anything under $300 was a toy. Last month, a guy working on a G650 next to me had a $250 one from a tool truck. He let me use it to check a connector in a tight spot on a Falcon 2000, and the picture was shockingly clear. It found a cracked ferrule I missed with my old mirror and light. I bought one the next week and it's already paid for itself on two jobs. Has anyone else had a good run with one of the budget inspection cameras?

3 comments

3 Comments

richard_ross2mo ago

Man, my buddy had the same shock with a cheap borescope for his car. He found a broken valve spring he'd been chasing for weeks, clear as day on the screen. Totally changed his mind about the cheap tools.

coran631mo ago

Whoa, that's pretty wild about the sewer line! I actually read somewhere that plumbers are using those cheap borescopes more and more for drain inspections instead of cutting holes in walls. My cousin said his landlord bought one just to check behind the fridge for mice droppings before a health inspection. It's amazing how a thirty dollar tool can save you thousands if you catch stuff early enough. Have you ever used one for anything surprising around the house?

michaeljones2mo ago

My old neighbor used a thirty dollar borescope to check his house's foundation vents for beehives. He ended up spotting a cracked sewer line connection the home inspector totally missed. That little camera saved him from a ten thousand dollar repair bill down the road. It's wild what you can find when you just look inside stuff.