Choose cheap or good, not both.
OK thanks... I was thinking $70 to $100, with camera and screen... no need to break out the phone or laptop.


 
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I have that exact Vevor ^. Bought it from the recommendations previously on here. Bought it when I riveted my lower wing skins but has become one of my favorite tools. I just used it extensively on my 1946 C-140 annual inspection. Its a really nice tool. Battery lasts a long time. Images are clear. Can take pics when scoping and with a SD card.....(not included) you can download pics onto your laptop etc.
A
 
My Vividia worked for me for one set of pictures then it crapped out. It has a short somewhere and keeps turning off. I will not get another one of them. I have seen the Vervor and it looks pretty good but Im open to suggestions too.
 
My EAA chapter club had long been using the Vividia VA-450 with a 5.5mm diameter x 1m probe. It was very good until the built-in LEDs crapped out. The 1m flexible probe length was a little awkward to maneuver inside the cylinders and forced twisting of the probe to properly frame our object probably induced the LED failure. I think a shorter solid probe shaft (with 180 degree flex tip) is much easier to maneuver and to orient the image.

Nevertheless, as a replacement, we found on Amazon a DXZtoz borescope for about $100. The probe was 8.5mm x 2m. The 2m length is even more awkward for framing, bordering on difficult, to use in our cylinders. However, the true negative is that while the tip was advertised as flexing to 180 degrees, we could only get it to flex to about 135 degrees. We tried contacting the manufacturer but emails were returned as non-deliverable. Also of note, the field of view was about 1/2 as wide as our original borescope, not ideal. The unit is workable for our cylinder inspections, but not ideal for easy framing of the image we want. We gladly pay more for easier use.

These days image quality, even with cheap stand-alone borescopes, is not really an issue. The more important factors are probe-tip flex range, shorter or rigid probe length, and wide field of view. With lessons learned, we will search further for the optimal borescope.
 
I want to check cylinders and valves. Anyone have good tips. Want to spend $100 or less. Thanks
I bought a Teslong articulating borescope from Amazon for $118 bucks last June to use for my condition inspection. It can record images, has a slim probe so you can get it through small tooling holes, a lighted articulating arm and easy to view screen, plus you can recharge the battery via USB. I've been very happy with it.
 

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I bought a Teslong articulating borescope from Amazon for $118 bucks last June to use for my condition inspection. It can record images, has a slim probe so you can get it through small tooling holes, a lighted articulating arm and easy to view screen, plus you can recharge the battery via USB. I've been very happy with it.
I have same one works great.
 
+1 for Vividia.
About not wanting something that plugs to your phone - I've actually found it extremely helpful to be able to snap pictures of what I'm looking at with my phone and have them uploaded to Google Photos automatically.
 
+1 on the Vevor. Have used it for quite a few things at the hangar & projects around the house. Works well with a little practice & patience.
 
I have the Vividia VA-400, but the Vevor model described in post #3 is much, much easier to use. And less expensive.

The Vevor is a game changer for doing inspections also - looking for cracks and other important things in areas one could normally not see.

I got the tip for this scope from MacCool - thanks Howard!
 
:ROFLMAO:I have the Vividia VA-400, but the Vevor model described in post #3 is much, much easier to use. And less expensive.

The Vevor is a game changer for doing inspections also - looking for cracks and other important things in areas one could normally not see.

I got the tip for this scope from MacCool - thanks Howard!
I probably use it more at home than in the hangar. It's great for in-wall wiring projects. I recently used it for running a new water line to the fridge, and just yesterday used it to retrieve an AirPod that the cat knocked under the refrigerator.

Oh..and my A&P actually used it as a borescope at the conditional (: inspection he just finished.
 
Does anyone have this 360 degree version of the Vervor? 360 Vervor
Im not sure what the 360 does over the standard flex head but only a few more bucks.
Vevor’s standard articulating endoscope will flex 180°, but in only one plane. Their 360° articulating endoscope will flex in multiple planes. That kind of steerability and flexibility is everything in fiber optic endoscopy. Especially given the price differential, there’s absolutely no question in my mind that I would buy the newer 360° version. Not to mention that they have almost certainly improved the optics and video processing.
 
I have a Teslong Two-Way Articulating Borescope, 5.5mm Slim Probe and love it.


The slim probe really makes a difference in certain use cases.

It recently failed after 10 months, I was getting the no camera error. But Teslong warranty / customer service is great and they sent me a new unit.
 
I have a Teslong Two-Way Articulating Borescope, 5.5mm Slim Probe and love it.


The slim probe really makes a difference in certain use cases.

It recently failed after 10 months, I was getting the no camera error. But Teslong warranty / customer service is great and they sent me a new unit.
+1. I like it.
 
I went with Amazon's TOP choice and was just under $80.... I LOVE IT... It even came with a 32 Gb SD card to record video and pictures.

I am closing up bottom of wing, and mirrors and flashlight are great, BUT.... It is TOO GOOD (kidding), but any defect, tiny mark on shop head, not square set, or a small scratch on nearby structure from bucking bar, it can look huge... Mirror and flashlight it looks 100%. It has x1, x2, x4, x8 zoom.
  • I ended up drilling out 3 defective rivets. Keep in mind when bucking these they are by feel.
  • Two rivets too short. Dwg says -4, but -4.5 better. May be short ones mixed in? Replaced.
  • Another 4 or so were under set, and needed further setting.
  • Best to get them while you can before they become inaccessible.
  • Wanted this tool* to also check cylinders/valves, accessory gears.
I struggled with a cheap USB on phone cameral. Being cheap, good enough. I thought bore scopes were $1000's and they can be. The real cheap solution, no articulation and camera plugged into phone on the end of a floppy cable not great. I did that, used tape to attach solid bare 14 AWG copper wire to camera cable so I could extended it into tight areas, and bend when working on car. Did a timing belt change. Dropped hardware into bowls of the engine bay. I found it, but not easy. Alignment of timing marks also a the camera came in handy.

Dedicated camera, flexible cable, articulation,, screen with handle and controls, to zoom, rotate, record (video and pic) is far better. Perfect? Well you have to do some mental orientation, but that is operator skill issue.... Is the camera top notch Olympus or an arthroscopic surgery camera? No, but for under $100 the images are very good. Why I did not buy one sooner I don't know. It also came with carry case. Really great value. Not trying to sell anyone. Just happy I got it, and I don't have half dozen sub par rivets in my wing.
 
+1. Very good value. Amazing what you can get these days. I bought an 8' Olympus articulated fiberscope in ~1995. I think I (the company) paid $20k for it.
I still have and use my rigid Olympus, all glass (no camera) best optics ever!
 
I went with Amazon's TOP choice and was just under $80.... I LOVE IT... It even came with a 32 Gb SD card to record video and pictures.

I am closing up bottom of wing, and mirrors and flashlight are great, BUT.... It is TOO GOOD (kidding), but any defect, tiny mark on shop head, not square set, or a small scratch on nearby structure from bucking bar, it can look huge... Mirror and flashlight it looks 100%. It has x1, x2, x4, x8 zoom.
  • I ended up drilling out 3 defective rivets. Keep in mind when bucking these they are by feel.
  • Two rivets too short. Dwg says -4, but -4.5 better. May be short ones mixed in? Replaced.
  • Another 4 or so were under set, and needed further setting.
  • Best to get them while you can before they become inaccessible.
  • Wanted this tool* to also check cylinders/valves, accessory gears.
I struggled with a cheap USB on phone cameral. Being cheap, good enough. I thought bore scopes were $1000's and they can be. The real cheap solution, no articulation and camera plugged into phone on the end of a floppy cable not great. I did that, used tape to attach solid bare 14 AWG copper wire to camera cable so I could extended it into tight areas, and bend when working on car. Did a timing belt change. Dropped hardware into bowls of the engine bay. I found it, but not easy. Alignment of timing marks also a the camera came in handy.

Dedicated camera, flexible cable, articulation,, screen with handle and controls, to zoom, rotate, record (video and pic) is far better. Perfect? Well you have to do some mental orientation, but that is operator skill issue.... Is the camera top notch Olympus or an arthroscopic surgery camera? No, but for under $100 the images are very good. Why I did not buy one sooner I don't know. It also came with carry case. Really great value. Not trying to sell anyone. Just happy I got it, and I don't have half dozen sub par rivets in my wing.
Do you have a link to this borescope on Amazon or can you tell me the manufacturer and model?

Thanks!
 
Do you have a link to this borescope on Amazon or can you tell me the manufacturer and model?

Thanks!


LumenScope Articulating Borescope Camera with Light,Two-Way Industrial Endoscope Inspection Camera with 0.24In Articulated Probe, 5.3FT Flexible Snake Bore Scope Cam for Automotive Engine Inspect.

For the money I like. mburch post #19 looks like the camera can bend in all directions, he says on sale sub $250. Mine only goes in two directions, which I do find useful. I think what I have will serve me well.
 

LumenScope Articulating Borescope Camera with Light,Two-Way Industrial Endoscope Inspection Camera with 0.24In Articulated Probe, 5.3FT Flexible Snake Bore Scope Cam for Automotive Engine Inspect.

For the money I like. mburch post #19 looks like the camera can bend in all directions, he says on sale sub $250. Mine only goes in two directions, which I do find useful. I think what I have will serve me well.
Thanks, Jackking123. I think this might work for me, too. This thread has lots of great choices!
 

I have seen this DXZtoz unit in action, and it's a clear cut above the previous affordable units myself and the ramp rats have encountered. I will be upgrading to this soon from my Depstech bluetooth coupled borescope that's served me well for a few years, this DXZtoz unit is better to work with, and more important has much better clarity.
 
Does anyone have this 360 degree version of the Vervor? 360 Vervor
Im not sure what the 360 does over the standard flex head but only a few more bucks.
It would be very good provided the steering has some sort of friction which holds it in position. If it springs back to center when the joy stick is released it would not be good.
 
i found the flexible snake on Vevor too soft. added a scrap copper rod to it above the articulated end (some shrink tubing every 5 inches or so to keep the rod attached). allows to shape the probe if needed but it does not flex on its own anymore when moving around .
 
I bought a Teslong articulating borescope from Amazon for $118 bucks last June to use for my condition inspection. It can record images, has a slim probe so you can get it through small tooling holes, a lighted articulating arm and easy to view screen, plus you can recharge the battery via USB. I've been very happy with it.
I have that same model I got on Amazon and its been great to use! Highly recommend and the picture quality is very good.