Dropped $150 on a fancy borescope and it barely fits in a Pratt nozzle

Ngl I thought I was being smart buying one of those cheap wireless borescopes off Amazon for $150. Wanted it to check for cracks inside turbine blades without pulling the whole engine. First job I used it on was a PT6 hot section inspection and the thing wouldn't even fit past the first combustion liner hole. Ended up having to use a dental mirror and a flashlight like I was back in trade school. The camera quality was decent but the cable was too stiff to bend around tight corners inside a compressor. Honestly I should have just borrowed the Snap-on one from the older guy across the hangar. Has anyone else found a borescope that actually works for smaller turbine engines without breaking the bank?

3 comments

3 Comments

noahwood1d ago

$150 for something that can't even get past a liner hole though?

fisher.jessica1d ago

Double down on that. Even cheap lights from big box stores can handle a basic squeeze so paying triple for something that gets stuck in the same spots is a tough sell. You're basically paying for the brand name and a warranty you'll probably never use. For the casual weekend crowd, that money is better spent on a sturdy helmet and some good boots instead.

jana5091d agoTop Commenter

Man, people really get worked up about gear these days, don't they? I guess if you're doing serious caving as a hobby, a light that can't handle a tight squeeze is a real problem. But for the average person just poking around a local cave on a weekend trip, it's probably fine. Honestly, most folks would hit their head on the ceiling before they even got to a hole that small. Feels like we're comparing a Toyota Corolla to a monster truck when most of us are just driving to the grocery store.