Borescope inspection camera

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Nium

Senior Member
Location
Bethlehem, PA
Any recommendations/opinions on a borescope/inspection camera? I've always thought one would come in handy to look behind walls without having to cut a 4" hole to get a mirror in there. I've been looking at the Milwaukee M12 Cordless M-Spector Digital Inspection Camera and was wondering if anyone has had any experience using one.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00914156000P?keyword=m-Spector

or would something like the VOscope Video Stick be a better quality product?
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00982943000P?keyword=voscope&sLevel=0

I'm sure the General Video Borescope would be the way to go but $1500.00 is out of the price range right now.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00987768000P?keyword=general+borescope&sLevel=0

Yes, I've been looking through the Sears Tool Catalog :grin:. Thanks any input appreciated.
 

wshoard

Member
Location
Tallahassee, FL
I have the M-12, it's been kinda a love hate relationship. The first one I bought failed within 2 hrs, LED quit working. The replacement lasted about 2 weeks, led failed. The 3rd one is still working, knock on wood.

The unit is ok, but I don't feel it was worth the price.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
I have the Ridgid SeeSnake Micro as well.

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But since Santa didn't bring me what I wanted last week, I'll have to start saving up for a MicroExplorer.

thumbnail.asp
 

B4T

Senior Member
I bought the see snake and IMO it was a POS.

I was looking for splice boxes above a sheet rocked ceiling.

I returned the see snake and went back to cutting a 6" hole and using mirror/flashlight thing.

Very old school and low tech.. work great every time. :grin:
 

sd4524

Senior Member
I don't have a seesnake or any type of inspection camera but I figured out a new trick while trying to fish some wire down a wall this week. I had my hole cut in wall for a cut in box and was trying to get a wire to it from the attic. My blackberry has a camera with flash on it so I put the phone in the wall and took a picture with the camera facing up. It took a perfectly clear picture of the entire bay and allowed me to see where the wire was getting hung up!
Not as good I'm sure as more expensive alternatives but it helped.
 

brian john

Senior Member
Location
Leesburg, VA
I don't have a seesnake or any type of inspection camera but I figured out a new trick while trying to fish some wire down a wall this week. I had my hole cut in wall for a cut in box and was trying to get a wire to it from the attic. My blackberry has a camera with flash on it so I put the phone in the wall and took a picture with the camera facing up. It took a perfectly clear picture of the entire bay and allowed me to see where the wire was getting hung up!
Not as good I'm sure as more expensive alternatives but it helped.


Hey if it works, a very good idea.
 

massfd

Member
With my luck the blackberry would wind up in the bottom of the wall cavity when I lost my grip on it, lost a few tools that way.
 

Nium

Senior Member
Location
Bethlehem, PA
sd4524,
I've done similar using a digital camera, innovative using the blackberry.

brian john and 480sparky,
I hadn't seen the SeeSnake yet I'll have to look into it defiantly looks like it could fit the bill.

I appreciate the posts of problems with the equipment too.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
sd4524,
I've done similar using a digital camera, innovative using the blackberry.

brian john and 480sparky,
I hadn't seen the SeeSnake yet I'll have to look into it defiantly looks like it could fit the bill.

I appreciate the posts of problems with the equipment too.


Try Home Depot. They may not have them in the tool area. I've usually seen them at the contractors' counter. If you don't see them, ask. They should have them.
 

~Shado~

Senior Member
Location
Aurora, Colorado
They take some getting used to, but once you do they are worth their weight in gold.

Agreed...and it does not take long to recoup investment. Just a few jobs that otherwise would have been a PITA with out one, and, you be saying... 'Why didn't I find this thing earlier?':grin:
 

dmagyar

Senior Member
Location
Rocklin, Ca.
Ridgid Sea Snake Micro

Ridgid Sea Snake Micro

I've got one of the original Ridgid sea snakes Micros. It used to have a 17 mm. camera head which was huge, I fixed that on a HD TV installation, breaking off the head inside some custom cabinetry. The screen wasn't damaged and I was able to purchase a new 9 mm head with a 3' cable. It's very small by comparrison to the original. It's been money well spent, you'll never wonder what it was you hit inside the wall again. With the accessory hook it has you can almost do miracles.
 

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
I have 2 rigid see snakes and one milwaulkee bat powered NOT rechargeable inspection camera and have month by month aquiring extensions for the rigid. One huge trick is to tape the seesnake to the end of fishsticks to help direct the camera. If you are having trouble with the tool you are not trying to use it correctly. It is awesome and I use it all of the time. Indespensable fishing above a panel to see extra /empty holes in the top plate to guide a fishstick into the attic. One 2 wire in a drilled hole you can see everything clearly and guide a snake /fishstick into an existing hole. Get with the technology it will make your life easier.
 

wwhitney

Senior Member
Location
Berkeley, CA
Occupation
Retired
Source, please?
The ridgid seesnake micro parts numbers can be found here:

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/SeeSnake-micro

The 9.5mm head is 30068 and the accessory pack is 30223. So you can google "ridgid 30068" to find your favorite online vendor. Note that the 9.5mm head has only one LED light instead of two, and I've been unable to find out if the field of view is the same as the 17mm head.

Cheers, Wayne
 
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