ClassicMotorcycleMechanicsJune2020

(Jacob Rumans) #1

cmm


Tool of the month


RalphFerrandworkswithtoolsallday long–hesells them


tooatbikerstoolbox.co.uk.Sohe knowswhatworks.


with


Beingbore-ing...


ABOVE:This is the
best borescopeIhave
ever used.

BELOW:The head of
the borescope shown
next to a fivepence
piece.Note the six LED
lights surrounding the
camera.

A


tool that few peopleIknow own is a
borescope.Themedical boyshaveused
them for yearsandyes, I’vesuffered ‘that’
indignity before youask!
Ihave been aware of borescopes in theautomotive
industry for over 30years, but the earlyoneswere
fromtheSnap-onman withaprice tagmore akin to
aRolex... The resolution was poorand the image
only in black andwhite with quitealarge probe so I
wasn’t really tempted.

My first borescope wasaSnap-onunitwith a
colourscreen, butstill relativelypoorresolution. I
pickedit upsecond-handfrom e-Bayforbig
wedge.It served mewelland helped me diagnose
anumberofproblems.Again, it wasabit limited
duetothe large probe.
Some years laterIwas invitedtoLaserTo olsto
seetheir full rangeofnew tools. They showed me
whatatthe time was their very latest borescope
andIwas absolutely blownaway byit.Theprobe
wasamere3.9mmindiameterandveryflexible.
Thescreen was so much betterthanmy own kit
andthe camera was far higher resolution.
The newLaser model wasso much better than
the oldSnap-on oneand is regularly used for
inspecting piston crownsfrom theplughole;
inspecting inlet valves and facesthroughthe
carburettors and inlet tract;inspecting exhaust
valves;and the insidesofpetroltanks.Thelistof
usesis pretty muchlimitless, buttheonethat
sticks outthe most was attheendof last year
where it trulysaved my bacon.
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