Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

MM

MM wrote:
Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?


I'd like one as well.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Sun, 18 May 2008 14:39:21 +0100, MM wrote:

Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

A small cheap pen camera is probably a better bet.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

A number carefully aligned optic fibres, lots of them, the resolution
dependant on the number of fibres in the bundle. I doubt very much that a
cheap one exists or that it's practicle to make one.


--
Cheers
Dave.

On Sun, 18 May 2008 15:06:38 GMT, The Medway Handyman wrote:

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

I'd like one as well.

See my other post. B-) A "mirror on a stick" is quite handy:

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/64760


--
Cheers
Dave.

MM wrote:

Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

This came up not long ago, and I saved the following link, which might
be useful/interesting:
http://www.dansdata.com/pencamera.htm

There's a Scandinavian on Ebay who flogs them from time to time:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ETime-Home-Endoscope-USB-Pen-Microscope_W0QQitemZ160204152851QQihZ006QQcategory Z30921QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Try this thread too (started by yours truly) which has some helpful
suggestions too (and no, I still haven't got one myself!)

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.d-i-y/browse_thread/thread/719e100a377e3bac/0b8fa58b352c33eb?lnk=st&q=#0b8fa58b352c33eb

David

"MM" wrote in message
...
Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

MM


http://tinyurl.com/68bpxm

On 2008-05-18 16:06:38 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:



MM wrote:
Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?


I'd like one as well.

Couldn't your daughter get you one?

On Sun, 18 May 2008 19:07:31 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On 2008-05-18 16:06:38 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:



MM wrote:
Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?


I'd like one as well.

Couldn't your daughter get you one?


Only used 20,000 times.

For some reason repairing endoscopes is an unpopular job with medical
service engineers.

One a colleague dealt with, a steerable one, had siezed solid in the
shape of a walking cane whilst ensconced in someone's esra.

Derek.

George wrote:

"MM" wrote in message
...

Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

MM



http://tinyurl.com/68bpxm

Sorry to have to reply via George's post, but you original post has been
removed from my computer by some software I am running.

Looking at the above link, I think we need to know what type you really
need. Basically, there is the one above at the bottom of the pile going
up to the very expensive ones that I will describe.

The shufty scope (that was our name for an endoscope) that I used to use
was a probe that was a flexible convoluted shaft that could bend to some
degree (It could bend back on itself along it's length, which was about
3 foot approx.). Inside this probe was a core of optical fibres, some
carried light down to the subject under review and most of the others
brought back the view to an eye piece for the viewer to look through.
The light source came from a very bright white light that was passed to
the probe at 90 degrees, just below the eye piece.

Under this were 2 controls that enabled the tip of the probe to bend up
to about 30 degrees left /right and up /down, so that you could direct
the tip round small bends.

The diameter of the probe depended on what you were going to put it
down. Both Rolls Royce and ourselves used them to either check the
internals on a jet engine or try and find just where that ping ****et
went in a cavity. Much smaller diameter ones are available for pushing
up any orifice of the human body. Yes, including that one that could
make a man's eyes water ;-)

I hope this post has been some help

Dave

On Sun, 18 May 2008 20:13:57 +0100, Dave
wrote:

George wrote:

"MM" wrote in message
...

Are there any really cheap ones? I need to look inside an enclosed
space.

What's the principle of operation and could one make a simple device?

MM



http://tinyurl.com/68bpxm

Sorry to have to reply via George's post, but you original post has been
removed from my computer by some software I am running.

Looking at the above link, I think we need to know what type you really
need. Basically, there is the one above at the bottom of the pile going
up to the very expensive ones that I will describe.

The shufty scope (that was our name for an endoscope) that I used to use
was a probe that was a flexible convoluted shaft that could bend to some
degree (It could bend back on itself along it's length, which was about
3 foot approx.). Inside this probe was a core of optical fibres, some
carried light down to the subject under review and most of the others
brought back the view to an eye piece for the viewer to look through.
The light source came from a very bright white light that was passed to
the probe at 90 degrees, just below the eye piece.

Under this were 2 controls that enabled the tip of the probe to bend up
to about 30 degrees left /right and up /down, so that you could direct
the tip round small bends.

The diameter of the probe depended on what you were going to put it
down. Both Rolls Royce and ourselves used them to either check the
internals on a jet engine or try and find just where that ping ****et
went in a cavity. Much smaller diameter ones are available for pushing
up any orifice of the human body. Yes, including that one that could
make a man's eyes water ;-)

I hope this post has been some help

Yes, the posts have all been some help. I feel the way to go at the
moment is the pen camera route, the most favoured being that Chinese
gizmo.

I'm a bit surprised that no company has yet produced a really cheap
and cheerful endoscope/fibrescope, because when one starts to think of
applications in the DIY and automotive industries there are dozens. In
the past I could have used one on numerous occasions when I was
working on cars regularly. Also, I read elsewhere, in the music
industry, with violin makers, for example, wishing to look inside an
instrument.

I reckon it's just not mass-market enough to warrant mass production,
sadly. However, I am still hoping to be able to look forward to the
day when B+Q, Homebase or Halfords sell one for about £70, which is
what I would pay (no more than that, though).

MM