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Harbor Freight Tools "Digital Inspection Camera" as a Bore Scope

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RonRC

RonRC

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I would love one of those fine Hawkeye borescopes, but the budget and wife don't care for the idea.

I received a coupon add from Harbor Freight Tools (HFT) the other evening and this CEN-TECH (I think that is HFT's house brand) inspection camera was on sale for $69.95.

The light and camera are on the end of a 36", flexible cable. The camera is 8.5 mm in diameter. 0.36 inch caliber is 9.14 mm. 0.45 cal is 11.4 mm. So, the camera can fit down any muzzleloader bore I have.

The LCD view screen is 2.4" and there is an output port to take the image to a large monitor.

The first unit was a dud. There was no image on the LCD screen. The second unit is working fine.

I have one of those $20, direct-from-China bore scopes that has to be plugged into a computer. The image is terrible and useless. The Centec, by contrast, it quite good. Looks like there is a little rust in a rifling groove in one of my flintlocks.

It comes with a 45 degree angled mirror, a pull hook and a retrieving magnet.

Without the coupon, it was listed at $89.95 or 99.95.

Thought it might be useful for some of you. And I don't work for Harbor Freight Tools.
Ron
 
I have never tried any of the other scopes that are mentioned but I did fall for one of those $20 pieces of manure from China. Like everything else that comes from China, it is about as handy as a pair of basketball cleats or a football bat. The damned thing could be toxic as well. :idunno: Don't buy one!!!! :nono: :shake: Do yourself a favor and spend the extra money and buy one that actually works.
 
I use Olympus borescopes. I buy nothing from Harbor Freight I don't regret. Friends are the same way. Only in 20 years within past four months and last two items I'll ever buy there again?

A U.S. MADE (can't go wrong, right?) plastic gas can. It didn't seal. When the barrometric pressure changed it would push gasoline out of the can through the spout!

I bought their "dremel tool" that I needed one of in a pinch on a recommendation from a "gunsmith." I literally couldn't drill through a copper penny with their bit!


Do NOT waste your money there -- you will regret it, I assure you.
 
Billnpatti said:
I have never tried any of the other scopes that are mentioned but I did fall for one of those $20 pieces of manure from China. Like everything else that comes from China, it is about as handy as a pair of basketball cleats or a football bat. The damned thing could be toxic as well. :idunno: Don't buy one!!!! :nono: :shake: Do yourself a favor and spend the extra money and buy one that actually works.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you.
I wish I could afford the $750 to 1000 for the Hawkeye. It just isn't in the cards.
This unit from Harbor Freight is much more substantial than the other cheapies I have seen.
However, it is made in China, as well.
Hey, the first one put out light but had no image. I returned that so fast, the ink on the receipt hadn't dried.
I am very happy with the second unit.
0o768p.jpg


Ron
 
Hey, I bought a roller cart at Harbor Freight and it worked perfectly...until I put something on it. Then the platform bent and a wheel jammed. :cursing:
Ron
 
I buy from HF but always am the cautious shopper. For some purchases I get the El Cheapo when I expect the tool to be a one time use thing. Other items are good values. I recently got a link belt for my table saw at about 50% the price of others. I bought it on the reccomendation of friends on a wood working forum who had great success with it. And with many other tools from other stores that have "American" names, look closely, they are probably China made. I got two pairs of side cutters for $3.99 ea., same thing at Home Depot, $11.99. I prefer American made also. I am a loyal American but I am also very loyal to my pocketbook.
 
I'm with rifleman on this one. I can's see spending a small fortune on a tool that likely will be used one time. I've bought a few tools there and had no problem. Lucky for me there is one in town so I can do the touchy feely thing and they do guarantee their stuff.
 
will5a1 said:
Is the coupon available in the store or website?
Click to expand...

They have all kinds of frequent coupon deals. You can subscribe to e-mail notifications and they are in newspapers, magazines, etc. HF management is expert on promotion. The store I go to the most is in Springfield, MO. Last time I went it was busier than ants at a picnic.
 
I receive Harbor Freight coupons by email and the scope's coupon was with the set of coupons I received on Friday evening. Looks like the current price is $89.95, but you can find Harbor Freight coupons on the net.
Ron
 
Been thinking about one of these for a while. Wish it would fit in a .22 though. Harbor Freight has been discussed often on many websites. My experience has been mostly good. They have some junk but most of what I have bought has been great for the price. Been using a $20 air nailer/stapler for years with no problem. $17 vibratory utility tool is great. Bought an ultrasonic cleaner but have not used it enough to comment on it. Throw away rubber gloves and paint brushes are fine. Had a 3/8" hammer drill that I used for years before I finally destroyed it. Just bought another one. For battery drill/saws I go with DeWalt though. I use them a lot. Casual use tools are great for the price. Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.
 
If ya buy a drill press for $12.99 that's what ya get...a $12.99 drill press. However, as stated the smaller hand tools have been OK for my use. I do note many of the cheapo sets of screw drivers have bent edges and/or broken heads on the Phillips. Ya gets what ya pays for so if yer project is a quickie and ya can do it for 5 bucks beats buying a special tool for 45 bucks?

The other factor is if there's an outlet nearby they do refunds and exchanges?? Not worth the postage for the smaller stuff.
 
I bought one of the Centech cameras about a year ago from HF..i think it was 69.00 then. I got it for checking out some plumbing in walls but have found it handy for other purposes..it has worked great..only thing is that the camera head on mine is almost 3\4" across and is useless as a bore inspection tool. Its identical to the one shown in the pic, cept the lens cover is much bigger. They must have changed them since i got mine.

I've bought many specialty tools from HF and have found most very servicable for the money. I use their 200.00 pipe threading machine instead of the 1200.00 rigid...works fine..ditto for concrete mixers, hammerdrill and many other items. Although none of it is comparable to the stuff made by brand name companies..most of it does work, in my experience anyways.
 
Thanks for posting this, I am going to pick one up today. If you are able to see corrosion in your flintlock's barrel if should be good enough to inspect the breech, being able to verify a barrel was breeched correctly for $69 - $89 saves me from borrowing a friend's scope, he is a mechanic and bought a high end scope from MAC Tools.
 
I bought a non Habor Freight bore scope on e-bay. There are quite a few on there that plug into your lap top or desk top computer via the USB port. they cost a lot less, but the advantage is they are smaller, 5.5mm camera with led lights on end. If you go that route, get one with the 45 degree mirror attachment so you can see the rifling. Length of hose runs about 30" to 1 meter. what I have found is the cameras are designed to only see forward, so without that mirror attachment checking the sides of the bore is very difficult.
 
I also bought their bench top drill press a few years ago. Had a coupon so it only cost me $50. It works just fine for my needs. I've accumulated a fair amount of other stuff over the years and the only thing that is useless is a $7 dremel tool that does have a very few uses.
 
I have purchased many tools from HF over the years, a few have been junk but for the most part they have been a good value and many can be turned into very good tools with some work (mini lathe for example). Unfortunately my salary has not kept up with the inflation and HF purchases are a lot easier to justify with the wife when things like hamburger hit $5 a pound.
 

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