FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: dozz302 on June 16, 2020, 11:49:21 AM
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Hello, just looking for advice on which sonic checker to purchase for at home use. Just looking to check some blocks. I know they are pricey. Nothing to fancy needed. What are you using? Thanks
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You can actually get a good sonic tester for a reasonable price. You may want to read this post from a few years ago. These are the testers that Jay Brown & I have. You will have to add a curve to the transducer, it’s easy to do, info is in the post.
http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=5449.msg58346#msg58346
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OK Thanks, after reading I guess you get what you pay for. Amazon has reviews and said OK for some things but meter is off some in some instances. Or questionable. Won't sanding down the probe affect accuracy? For cylinder walls you really need 100% accuracy. All depends on how much accuracy you are willing to pay for I guess.
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First - with any sonic tester you verify the readings by checking a spot(s) on the block you can also measure with a micrometer or caliper, so it’s actually very easy to see how accurate it is, our experience is these are really very close. Second - since I bought my tester I have randomly double checked a few blocks I have that I previously had professionally sonic tested before I owned it, all the spots I’ve tested have checked to within .000”-.003” of the readings from the professional shop, which I consider pretty good since although I know the approximate location the shop measured, it’s possible I’m measuring some spots in a slightly different location. Finally, I’m sure you saw in the other post, you’re not sanding across the thin metal strip in the center of the transducer. Just my experience, but the accuracy has been fine. I’m pretty sure a few others on the forum here have purchased these since this post, maybe they will chime in.
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I have exactly the same one as Kevin. It has been fine for me so far. As said you check it on a piece of block you can measure & adjust it. If I need to do something really important I throw a new battery in it for piece of mind.
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Timely post, I just picked up another 428 block and have around 5 blocks that I'd like to check, so this is a good investment for my garage. I'm also going to be doing a bit of head porting and figure it can help there as well.
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Mine was a Nortech which I got from a guy that worked in the oil fields. It was a dual function , battery for remote use and wall plug for "in house" use. The company HAD to use them "in the field" and mine wouldn't work on batteries any longer so I bought it for $100. I used to do the sonic checking for FPP and sold it to Ron when I left the sinking ship. It was great and super accurate. It would "find" a sleeved block when you eyes couldn't.
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Mines an inexpensive Chinese version, I calibrate with the deck between cylinders and adjust to make it right, then check against the china wall. It's always accurate. The values they want me to set it to for iron from the instructions aren't correct, but maybe the block isn't the same type of iron. I am pretty confident in it now after umpteen blocks and have repeatable results using white grease.
The only thing I cannot figure out, despite it saying it can, is how to cross over from metric. It measures in metric and I have an excel spreadsheet I convert it over. Again accurate compared to caliper and even micrometer verification, and it shows a button to go to inches, but for the life of me for 3 years I haven't figured out how to do it. I think the instructions lie LOL
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Trying holding the button down for an extended period...…? Maybe it is like an old Nintendo or something....have to push buttons in a sequence..."break the code" HAHA. Maybe be like our IT guy at work...anytime issues come up...."turn it off turn it back on, then call me". HAHA.
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Trying holding the button down for an extended period...…? Maybe it is like an old Nintendo or something....have to push buttons in a sequence..."break the code" HAHA. Maybe be like our IT guy at work...anytime issues come up...."turn it off turn it back on, then call me". HAHA.
I think it doesn't have the option and is mislabeled LOL I have tried everything for a long time, but it does the job very effectively, I end up logging everything in the build using Excel anyway, so it's not even really an additional step