DIY dye penetrant crack-testing

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

I was very interested to read Warren Reid's latest posting, in AD7-305, on
crack testing of alloy wheels (and other parts) with a DIY dye penetrant test
kit put out by Castrol and perhaps others.

He didn't say, but I infer, that this would be after having the wheels
depainted (by glass bead-blasting or plastic-media blasting) and before having
them painted or powder-coated? It would seem to argue for staying with
moderate-cost but functionally effective painting rather than hang-the-cost
long-life finishes.

A question for USA people, any recommendations on sources here for this or
similar kits?

A further point of curiosity. Wheel catalogs I have from the early eighties
all seem to mention "meet or exceed West German T.U.V. standards." Somewhat
later (ca.'90) they stress passing "stringent J.W.L., V.I.A., S.E.M.A., and
S.A.E. Japanese standards." Running through a wheel-ad loaded current magazine
I couldn't find one reference to meeting any standards. Have normal quality
levels reached the point that such claims are irrelevant, or am I just reading
the wrong magazines?

Cordially, 

John H. 

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