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I have an uncomfortable and vivid recollection of crack detection in winding gear castings - wiping parts with a dye and blowing french chalk over it. This was an annual event, sufficiently labour intensive to be a job for apprentices* under the arms-length supervision of the colliery engineer.
In theory, dye will be drawn into a surface crack on a clean surface, which would then show up as a stain in the subsequent dusting of chalk. In practice everyone (except the engineer) spent the next week or so with red stained hands, and we never actually found any cracks.
You might be able to apply this method to a frame - it might identify surface cracks in places you can see, it would require some savage cleaning afterwards, and it has all the makings of a good spectator event. Photos if you try it please.
*I was a NCB apprentice in the 1970s...
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MrE
Except there's always noises, chainring bolts, saddle rails, etc... Riding with peace of mind becomes impossible, that was the spirit of my original question... Is there any way, x ray frames for trace of fatigue, etc? that could be done?