How Minelab Designs Metal Detectors

[Steve Herschbach]

Meet The Metal Detectives - Inside Engineering at Minelab Electronics

A new video showing Minelabs new engineering facility and meeting some of the people that work there. Check out the blurred portions obscuring secret product developments!

Amazing engineering staff at Minelab - I consider myself fortunate to have communicated with and even met a few of the people that work there.

A few more details about the making of the video at Minelab's Treasure Talk Blog

[mn90403]

Thanks Steve.  I like the video and it makes me feel better about Minelab.

I have several Minelab products and after watching this I still don't know how they come up with some of their things getting through all of their steps.  (weight, materials, ergonomics, etc.)

The one I can think of first is the compartment for the batteries on the 2300.  There seems like a 'better way' to have connections for more consistent power.

I'm sure others here will wonder about the features of their products also.

[Steve Herschbach]

The only thing that matters is competition. For any Minelab model that is deficient in some way there has to be a credible alternative that addresses the areas where Minelab comes up short. I am less frustrated with Minelab than with the competition. It honestly seems that Minelab competes more with themselves than anyone else at times. Everyone else seems to be focused on the $250 - $700 end of the market while Minelab is left alone in the market for truly high end product.

Funny you mention the SDC 2300 batteries as on just our last outing I saw Chris Ralph fiddling with those springs again trying to get a better connection. I try to tell him to just get an ATX or TDI but for some reason he just ignores me!

Seriously, where is the First Texas pulse induction machine? Where is the Garrett multi frequency machine? Where is White's alternative to the GPZ? Why is it that in order to get something better than what Minelab already makes we have to wait for the next Minelab?

[RickUK]

Its all very impressive the video showing the high end designed detectors like the very latest GPZ range and i would assume new accessories for these detector and of course they work very well and super sexy as well,but i bet they would never produce a video showing them designing the massive white elephant Go-Find range as that would not have the same 'Kudos' as the high value range of detectors.

So what i am saying it looks good but they dont always get it right

[Steve Herschbach]

No, they do not. They in particular have yet to offer a machine that really competes directly with the XP Deus. Or the Gold Bug 2/GMT/Gold Racer. And I have always thought it odd that the number one selling of PI detectors does not really make a true diving PI. I really can't count the SDC 2300 as such.

First Texas and Garrett pretty much own the mass market. The Go Find seems a muddled attempt to get into that market. It seems to me to be a machine marketed for children. However it may be that it is mostly adults buying it thinking they are getting more than that, and so they are disappointed? You got me as I have to admit I don't pay much attention to the under $500 market. But if you were to go by forum buzz the Go Find does not even exist.

[mn90403]

I agree with you Steve on the upper end market and also find the 'design flaws' of the Go Find series as a 'blow' to their brand.  I don't plan on owning one of those.

One other thing of annoyance on the 2300 was the arm rest.  We had a pin fall out of ours and had a new one sent as a replacement.  That replacement showed up missing a pin and you can't insert them yourself.  We are on our third one. (I didn't have to send the defective ones back.)

Our battery problem was solved by putting tape on the originals and also getting a set from Amazon that fit the compartment more fully without loss of power during use.

No company is perfect but we should point out their flaws also so I stated a couple of gripes.

Mitchel

[Steve Herschbach]

A little dab of silicone sealant on the serrated end of the SDC handle pin before you insert it will keep it in place.

[MikePfeiffer]

Love the video. Had to look at it several times. All I can say is Minelab is very impressive.

[Steve Herschbach]

I agree Mike. I think we are pretty lucky the resources directed by metal detector companies these days. Compare a CTX 3030 to my first detector in 1972. Wow, how far we have come. The best units then were just square boxes that almost anyone could make themselves with a handful of components. Not so easy to crank out a top end detector these days.

[Reno Chris]

For whatever reason the batteries included with the SD 2300 have issues with momentary loss of power which causes rebooting. Equivalent batteries from other makers do not have the same issue.  My experience with the ATX is that it ignores small gold the SDC finds and finds hot rocks the SDC will ignore. The mono coil on the SDC also allows for faster pinpointing and removal of targets. So I prefer the SDC.