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Land Version ATX, Here's A Start......


Guest Paul (Ca)

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Guest Paul (Ca)

Not as pretty as I'd like but it's a start, This housing is big enough to hold the current ATX or Recon circuit board after cutting off the excess board. Will use a Tee handle not the S-handle as shown in the pic, Tossed that in there for a quick photo shot.

Going to park this housing, Maybe after the ATX warranty expires will break one down and go with this land version. Still need to construct the push pad controls to fit above the tee-handle, Minor mod and no hurry since this will be parked for a while unless I go forward with fitting the Recon on this land setup?

Tossed this out there to give you an idea of what the housing will look like, Looks ok and will look even better when its completed.

Paul (Ca)

Update, The S-handle works better than expected, Feels balanced and after more thought may stay with the S-handle. Total weight with an 8-cell battery pack, 5.5"X7" DD and dummy circuit board is 3.8 pounds.

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A great start Paul! i do think it would look better with 10" elliptical DD as the small coil makes control box look larger than it is and it is a coil more people would use. Still, dropping from 7 pounds to 4 pounds on the first pass is no small feat.

My first thought on considering such a concept was for controls on end of handle like on the current ATX but if I was doing it now I would flush mount control pad into the control box. The ATX retails settings and after a bit controls are rarely touched. This would also allow for an easy chest or hip mount conversion if desired. Too bad the circuit board is so long because otherwise I would put it in a Goldmaster 3 box.

The current ATX design is brilliant for water use, with the exception of sand jamming the locking rings, which has not been as bad as I feared but needs to be improved. Otherwise it is a great water design. But for prospecting the waterproof design misses the mark by a long shot. Most metal detector prospecting takes place in arid conditions and the waterproof design is a duck out of water for that application. It is a superb prospecting circuit and as such deserves a dry land design to come to full fruition as a prospecting detector.

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Guest Paul (Ca)

I agree Steve the larger 7"X10" DD would be the better choice,  Currently have the 7"X10" DD coil with ATX shaft loaned out so been using the ATX with the smaller 3.5"X 7" DD mounted with my first homemade shaft for the Recon.  Total weight with this setup on the ATX is a little over 5 pounds, Swings like a feather.

There are several ways to mount the push pad, Either flush with a miniature housing above the handgrip or a couple of other options.  I'm going to hand make a small miniature housing that the push pad will mount too and then attach to the upper handle, Will look factory and still retain the small push pad appearance will blend in with the handle.

On another note, Been using an external attached speaker with the ATX works great!  Fits in my upper shirt pocket,  Was given to me from a friend who used it on his infinium.

Thanks Steve for the great tips!

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Please Garrett - give us a $1600 land version and you can sell them by the truckload. There is a reason mine detectors are built rugged, waterproof and simple to use. We don't need the rugged or the waterproof so much in the goldfields. The simple to use is the real selling point. Pretty much turn on and go.

Mine detectors are kept simple for two reasons. First, to not give the operator a chance to blow himself up by mis adjusting the device - and second, to give the operator the CONFIDENCE that his detector will do what it is supposed to do. He doesn't have to worry if he has the right machine, the right coil or the right settings.

It's this blend of simplicity and effective performance that the ATX seems to bring to the goldseeker. With this machine you can go forth without the confidence that everything from a couple of grains on up will be detected to a depth which is adequate for the vast majority of North American alluvial gold. No switches on the front and back, no collection of knobs to twiddle.

Now all we need is to shed the heavy carapace and about $500 of the price. Come on Garrett.

P.S. The fact that it easily takes some Infinium coils is good news for dealers since a steady sale of coils (now maybe third party ones) is good for a dealer's cash flow!

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Hopefully a dry land version would include coils with standard connectors. The waterproof connectors are needlessly delicate and the oring lube collects dirt if not handled very carefully. I also doubt the Infinium coils are fully tuned for the ATX and so ATX specific versions would be welcome. My most desired coil right this moment is the 14" elliptical mono since the Infinium mono coils do not work at all on the ATX.

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Guest Paul (Ca)

I agree Steve on the infinium DD coils,  Although they work great with the ATX they are not fully tuned for the ATX and if Garrett makes the smaller DD it will be a more specific version for the ATX giving us a hotter coil over the infinium DD coils.

Today, Spend some time with the land version going with the Recon then putting together a thin rear cover for the push pad assembly which mounted above the handgrip. Still up in the air going to a T-handle over the S-handle,  Always liked the TDI handle may order one in the future and compare the two handles.  The good part is the push pad assembly with added rear cover will still mount to a T-handle.

So here's a more current look on the land version, Maybe later when the ATX warranty expires will replace the Recon board with the ATX.  With the 10"X14" DD total weight is 5.3 pounds, That's batteries and all nothing left out.  I image with the smaller 7"X10" DD should be a hair over 4 pounds, Much easier to swing :)

Take care Steve,

Paul (Ca)

P.S.  Rick, Just cave in and get the ATX :)

http://i61.tinypic.com/fkb3ip.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/27xno6e.jpg

http://i62.tinypic.com/28hh8qd.jpg

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Nice modding Paul...

did you swap the coil conectors out for less cumbersome?

congrats on steamlining it...

You Know I hate the weight of the ATX ...But man I love the look...LOL!!!

it really reminds me of a piece of Gear that's indestructible...

I relic hunt alot on inclement weather here in the South ...So I like the  water resisitance but to be thrutful its overboard unless I get in a river or large creek...

I have an idea for a pole and keep the housing like it is...a bushing if you will to take it to an aluminum pole and ditch the fiberglass yet still use the housing...wiht no modding required..

I got a machine shop working on me a bushing..Hope it works..

I actually love the ruggedness of the pistol grip......Best feeling solid grip Ive ever used...

If they could get rid of that fiberglass  tubing and add some carbon Fiber ( Yeah Right cost more than the machine) I think a couple of pounds would shave off...

Again I love light machine's ...and you seem to be on the right track Paul...

But I love that World War 2 feel it has going on also.Seems like a tank could drive over it and you pick it up and keep on keeping on,,,!!!!!

But Im a nostalgic type Guy anyway!! looks dont get anything accomplished in metal detecting!

Wonder why they cant get that baord to fit in a an AT Pro housing...Looks like a lot of wasted area on the board...unless it needs heat dissapation  or the likes not sure why it has to be so large...it's bigger than the infinium..

Now a day's they ought to be able to get it into a smaller package...the TDI SL is pretty small and I  bet it could get smaller...

Oh did I mention Green is my favorite color in the world...

Keith

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I thought they could have put the ATX in the infinium enclosure, then it would be hip or chest mountable. Maybe the reason they didn't bring out a land version, is it would kill the infinium sales. Just my thoughts.

 

Paul

That's sure a professional looking mod you got going there.

 

Tom

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Guest Paul (Ca)

Thanks Keith and Tom,

Right on Keith with having a bushing made,  I think that will work and be more on the professional side great idea there!  You know with the ATX the board is too long it and has allot of available space so if Garrett does come out with a land version the board can be shrunk down quite a bit,  The only weight factor will be the battery pack so image the future land version will be under 4 pounds if using the 7"X10" DD coil.

With the current land version I did, Retained the coil connectors making it easier to swap coils but did change out the headphone connector with a regular headphone plug.  Using the stock coil plugs isn't a factor for me only when it tight places like the AT-Gold and ATX/Recon man those are tough to get to at times but like the Infinium or now my land version it's no big deal anymore.

Your take care Keith,  Keep up the good work with the videos we all enjoy them.

Paul (Ca)

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