6"x10" Coil For Minelab Equinox

[Steve Herschbach]

This is a little premature perhaps since we are still waiting to see any accessory coils at all for the Equinox detectors. First up will be the 6" round DD followed by the 12" x 15" DD coil.

What next? I think the Equinox has genuine potential as a gold nugget detector, but that the open spoke coil designs slated so far are not optimal for that purpose. Plus, some relic hunters etc. want something narrower than the stock 11" coil but do not want to give up the ground coverage as much as the 6" round coil does.

Minelab has a couple molds for elliptical coils. There is the 5" x 10" DD coil for the X-Terra but that coil is not fully waterproof and too buoyant for water use even if it was. The better option in my opinion is the newer 6" x 10" coil made for the Gold Monster. The Minelab Gold Monster uses the exact same lower rod/yoke size as the Equinox, meaning the coil, coil bolt, and even the coil connector are already the proper size to fit perfectly to the Equinox.

Here is my Gold Monster 6" x 10" DD coil mounted to my Equinox 800. As I said, a perfect fit. The Equinox version might weigh more due to more windings required for Multi-IQ but the coil as is weighs less than the 11" coil. My Equinox with this coil mounted weighs 2 lbs 13 oz or 2.81 lbs, slightly less than the 2.96 lbs with 11" coil. It does make for a little better balance.

For nugget detecting in particular a solid bottom coil helps prevent snagging on rocks and stubble. I imagine the farm field hunters would love the coil for similar reasons.

Anyway, I have no hints that this will happen but I am going to be referring to this thread over and over until it does. With a mold in hand half the work is done, and with the extreme popularity of Equinox no good excuse for this not happening. I personally think it is a requirement for Equinox to be all it can be as a prospecting detector and for many other uses also.

Nope, not going to turn it on to see what happens!! 

Anyone who thinks this is a good idea and wants to aid in the lobbying effort has my express permission to use these photos in posts on other forums, etc. The direct link to  the first photo is http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/uploads/monthly_2018_04/minelab-equinox-with-6-x-10-dd-coil.thumb.jpg.07f2d166da68ca4c6e39bf21759c7c4f.jpg

Click photos for larger versions....

 

[Ridge Runner]

That would be interesting if you did . Like said I wouldn’t go there .

Looks like that is something I would want.

Thanks for the show and tell.

Chuck

[Chase Goldman]

Me Like.

[Dan(NM)]

Let me get this straight, are you saying that the lower rod from the Gold Monster will fit the Equinox middle rod? Or that the coil from the Gold Monster fits the Equinox lower rod perfectly.

[steveg]

Dan -- I thought I understood Steve as saying just the lower YOKE on the Gold Monster rod, the part where the coil bolt goes through, was the same as the Equinox's, not the whole rod.  If the whole lower rod is the same....that's good to know.  Will be waiting for Steve's answer...

Steve

[Steve Herschbach]

The Gold Monster does not use the same shaft at all - it is a screw together thing. The end where the coils attach is the only part that is the same. I never used my Gold Monster rod and immediately replaced it with a three piece one similar to what the Equinox uses. However, the Gold Monster shaft being very stout I may now put into use as a water rod for the Equinox.

Here is the rod assembly that ships with the Gold Monster. The lower rod is the same as the Equinox except for the very upper part, where a screw in flange has been added. This makes the Gold Monster lower rod unusable on Equinox unless that flange is sawed off. Which ruins it for use with the rest of the Gold Monster rod. I considered it since I have not used the rod but decided using the entire assembly for water hunting might be a better idea.

[Dan(NM)]

19 minutes ago, Dan(NM) said:

Steve, does the gold monster use the same middle shaft as well as the lower shaft? Thanks.

I went back and reread what you had written Steve. I understand now what you were saying. I guess I got a little too excited thinking that we had a answer to the lower rod situation. Thanks for the clarification.

[Tometusns]

I would Love to have a 6x10 coil for the Equinox. I have very seriously thought about just waiting until it happens before getting another coil. I mostly hunt yards and the 6x10 would be my everyday coil for sure. 

[Cal_Cobra]

We’ve been asking for a closed loop elliptical coil like the GM1000 6" x 10" coil since the Equinox and it’s coils were announced.

Minelab make it happen!  Not only would I be the first one in line to order it, but I can pretty much guarantee it’ll be your most ordered optional Equinox coil.  Relic hunters and prospectors alike will have to have this coil.  Just ensure it’s as deep, with equal or better separation capabilities as the stock 11” DD coil.

[roddosnow]

I think they would also see quite a few people hop off the fence and purchase an equinox if they were to make a 6 x 10 coil, I am one of those people, i have no doubt that the equinox is a great machine and that it can find gold without the "gold" style/spec coil however i am in no hurry to buy anything and am waiting to see if they will release it before jumping into the equinox. 

I cant see it doing any bad things to the GM sales as it is an entirely different prospect and sits at a completely different price point, if anything it will be better for minelab as it will be easier to walk people up the range from the GM ($1k) to a higher value detector in the equinox + extra coil (1.5k) - for an extra $500 you get a high spec coin/relic machine + a high spec Gold VLF. No brainer!