I Suppose I'm Behind The Times - Creating The Best Covers For Detectors

[Doc]

On 2/17/2023 at 7:16 PM, Doc Bach said:

Hey Doc thanks for the great service.The kneepads got here in two days and so far I'm very impressed with them.Went out on a pretty rough terrain four hour relic hunt crawling the brush etcetera and they stayed put and never slipped a bit. Also very durable and comfortable as well.Terry

 

 

I've probably have 8 pair of knee pads that I have bought from Home Depot and everywhere else when I see something that I think looks good.  There is nothing like these Knee Pads They are fantastic.  I don't say that because I sell them, I say that because they are.  They are jointed, which I am sure keeps them from slipping around because they bend with your knee.

Doc

[Doc]

Just to give you an idea.  I just sent those 3D printed models of the Axiom, the Manticore, and the Equinox 900 off.  Total weight 2 pounds!

Total cost including import duty?  $442.  What a joke.

Doc

[Goldseeker5000]

Doc, you have all the detector covers made in China, is that correct? 

[Doc]

On 2/28/2023 at 3:40 AM, Goldseeker5000 said:

Doc, you have all the detector covers made in China, is that correct? 

Yes.  You can't get anything made here.  I tried over 25 years ago to give the business to an American company.  They charged 5 times what my company in China does.  And guess what, they sent them to China to be made.  So they basically did nothing but have China make them and charge me 5 times more.  When I can I get merchandise made here in the U.S.  My picks are all made by an American company.

Some things we import from Australia like our bungees, some things we import from Taiwan.  Batteries we buy from an American distributor, but once again they are made in China.

I have been doing business with the same company that makes covers for 25 years.  They are amazing.  I first started doing business with the father who owned the company, then he passed and his son took over.  Considering the current state of affairs with China I hate doing business with China.  But the companies I deal with were all part of Hong Kong and British rule before China took back over.

I might add that I am the one who actually designs the covers and sends a somewhat awkwardly sewn initial design to my manufacturers,  They are the ones who refine the design and send me an initial prototype.  Then I tweak it, take it to the field and use it, see what it needs what works what doesn't  modify it and send it back.  This goes on back and forth for about 3 months until it's all perfect.

If you know of an American company that can produce my covers with the same quality at a competitive price please let me know.  They have to be capable of producing 1000 of the same cover at a time in 30 days.  And they have to be capable of sometimes producing 3 different designs at the same time, so that's 3000 covers.

Doc
 

[Goldseeker5000]

How hard wouy it be to make a rubber form fitting control box cover. Like what they make for 35 mm SLR cameras? 

[Goldseeker5000]

Or silicone 

[Doc]

2 minutes ago, Goldseeker5000 said:

Or silicone 

I like the silicone idea and for some machines it would be easy, others not so much.  Equinox, would be easy.  AXIOM, that would be a challenge.  I would have to let my plastic people take a look at that.  But when you get to the arm cuff covers, I don't think silicone would give you the comfort and they would probably be hot.

Doc

 

[Goldseeker5000]

GPX 6000?

[Doc]

9 minutes ago, Goldseeker5000 said:

GPX 6000?

Again Tough, because you want to have access to the battery, but also because of the rod that is attached to the main body.  Some way you have to go around that rod, and the way we do it now is with Hook and Loop Velcro® type closures.  You would probably have to remove the entire cover to access the battery.

Doc

[Doc]

Coincidentally we are making covers for the GPX6000 in Aussie Digital Green Camo.  This is just a picture of a protyype. The print on the labels will be dark brown.

Doc