Nokta AU Gold Finder Straight Shaft Modification

[Steve Herschbach]

I have had a Nokta AU Gold Finder sitting around for some time. The Gold Finder is the same 56 kHz detector as the Makro Gold Racer, but stuck in an old school knobs and switches waterproof housing. As such it lacks a LCD display and therefore the ability to display target id information. In exchange you get a unit where the battereis are in the control box, so it can be hip or chest mounted. Or in this case, put onto an alternative shaft assembly.

I have an old Otto fiberglass shaft for the Minelab PI detectors I kept when I sold off my last Minelab GPX. I was planning on using it for my Garrett ATX modification but I ended up using a White's "S" rod for that project.

I also have a 15" x 13.5" DD coil for my Gold Racer that I really liked. The problem there is even though it is a very light 15" coil, it still makes the Gold Racer more nose heavy than I prefer. So Gold Finder sitting around and rod assembly sitting around - Bingo - it's mod time!

Easiest job ever. Since the AU Gold Finder is already set up to hip mount, all I had to do is drill the Otto rod to mount the Gold Finder control box. I wanted to mount the control box under elbow for better balance. The controls look upside down when you do this but in reality when you are using the detector and go to make adjustments it works better that way looking down from topside. The AU Gold Finder box almost seems intended to be set up like this as it has a shelf over the LED lights that makes a nice footrest when the control box is flipped over. Since the box is waterproof no need to worry about speaker etc. getting wet or dirty - just hose it off.

Came out very nice, only 4 pounds 2.1 ounces with batteries or 4.13 pounds, and way better balanced than the Gold Racer would be running the same coil. I can use a bungee if need be but at 4.13 pounds this weighs no more than many coils running smaller coils. Nice, I am keeping it permanently set up like this.

Click on images for larger versions.

 

[Au4Gold2]

Very nice ....looks great. 

[vanursepaul]

Good idea---

I agree about the big coil on the MGR--- it does feel nose heavy.

I have a AU Gold Finder and the 15x 13.5 already!  --- so all I need to scrounge up is a shaft, handle, and an armcuff..

I think I will get to that when I get back from AU --(if immigration decides I can visit)  (Had a dui or two back in my old days)

I really like it Steve---- BTW--what about one of those super telescoping shafts I have seen???? That might be cool. Or maybe the MARS one (DEUS style)

Thanks for sharing..

[Steve Herschbach]

Hi Paul,

You mean like the Golden Mask Universal Telescopic Handle? Yeah, I have one and considered it. The upper rod/armrest portion is short enough it would be a bit tight and the lower rod does not fit the coil well without spacers. Bottom line is I had the Otto rod anyway and it seemed a better fit. I am going to use the Golden mask possibly for a DEUS mod or more likely a Gold Bug 2 mod. The GM rod would work however but you would need to modify the armrest cup to allow room to get the control box all the way back.

I actually would have went back farther with the control box on my rig if I could have but the coil cable is already at its limit. The coils that come with the Gold Finder have longer cables but they do not make the large coil specifically for the Gold Finder. The Gold Racer version has shorter cables. Somebody wanting to do this might be able to get Nokta to make them a coil with a longer cable. Hip mounting is not really an option for the large coil as is.

I am sure a great shaft option can be had from Anderson Detector Shafts.

[vanursepaul]

I forgot about the coil cable being shorter on the MGR,,,

hmmmmmmm....

Are saying you don't really like the DEUS or any of the S-shafts and well as the straight ones??? Because of ?? Balance?

or just personal preference,,fit etc...

• Coil cable---Maybe we could get them to make up a few jumpers for us....
• Hip mounting with the large coil -----  I would have to use a piece of a brick duct taped to the rear shaft--  Hey,i could do that....lol..

Merton would love it!

With the Golden Mask I could see getting rid of the cuff shown and using a solid cuff .

Maybe use the 2 cuff mounting holes to go right thru and bolt the control box on--then slap a little piece of neo in the cuff to cover the bolt heads... I like how far the GM shaft collapses--- be nice if it would allow the big coil to fold underneath...

Oh my,, you have me sucked down into the swirling, murky eddy of modding Steve!!!!

[Steve Herschbach]

The DEUS has a fabulous feel in my hand. Just love the pistol grip on that rod - it certainly is not just your standard "S" rod. But that is mainly because no truly large coils exist for the Deus that it works.

The problem is centered around large coils. Up to 11" coils balance is not that important, though it does figure. For instance, I would rather swing a 3.5 lb F75 than a 3.0 lb Gold Bug Pro with same size 11" Coil because the F75 is perfectly balanced, whereas the Gold Bug Pro is nose heavy. It is not enough to quibble over however. But when you start putting larger coils on a detector and total nose weight goes up, balance gets very important. Minelab was very aware of the with the original SD design which is still in use on the GPX because of the ability to properly balance large coils.

For that same reason hip mounting control boxes and using large coils is not a great idea. You need the control box as a counterweight.

I think more effort was put into the T2/F75 design from an ergonomics perspective than any other detector I know of. From https://www.tekneticst2.com/the-tek-files/question-and-answer-session-with-ft-fisher-engineers-david-johnson-and-john-gardiner

DS: How difficult was it walking the line between superb ergonomics and weight vs. structural durability (on the T-2 and F-75)?

Dave Johnson: "It took a lot of attention to detail. I was originally shooting for even lower weight. I’ve been studying the physiology of metal detector ergonomics for my whole career and on this product I had a blank check to get it right. There were things we had to do to get the ergonomics right that added weight. We were all betting that good ergonomics was more important than shaving every ounce, and the T2 and F75 proved us right. Nobody is saying we should have made it lighter."

Dave is obviously proud of the work put into the original T2 ergonomics, later duplicated in the F75. It is reflected in the specs you see in the T2 manual:

Weight: 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) with alkaline batteries installed.

Static Balance: force in vertical plane normal to elbow 0.47 pounds (0.22 kg). Varies with adjustment and user’s stance and arm/hand physiology.

Dynamic Balance: axial moment, 0.29 foot-pounds (0.39 newton-meters). Varies with adjustment and user’s stance and arm/hand physiology.

Sweep Effort: lateral moment 5.2 foot-pounds (7.1 newton-meters).

Bottom line - I want detectors to be BOTH light in weight and properly balanced.