Jump to content

Garrett ATX Strip Down & Rebuild


Recommended Posts

It is a terrain thing. I spend a lot of time on 45 degree slopes or worse. So while I do not use a hip or chest mount all that often there really are times it is a real godsend. It also tends to naturally protect the control box from rain and general abuse.

The main thing to look out for is the coil cable where it attaches to the control box. Having it properly located and with enough slack is important, or you will inevitably break more cables than is the norm with a rod mounted box.

The TDI (not SL) is specifically designed to be hip or chest mounted. For good reason, and yet next to the ATX the TDI seems light!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Maybe carbonfiber pipe with diameter of mainboard should be good idea too? You can build it water tight too like Excal cover or sometinh similar, but Withes control box shoild be fine too. Good job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ha! This is so cool. Pimping the ATX!

There is a guy on one of the bike forums that I go to now and again who does amazing things with carbonfibre. He can make anything. I'm sure if you wanted a custom box or body built he could help you out. I'll try and find some links.

Not sure if you can access the pages but have a look at this. The guy ebrabaek (I think he's from Colorado) basically creates/recreates stuff for his BMW out of carbonfibre.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Steve you get caught using that thing anywhere populous and you'll start a rumor mill so big every detector manufacturer in the world will be inundated with calls about what it is they're secretly developing.

Your a braver man than I, but it speaks volumes for your feelings about the underlying product. None of us ever get exactly what we want, but never let it be said it put a stop to Steve Herschbach! :-)

JP

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi JP,

I do think the ATX is a good platform. A couple tweaks and priced to go out the door under two grand, and they would have a great prospecting unit. Sooner or later we are going to get a lightweight grab and go relatively inexpensive detector with more horsepower than the TDI, the only question is who will do it. Garrett? Minelab with a GPX locked into Fine Gold in a Eureka type housing? Fisher? Under $2000, under 4 lbs.... TDI SL is there but just lacks the punch.

A 4 lb $2000 SDC would be to die for, but I will not hold my breath for that one! Then again, maybe when that housing gets beat up enough.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, more on the coil.

garrett-atx-rebuild-coil-pivot.jpg

The pivot is a simple clamp over a rubber bushing on one leg of the pivot mechanism. Turns out after the fact that side is screwed down from inside the coil before the coil itself is laid into the housing. I simply pried it off and ripped out the screw and part of the housing skin, but luckily did not damage anything. I will fill the depression with epoxy. Knowing this now it could have been sawed off but I sometimes get ahead of myself. Oh well. Also meant I could have trimmed the top cover to be better fitting. That's the breaks for going first!

garrett-atx-coil-stripped-down.jpg

One pound, seven ounces! Still heavy though due to epoxy filling, nothing to be done about that. If I want lighter I will use Infinium 5 x 10 coil. With scuff cover and top cover installed it will be closer to two pounds. I hate adding the weight but pretty much have to so as to get rod mount in middle of coil and full enclosure with scuff cover installed. I considered using a simple coil mount clamped directly to the 5" inner coil portion of the coil, leaving it more an open web design. That would have cut weight but left me with a coil more prone to hanging up on stuff so this was the way I decided to go.

garrett-atx-coil-stripped-down-with-scuff-cover.jpg

garrett-atx-coil-stripped-down-with-top.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are entire forums dedicated to modifying detectors:

Findmall Link deleted since Findmall update broke all old links

TreasureNet http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/metal-detector-modifications/

Of course nobody need modify a detector. The car analogy was right on - some people just like to do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This has to be the lousiest quick and dirty copy and paste job I have ever done but you will get the idea. The Photoshop experts can show me up. From a marketing standpoint chest and hip mount capability is not something the world is screaming for and I could live without it if the detector is done right. Basically I think White's has in the MX5 what would make a nice ATX package. Under arm box with single drop in 8 AA battery box. Handle mounted control pod. Standard quick swapping center mounting coils. Wish I could build this but getting the ATX circuit board into the actual MX5 housing is probably not going to work. Bottom line is this is what I would like Garrett to do.

atx-prototype.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...