Jin

On 8/13/2023 at 12:18 AM, TE Gold said:

It looks much bigger than 2 oz.

I would have thought 5 oz at least from that pic.....maybe small hands....kids size.

Not a picture of the nugget, rather just a stock photo that someone can purchase to use.

https://www.picxy.com/photo/694617

Just now, phrunt said:

3D Printed stuff..... 

Yes, I know. 

Pretty tough though overall from the YouTube video I watched.

I need another swing arm for my 7000 as I've used the original one on my sd2200d. 

I'm in Australia and need one within a week so I either buy an original one or try the Goldseekr one.

Has anyone tried the Goldseekr-RADiAL Action Telescopic Carbon Fibre Swing Arm?

Just now, phrunt said:

You could sell it to someone with an Algoforce, they'd love that little beast.

The first thing I thought of when seeing that 6" coil was the algoforce (I may buy one myself)

There is a 6" coiltek mono for sale on Facebook marketplace atm for $125. (Search "coiltek)

18 hours ago, phrunt said:

That little 6" was only discontinued a year or so ago, I was annoyed as I never bought one while it was available, JW has one, it's a cool little coil.    I guess sales volumes were too low to keep it going.

Yeah, i just can't see how that little coil would work on the 2200. Surely it would be massively noisy in mineralised ground. I used to own a detech" mono and that was noisy on my 4500.

18 hours ago, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

If you have the Coiltek li-ion system it takes the voltage down to 7.3 volts for the SD series. Batteries are actually 8.4 volts fully charged.

Yes thats the one.

Just now, Aureous said:

The 2200's are a killer detector for deep gold, especially after being modded and use large coils. Un-modded, they are less sensitive to small gold...so a stock unit won't be as useful as a patch hunting machine. Curious as to how much $$ did you pay @Jin???  Sounds like a damn good package you got. 

I paid $650

It came with 4 coils, two headphones, coiltek battery system - charger/2x batteries, hipstick, speaker, audio booster, harness and pouches for carrying the coiltek battery

Hi guys, Just after some info on these mono coils that came with the SD2200d I purchased recently.

Seems odd the guy I bought it off was using these 3 small monos I thought. I haven't used the Machine yet but have put on the only DD it came with which was a 14" Coiltek DD which ill try this coming week. I was under the impression these older Minelabs prefer DDs over monos, am I correct in thinking that? The coils mentioned are 6", 8" and 11" monos.

I'm also waiting for Nuggetfinder to release the new lighter 25DD and I'll grab one of those to see how this old beast compares to my zed with the 20" Spiral coil. 

Also, how would the 2200 go as a patch hunter?

When I was using a 4500 I was able to swing at a walking pace with the 18" coiltek and often found new patches. I'm just not sure if the 2200 could be used in the same way.

I'm fitting a ground balance button this week for convenience. The machine also came with  2 coiltek batteries which are 7 volts from memory and an audio booster. 

I mainly use Google Earth on a PC to store lots of data/info about mines/leads.

I also overlay old mining maps, geological data, nugget locations,  and create lots of paths which if detecting reef lines comes in handy to stay on course 

When I come across useful info researching newspapers/mining reports I'll copy and paste that into placemarks which keeps all my research handy for that particular spot. 

From there, I'll transform that data using Garmin Base Camp so the location info is accurate when uploaded to my Garmin GPS. (otherwise, it's up to 30 meters incorrect)

I also upload the KML file to the Google Earth App on my phone which I also use on occasions.

I ended up buying a leather hammer holder ($20) from eBay. The measurements looked to fit the size of my pick handles.

My main concern was that the pick fits snuggly and doesn't move around too much when walking. This holder fits well, although it's slightly tight and requires holding the holder while removing the pick. I think after a few weeks of use it will be perfect as the leather should stretch a little.

I'll carry the short pick for patch hunting and the larger one when the ground requires deeper digging.

I have also ordered a tactical belt with a nylon buckle as the leather one shown has a steel buckle which isn't great when using big coils. 

*Thanks for everyone's input as to the way you carry your pick.

4 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Detector in one hand, pick in the other, that’s the way I roll.

Unfortunately, both of my hands are full. One hand holds the zed and the other the swing arm. Oddly, swinging the Exinox with one arm tires me out yet the zed/swingarm/hipstick combo doesn't. I need that swingarm to help guide the coil under bushes and to control the coil.

2 hours ago, RONS DETECTORS MINELAB said:

I once broke my one belt mounted holder due to carrying 34” handles

I'm starting to see the benefit of using my small pick a lot more now. For small gold most holes are shallow. Why lug around something that is overkill 90% of the time? I even cut the handle down on my small pick to make it shorter and easier to use. Where I detect the car is often not far away to retrieve a larger pick/crowbar if needed. On my 1km - 10km hikes I'll take a larger pick.

56 minutes ago, dig4gold said:

If swinging the Zed I have used the minelab harness & just tuck the pick off my hip through the harness waist belt.

Have been doing the same for years but I've changed over to a new style of harness that doesn't allow that anymore. Not sure if it will be better or worse but I wanted something more organized to hold my gear.

2 hours ago, phrunt said:

This is what you need, 20 smackers at Bunnings.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/toughbuilt-modular-hammer-loop_p5820995

Clips onto your belt, or best of all onto the back of your harness so you can hang your pick on your back, which is ideal when using the GPZ and bigger coils keeping the pick away from the coil, belt works fine for the 6000 as it just doesn't have the detection distance.  It is plastic and metal but on your back its good, I don't get clunking.   You could always rubber paint the metal part.

Thanks, ill have a look next time I'm in there. Maybe that retention strap might help somehow in keeping the pick a little more secure than the one I have atm. 

After 10 years swinging a detector I still can't find a comfortable way to carry my pick.

For the last few years, I've been carrying it between the straps of the Minelab harness but when I wear loose clothing it gets caught up as I'm trying to slot it into position. I've tried the DD pick holder but don't like the pick hanging at a 45% angle as it catches on bushes when turning around.

I've tried hammer holders but they're mostly metal and the clunking and rattling are annoying. 

I've just purchased a Molle tactical vest instead of the Minelab harness and I have noticed a few hang their pick using the grab strap on the back. I like this idea the best but I don't want dirt and crap from the pick on my vest as my area is often wet with clay. Someone was making a 3d printed holder that holds the pick on your back, not sure if they're any good.

The only option that I think my work is a small leather hammer holder. There won't be any clunking and it should enable the pick to hang towards the ground.

Unless someone has a method that works well for them.

50 minutes ago, dig4gold said:

lost time from actually doing what they needed to do in finding gold by doing their videoing & editing etc. After all, it was their living & the time is precoius when out there

Some of the channels I follow say it takes them 30-40 hours to video, then edit the video for YouTube. These people are caravaning around Australia and have plenty of free time + treat it as a job. For someone who holds down a regular job or needs gold to support themselves as you say the time would be better spent detecting.

Some reckon the revenue they get from YouTube is roughly $140 per 10,000 video views. The majority of prospecting channels have few views as our niche is small compared to others.

*It seems by the view counts finding a big nugget is the fast track to building a channel and getting LOTS of views. 

22 minutes ago, phrunt said:

This technology is NOT in your phone and cameras like being suggested

Yes, that was what I thought also. He did mention XP is running on his computer so he can use specific outdated software, that particular computer isn't connected to the net in any way. 

Not sure if this has been posted already but this sounds interesting.

According to Woody who is the maker of this new detector, it will be light-years ahead of any other detector currently available. Due possibly this year.

I have no idea if the mods he does are any good or if he can create something better than what companies with many emploees/$$$ have at their disposal but I'm rooting that he can. 

It has an 8-pin plug, wonder why? 

Old ad for the sd220d

Something a little different. VLF though, i presume

Went out this afternoon to make sure both coils worked ok after the heat treatment.... All good🙂

Just the information I was after, thanks.

*Pays to use the search function on the forum as many problems/fixes have been discussed before often

1 hour ago, phrunt said:

You guys may find this interesting, it's an original GPZ 14" coil that the security chip had a soldering problem, and would come up coil error.  It was able to be repaired by pulling the plug end apart and resoldering the chip.

Yep, I had a problem with my patch lead a few years back also.

I had a broken audio wire right next to the chip break causing audio blanking every time I touched the coil to the ground. There was bugger all wire left to join it together properly so I soldered a little piece of wire between the two broken ends.

I amazed myself that I was able to fix it as my hands shake a bit and my eyesight isn't the best. I also know little about electronics. My nack is to just pull things apart and have a crack at fixing it. If it doesn't work I buy a new one. Sometimes sending things off to get repaired is more hassle than attempting to fix them. 

1 hour ago, Chet said:

Later I opened the plastic housing up with the intent to replace the cable. It was not practical if not impossible. 

Thanks, Ill take your word on that and won't attempt to open up the coil. I like the idea of joining on a new lead also, i never thought of that.

Re did the lead on my trusty 10" X-Coils also. Although not as bad as the 20" coil it was somewhat difficult to get the lead down the zeds shaft. Much better now

I bought an X-coils 20 Spiral early on for my gpz7000. 

Being one of the early coils the leads weren't fantastic, something they rectified later on. The problem was that the lead windings were too big and irregular in size. This caused a lot of problems when swapping over coils as it didn't slide inside the shaft well. I also found that on hot days the lead would stretch out of shape making things worse 

It's been a constant battle to fit inside the shaft and was getting worse to the point it was nearly impossible to use. A while back I attempted to fix the lead by winding it around the shaft shown in the picture and slightly heating it with a heat gun. That worked for a while but the spirals were still too big and it pulled out of shape quickly.

Today I'm trying something different. I'm trying a screwdriver that has a smaller diameter shaft, hoping to create a smaller spiral.  I tied the lead to the driver and then heated it as I wound it on tight, continuing until it was all wound on. Hopefully, I haven't ruined the lead by heating it too much.

*After doing this the lead fit a lot better but is still catching a bit in the middle as the lead has a fat spot, where the lead cable is extra thick.

If this doesn't work long-term I may have to pull the coil apart and fit a new lead.

1 hour ago, Valens Legacy said:

My grandfather had always told me to use a file because they won't heat the steel up and make it lose it's temper.

I will sit for a couple of hours and use the file to make it nice and sharp again, when I have used it and abused it over a few weeks. With that said I generally will sharpen it after several hunts when I am using it a lot.

Yes, that's the file I've been using up till now.

Decided to give the grinder ago today and did a couple of passes on the blade then dipped it in water. Hopefully, I didn't heat the metal too much.

35 minutes ago, GoodAmount said:

I’ve just retipped my pick with a new section of carbon steel from a trailer leaf spring.

That's what I plan on doing when the pick wears down too much. I've been thinking about whether to weld it on or bolt it on like another pick I saw with replaceable ends. For the hassle though, I'll probably end up buying another Gold Digger pick - Looks like Nenad (phasetechnical) sells them