karelian

Just got a message that yes the AlgoForce does work with a Razorback (Miner John) folded mono, so it is looking good for us Tdi users out there.. Early days but it is looking better and better.

Looking at how the AlgoForce would be used by prospectors I suspect the emphasis on small coils makes good sense. Now we just need a former Tdi user who has the newer machine to let us know if they are compatible.

The question of Tdi coil compatibility delights the imagination. The AlgoForce makes good sense already and the use of existing coils is just another bonus. The little 6 x 4 mono would be an interesting match that would make for a feather weight combo.

I have three Detech coils, 11 x 6 mono, 15 x 10 mono and my favourite the 8 round mono. All three are very well made and solid coils. Quality materials and solid well fitting skid plates. The 8" round mono is almost equal to the 'Sadie' coil on smaller targets whilst going a bit deeper on larger targets. Perfect on my Tdi Sl, if you just want one coil for everything on a light weight machine. Again well made and durable coils with decent options for size and shape. Stable with excellent performance that all come highly recommended. All the best.

The problem is that people who draft the legislation and enforce the laws have not practical experience of the hobby. The academics interested in this area feel threatened by metal detectorists and this influences their recommendations to those who draft the law. The UK stands as an excellent example of how engaging with each other and learning from each other brings about meaningful changes to laws. By rewarding land owners and detectorist many magnificent discoveries have been made that enriches everyone involved and preserves valuable history. Detectorists and land owners as well as the historians all benefit from collaboration. Disinformation and distrust work against us all. Again I point at the success of the UK and the important role played by detectorist clubs and societies in engaging with and influencing meaningful legislative changes.

I hope this machine succeeds and the company goes on to bigger and better. It's price point does not challenge the leaders in the game, it is a much lower priced option. I'm old enough to remember when MInelab started out with VLF machines and then succeeded with their PI machines. Starting at a lower price is a smart move for a company given the dominance of the competition. Ground grab is a step up for some of us on a PI, coming from older White's Tdi machines. Quality of manufacture, operational stability, accuracy of the ground balance, performance in the field are other factors and the real important questions for me. For operators of the latest Minelab machines this machine is a step back, but at this price point some of us are still interested. For the money I do not expect a 'Holy Grail' detector, but I do like what I see and find myself interested in the potential. It is what it is, not a Minelab.. Size, weight, power and coil options all combine to make a light weight budget PI. I for one can live without ground tracking if a ground grab function is stable and accurate. Very early days and looking forward to user experience and videos. As an Australian I hope we have another successful metal detector manufacturer following in the footsteps of Minelab. Healthy competition, local jobs and it is just all good for electronic prospectors to have more budget friendly options. All the best.

Love that this machine is listed on the Australian Amazon site, at $2275 or US $1500. I'm going to sit back and wait to see how it performs. Strong hints that small coils and small gold is the machines preference.. The price point is great as is the ability to update firmware easily in the future. As a package it looks good, very tempting... A most welcome new addition to the game and I'm hoping it fulfills its promise as a capable alternative. At this price point it does not need to outperform it's PI competitors. But perhaps the question is at this price point should be, who are it's competitors?

For ground adjustment it only make sense on the Tdi Sl which has a single turn ground balance knob. The vernier dial allows changes the ratio making fine tuning easier. The Tdi Pro ground balance already has a coarse and fine dial, two dials. Adding a vernier dial to the Tdi Pro threshold would on the other hand be an interesting addition. All the best.

An often performed modification on the Tdi sl or SPP machines is the inclusion of the Philmore S38 vernier dial. Since I often loan my Tdi Sl machines to family or friends I felt it was kinder to install the vernier dial as the original Whites setup was very frustrating in hot ground. Very fussy to say the least. My technique was to simply set up the dial so it starts a zero and does not confuse inexperienced users. Adjustments start at six all the way up, hot ground is usually around 8 or 8.5 for example. Instead of a permanent installation it is fully reversible and very temporary. So for the beach or less challenging ground I leave the factory set up as is. When prospecting simply pull the White's knob off and install the Philmore vernier dial. Brace it using a very firm foam so it doesn't move etc. The foam is a tight fit and holds the vernier dial in place stopping from rotating. The dial is smooth and covers the required ground balance window encountered in the goldfields. It does not turn the Tdi Sl into a Tdi Pro, but it makes ground balancing quick and easy. The photos tell the story, again it works well and is fully reversible. I only use it when out on the goldfields and then remove it for beach work etc. All the best.

Some folks love looking at images of circuit boards, U16 as requested. Reflections on the Tdi Pro machines as we near the end of the year 2023. Have used the machine for a while I can say that it is a competent and reliable unit. It is versatile and lends itself to a variety of tasks, whilst being master of none. Most importantly for me it is a fun machine that I enjoy swinging. It does it's best work on the beach and is capable of decent performance on the goldfields. If prospecting is the main game them you should be looking at Minelab and the new generation of PI detectors, smaller, lighter and well balanced. For me that means GPX6000 or Axiom. Perhaps even a clean GPX5000... if the price is right and some are... All the best. Hope the images are of some use to those who are interested.

Just selling surplus machines, but keeping my Tdi Pro for the beach. Finding more gold on my local beach than the actual goldfields and it is only a few minutes away by car... All the best.

I've taken some images of a Tdi Pro Oz machine that was modified by 'Luke'. All I know is that the threshold is a bit smoother and there is a very very... small difference in performance. Again for those who are interested I hope it is of some value. I have no understanding or knowledge of what was done other than it relates to threshold smoothness and sensitivity.. for those who are interested, all the best. Selling the machine so it was a last opportunity to take some photographs.

Roger, check out the Prospecting Australia metal detecting forum, the classifieds. For example i'm selling a modified Tdi Pro with coils etc etc on that site. Also Ebay Australia sometimes has some of the coils you mentioned. I wasn't clear on which Tdi you are using, or planning on using. Tdi Sl or Tdi Pro? The Pro will balance most coils easily whilst the Tdi Sl loves the lighter loops. Looking at your choices it looks as if your on the right track as far as coverage is concerned. I've found that the key is working out what you want and then waiting for the opportunity to present itself.

I am always on the hunt for a bargain. What I really wanted was a Nugget Finder Evo but I settled for a cheaper used Coiltek 9" Elite. It seems to work well with the Tdi Pro but I'll reserve judgement until I've used it on the goldfields in hot ground. It will be interesting to see how it compared with the Sadie and Detech 8" mono. All the best, more to come soon.

An MXT E Series, excellent machine and a bit of a Jack of all trades. Pretty sure Captain Kidd left a bit of treasure in New Jersey? An interesting part of the world with a rich history. All the best.

The combination of fires destroying the business and White's departure would seem to indicate that the coils will not go back into production. Used examples on Ebay are your best option.

I like to use the Tdi Pro with smaller coils, a Sadie running with delay at 10 and conductivity in the all setting. If hot rocks and the ground prove a real problem then I may switch conductivity to Low. If i have a larger coil mounted then I will still use the same settings and logic. If I know there are monsters lurking in the depths I may be tempted to use a slightly larger coil and increase delay to 12.5 or even 15 whilst staying with conductivity in ALL. The hole will shift as you change the ground balance setting. Changing conductivity alters the ground balance point, moving the hole... The Tdi machines have limitations, but we do have room to play with our settings within those limitations. My Tdi loves the beach and it is there that it does its best work but I persist in also using it on the goldfields. The goldfields have seen generations of Minelab machines cleaning up, for me to have half a chance I tend to work around the edges of proven ground. Get into the thick nasty vegetation, think outside of the box. Study the history, areas rushed but forced out by drought and lack of water. Patchy areas that frustrated early prospectors but are ideal for electronic prospectors. If I find gold I go over the ground with the VLF 24K, then the Tdi Pro with smaller and larger coils. I use a fire rake to clean rubbish out of holes so I can get the coil closer to the ground. Going over proven ground with different machines or coils or settings is a way of leaving less gold behind. My idea of a large coil is the 12" Tdi mono, the Miner John Digger 14x8 mono and the largest coil i use the Detech 15x10 mono. The Digger coil being my favourite. Pays to remember that whilst technology plays its part, it does not replace attitude, technique, research and planning. I cannot but admire the advances that technology has made and the performance of the latest PI machines. Love my Tdi but the day will come when it is left hanging on the wall...

Yes the Razorback coil was tested and the results are charted in the opening page of this thread. I thought it did very well as the test results show. The weight and balance are well complimented by the performance. The shaft connection is at the back making for a very long reach under bushes etc. It is also quite a thin coil so this adds to the appeal. Almost Sadie performance with less weight and a thinner profile. One of Miner John's best in my opinion.

Closer image of the Razorback coil a 10 x 6 mono that is super light and performs well. Matched to a Tdi Sl this coil makes for a feather weight rig with superb balance.

When choosing test targets I make sure everything could be replicated, so no nuggets where used. I should have included images of the 1 grain ingot and half gram gold coin. Pictures make things clearer.

When using the Tdi SL or SPP, for maximum sensitivity remember to slow down the sweep speed. When first starting at a new location I always use the 1 grain ingot to fine tune the setting. Once the machine is setup for the location I can focus on coil control and sweep speed until muscle memory takes over. All the best.

Checking again, single section over discharge detection votage is 2.75/2.85v. Multiplye that by five give us a cut off range of 13.75 and 14.24. Tested mine came in just under 16volts cut off and max 21.5v. Single section max charge comes in between 4.18 and 4.22v, so between 20.1 and 21.1, tested at 21.5v.. There are numerous 5 x 18650 pcb's available so the link is not the only option available. Claimed specs vs tested results do differ. All the best.

Melano87, link is for PCB that cuts out near 16V. Specs are in the eBay link for max for each individual battery cell and for minimum, before cut off.

I just used solder, I was given some that holds very well, sorry no details. Spot weld on the tabs is superior but I used what I had on hand. Battery packs are available, Google 8 x 18650 14.8 volts packs to see if any are available in your area etc. I 'inherited' a modified TDI PRO OZ Series, it has threshold and gain mods. Not a job I would ever have entertained myself. I also had a stardard Pro before getting the modified unit. The high output battery system is used on the modified Pro, still waiting for it to blow up but it hums along quite nicely.... All the best.

The ebay link is for the five cell high power battery, not a direct replacement for the eight cell White's battery pack. If your White's pack is failing, rebuild with new cells using the existing White's PCB, too easy. Take a photo or ten to record how it is wired up and have a go. Make sure to use new tech high capacity Panasonic cells if you do a rebuild. Lots of companies specializing in rebuilding battery packs with new cells. Even with White's out of the picture we still have options.