madtuna

How do you find the RZR for prospecting?

I was advised years ago by a broker that with larger pieces (10 oz +) to not put them on the internet as many buyers will pay a premium for them. Why? I don't know. Maybe they tell their mates they found them.

Sometimes it's also just not worth the flack you'll receive from some members of various forums.

Another thing I've found is that as prospecting season approaches you'll have heaps of friends who want to catch up but after their holiday you wont hear from them again until their next holiday is approaching.

Bugger Dave! I had no idea, Glad to hear you're on the mend. All the best to you and Ronnie.

As for the X-coils, Ricks visit was the first time I got to see one in the flesh and see it in action. 

I invited Rick and his lovely wife Kaye over to a patch I'm working that has produced a few ounces and is still giving -albeit very sparingly now. This patch is one of the worst hot rock infested patches I've ever come across.

I wanted to see if it could pull anything more on this ground which I've hit pretty hard with my standard 14" coil.

Nothing scientific, no super duper tests, no like for like, I just wanted to see and hear an X-coil working and maybe run my coil over any targets he found, if any.

First thing I must say, and I stress this is my opinion only, visually these coils fit and finish are on par with anything from the mainstream manufactures and better than some. The leads I understand have improved since Rick got his coils and if so that was one of my main concerns more so than sending my coil to the chop shop, that didn't really worry me.

Rick was running in normal most of the time and his coil ran every bit as stable as my 14" and sometimes I even think better.

He pulled out a nice 5+ gram bit out from amongst the hot rocks which impressed me no end.

The day was an eye opener for me and answered a lot of questions I had (all in the positive).

Thanks again Rick.

Was great to catch up Rick and congrats on a successful trip and welcome to WA.

On 8/29/2020 at 3:30 AM, Gold Catcher said:

I also like that the SDC is foldable. I can't think of any other detector with this performance level that I would take on a 8 mile hike into the bush (although I have done that shouldered with the GPZ.....). I could also imagine that more coil options would become available for the GPZ as the GPX 6000 is rolling out. Like a product refresh cycle. 

The SDC (like the GPZ) also has durability and reliability. I's a tough little bugger that will take an absolute pounding and keep going and going and going.

Whether it's stuffed behind the seat of Cruiser, bouncing around the back of my Perentie or bungy tied on the quad, it just does not fail. Complete confidence in the thing which is a big part of the detecting / prospecting  mindset. 

7 hours ago, WesD said:

Does anyone actually want a larger coil?  We already have that 19" behemoth. Do they not hear the peasants screaming smaller smaller?

Minelab must have their hands tied, as they dont seem to want that small coil option out there to compete with sdc2300 sales.

 

YES! This peasant has been screaming larger larger for ages. The 19" is a brilliant coil but it is ground specific. It was not a step it out prospecting coil.

It's main drawback was it's weight. The only reason I sold it was because Putin and NF had offerings on the horizon that promised to be much lighter.

The stock GPZ coil and my SDC suit me fine for the small stuff I find already so I'm not after a smaller coil...but that's me.

Nice water warn bits Miss Peg.

Still trying to get my head around bears! They say we have deadly wild life but I think you trump us lot

3 hours ago, flakmagnet said:

I would only hope that if one day, when you invent something successful that you don't have someone
make that kind of suggestion. I actually know first hand how much effort went into designing and making  it and how difficult it was getting it out to customers. Chewing done.

ahh yes...I should have bought a pick instead of making my own...how rude an unethical of me.

I live in the middle of nowhere, somethings you just cannot get out here. Many manufactures and retailers just refuse to ship or prices to ship make it just not viable.

You adapt something or make something and I make no apologies for that because sometime the other option - go without is unacceptable.

Edit: I am not suggesting anyone go full on manufacturing and selling a replica product, just knock up something similar for personal use.

Some bloke on another forum started a year or so ago forging a bent tool for scratching crevices and sells heaps for about $45au.

Next time I need a new crevice scratcher I'll modify another old screw driver or bend a bit of fence wire as I've always done and wont feel one bit of remorse for not buying his product...yeah I have no conscience.

make one.  I mean before I get my butt chewed...make something similar.

WA is not all big open flats Phrunt, some good gold baring ground is comparable to yours

The reason the 7000 weighs as much as it does and looks like it does is because ML built a machine to the specifications of what detectorists asked for on the majority of forums.

Battery on the machine, screen, wireless, GPS etc etc… they even told them what they were willing to pay for it. 

We get exactly what we ask for then complain because they listened and delivered, and we also still accuse them of not listening??

Despite its weight and ergonomics, it's a brilliant machine and you adapt as you do with any machine. I myself have no problems swinging it all day, day in and day out.

Sometimes though I think I must be the only bloke on the planet who didn't mind the GPX platform with a battery on the back and being attached with a battery cable.

No matter the detector, in rubbish areas it's safer to dig the lot as annoying as it is. Rubbish masks good targets so get them up and out.

Had a target in a rubbish strewn area go off like I'd swung over a car door...was a specimen with 7.5 oz of gold. I'd swung over it previously a few times and walked away.

This was in an area hit hard year after year by a gazillion detectorists.

I remember selling it for $350 an oz🤕

$3000 and more an oz sounds lovely but who can afford to buy it?

If I can still keep getting my $85 a gram I'll be happy...after all I just found it there laying about in the paddock

I remember once pulling over for a piddle and as I hopped back in, lifting up my leg into the ute forced my gold bottle up out of my pocket and dropped onto the ground as I shut the door.

About two days later I got a call from the fuzz saying some wonderful person had handed it. They tracked me as it was a prescription pill bottle and my name and the pharmacy was on the was on the label.

There was just under an ounce in the bottle and not a bit was missing.

Maybe the old guy did lose it, his age means nothing, I was mid 30's when I lost mine.

What amazes me is the amount of people who think it's hilarious.  On one forum some numpty exclaimed it was the funniest thing he had read all year!

The poor old bugger must have been beside himself. I wonder how funny they would think it was if it happened to them.

2 hours ago, mn90403 said:

The Aussie story tellers are working overtime to describe this one!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8445421/Huge-gold-nugget-buried-secret-location-Australia.html

Daily mail...UK story tellers.

Some Aussie dude posted a pic on facebook and some over excited pommy journo nearly blew a vein in his neck and came up with the story. Typical Daily mail sensational hype about nothing type article

Thanks for your concerns Jim.

I am well aware of the dangers of Mercury and have been using the same 1kg to process gold for a gazillion years reclaiming it each time using a retort and yes I use PPE.

I'd like to thank the tea lady and I'd imagine so would thousands of our military personnel

Spotted a jar half sticking out of the ground yesterday...….

Between 10 and 15 kg of Mercury. 👍 Will break it down into 1kg lots and process it through my retort as it appears quite gritty so could be holding a bit of gold.

Sure beats the 3 grams I found too😃

So a carpenter with his ute full of tools...what's he buying?

Spot on Dave!

WA border closed as of tomorrow and I think SA border closed today. Any travellers across borders have to self isolate for 14 days.

Reading on a few forums people are planning on self isolating for a few months in WA. But travel restrictions are starting to come into effect across indigenous lands and it looks like soon there will be no non essential travel to the goldfields or Kimberly regions and more areas will surely follow. Anywhere where there is a majority indigenous population.

Most communities are rife with diabetes, chronic heart conditions and other health conditions that put them in the most vulnerable bracket. If this did get into the communities it could decimate them.

Certainly have to give the old timers a hell of a lot of credit. Just looking at the old shafts and even the wells on this station it amazes me the depths dug and through solid bedrock with nothing more than a pick and shovel.

While there were obviously a lot of knowledgeable folks on the gold fields I'd say a large majority had no idea and it was trial and error, just trying their luck in areas where a discovery was made. They learned as they went.

If the American gold rushes were anything like the Australian rushes most of the miners weren't miners...they were bakers, shoemakers, farmers, beggars and pretty much any profession who fled their jobs chasing a dream.

Some made it, but most didn't. Not much has changed at all really. 

Everyone needs a decent DD in their kit.

Seriously thinking of purchasing another 4500 or 5000 purely to run a big NF 25 DD

Loving the aussie price! It's like every morning I wake up with a pay rise😃

10 hours ago, RedDirtDigger said:

Well done Tuna. Hook in there and kill it. Got to be some decent slugs there somewhere deep.

Busting to get over there after i do my winter prep chores, wood gathering for Deb.

cheers Steve

Cheers Duck! 

Didn't think you'd have any wood left over there..thought it all burnt.

Got three bits which went about 2oz each from the same area last year but just never got around to going back there. Thought I better flog it before the masses arrive this season.

Say hi to Deb for me!

Found a nice little run a couple of days ago, 2 days in a row just over 1/2 oz  each day and another 23 grams this morning.

Here's a pic of this mornings total....

I don't film many digs anymore, but the bigger chunk had a bit of depth. I was hoping it would be deeper and bigger...but alas, not to be, it went just under 10 grams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpUIZp0f7zQ