NCtoad

I use the ml80 headphones.  They fit well, block out the majority of unwanted noise and are pretty durable.  Nothing’s broken on them, but outer layer of the earmuffs is delaminating and peeling off in places.  This after almost 3 years of use.  I think they sound good to me. I recently bought an aftermarket aptx ll pair of headphones (I can’t recall the brand right now, but not Trond or the Miccus clones).  They sound very similar to the ml80 phones, but they don’t fit my head as well.  

I use both, but primarily FE 0 and F2 6. I usually leave my settings button on iron bias so I can easily check between the two settings by hitting settings then the +/- button.  If there’s lots of nails I will go with F2 6, if not then FE 0.

1 hour ago, Chase Goldman said:

My thought is that the Equinox appears to be performance optimized to the 11" coil, FWIW

I agree minelab added a little magic to that coil. 

26 minutes ago, GB_Amateur said:

I know you've said this before but I'm wondering what this is based upon.  Is it theoretical or found with measurements/experience or ??.  My limited measurements have indicated depth for USA pennies and nickels goes as the geometric mean (square root of the product of the two axes) so dependent upon both.  Other factors, espeically ground mineralization, can be large contributors as you and most(?) readers know.  I've not done comparisons in air.

This is interesting!  If true, the stock coil has almost the same theoretical depth as the 9x14 coiltec.  

For me the nox800 99% of the time.  I’m on my fourth year detecting so fairly new to the hobby.  The only other detectors I have are all tesoros.  Two compadres, a mojave and a vaquero.  Thinking about getting rid of most of the tesoros and getting a deeptech vista x.  I have to admit I love my nox.  Probably why I use it all the time. 

I really don’t see much advantage to any of these new coils over the stock coils.  I can understand gold hunters embracing the 5x10 for more coverage while keeping a high sensitivity to small gold.  I really don’t see any advantage of the 9x14 over the 11” stock.  Most likely less depth with 3” more coverage.  Maybe it’s more aqua dynamic (is that even a term? Lol) than the stock 11” for water hunters.  I can see a use for the round 15” though.  More depth and more coverage than the 11” and more depth than the 12x15 stock coil.  I can see it’s advantage in wide open plowed fields. Am I being a debbie downer on these new coils?  Lol

4 hours ago, kac said:

Sorry ran out of likes.

I chose a straight blade rather than tapered as a tapered once you start digging you always need more force to keep digging.

I like the spade points better for scooping so I made a shallow spade point. So far it has cut through little over 1" thick top frozen soil without any difficulty when I took it out yesterday.

Downside of a spade point is they will deflect when next to a root so I made it shallow then put a cuple catchers on the sides which are proving very good at keeping the blade straight when stomping.

I plan on making the foot peg fill to the back profile of the blade and adding some small cleets. Current foot peg was just made from some left over scrap and my foot hasn't slipped off.

I try to avoid abrupt angles and rather try to transfer forces and energy outward. The little hand digger I have with spade point on a circular arc has proven very strong. Creased blades cause forces to converge but no so much on a flat point digger like the root slayer.

I thought about serated edges but so far not necessary from what I have tested so far so keeping it simple in that respect for now.

So far the 10" blade is working out well and the width seems really good. 3 stomps and I can roll the dirt out with one hand in most cases. Makes approx a 6-8" wide hole.

So far the fiberglass handle seems plenty strong, it is my biggest concern and I have to look close to where it bends. If it wants to try to flex where it connects to the blade it can be a problem as that will be a fracture point. If it just flexes a little in the middle then not a problem. Same will be if I attach a D or T handle on it.

Now to costs, materials are high, I use ansi cert 4130 which is not cheap and shipping is really through the roof. I have made various tools for forming etc to cut labor down so getting fabrication down to a science if you want to call it that.

Prototype stage cost isn't a driving factor and design is a priority for me. Not sure about mass production, rather make them as orders come in and be able to customize them to the customers. Everyone makes a shovel and shoves them on a shelf, very few fit each persons style and needs 100%. I think custom built has a niche.

All good points.  Let me know when one these is available to purchase. 

On 1/25/2021 at 6:08 PM, kac said:

First proto, I will be testing. 4 1/4" x 10" blade, 40" overall. 2.15 lbs. Integrated foot peg so it doesn't hang up, couple root cutters to reduce side kick.

Thoughts?

 

I think you have an innovative design.  I’m the type of person who looks at something (like a tool or shovel) and tries to formulate all the “what ifs” in my mind.  For the past year I’ve been using a root slayer nomad model.  Three things I really like about this shovel:  

1) the inverted tip.  It catches small roots and cuts them rather than deflecting off to one side or the other.
2) the size of the blade.  I wouldn’t want it any wider at the top and the length is sufficient for most targets.  However I wouldn’t mind if it was 10 or even 11 inches long.  Btw, when new I’m pretty sure it was 9” or slightly more, but has worn down to under 9” with all the digging I’ve done with it.  
3) the price was only $40. I know it’s mass produced in China, but it’s held up well.  I would expect a hand produced shovel made by a forum member would be at least twice as much.  
Looking at your design here’s what I see both pros and cons. 
1) I really like your tip design.  The center point will pierce the soil, but the inverted sections on either side of the point will catch and cut roots. 
2) I like the size of the blade and especially the fact that the sides are parallel and don’t taper from top to bottom.  I think this will help to dig and extract a more intact plug.  
3) the foot peg design is nice in that if needed to go deeper it won’t catch on the edge of the hole. Maybe you could enlarge the footpad area by circling it around the front of the blade. 
4) This is a con.  I think you need to make the ferrule that the handle fits in to extend at least a few inches higher and maybe even 6 or 8 higher than the top of the blade. I’m also curious as to why the handle and blade aren’t one continuous piece of steel.  Is it the weight factor?  

All in all I think you have a great design on your hands especially if you can figure out a sturdy handle solution.  
Attached are pics of the nomad shovel. 

Hi Greg and welcome!  I’m another from north cackalackie, Henderson county to be exact.  I don’t post much here, but I do lurk.  This is a great place to learn.  

21 hours ago, phrunt said:

I do like that design better than the real Equinox design, I don't like the side buttons, the power button isn't easy to use either, especially with a detector cover on, sometimes I feel I press it 3 or so times before it works.

I used to have problems with the power button also.  Sometimes it would take 4 or 5 tries.  I thought I was going to have to send it back to minelab.  Then one day I tried a firm press and held it for just a half second or so.  Once I started doing that very quick momentary hold I’ve never had a problem again.  I also have a deanos protective cover on mine.  

13 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

Yes. They work well and provide peace of mind if bad weather rolls in.

5 hours ago, ColonelDan said:

I've been using the Quest headphones for well over a year now, they've worked flawlessly so far and meet all your requirements.

https://www.questmetaldetectors.com/product-page/aptx-low-latency-bluetooth-wireless-headphones-for-minelab-equinox

Just one more question:  the quest site says their phones weigh 320grams which is almost 11.3 ozs.  I just weighed my ml80s and they weigh 7.7 ozs.  Do you guys notice the weight difference?

5 hours ago, ColonelDan said:

I've been using the Quest headphones for well over a year now, they've worked flawlessly so far and meet all your requirements.

https://www.questmetaldetectors.com/product-page/aptx-low-latency-bluetooth-wireless-headphones-for-minelab-equinox

Thanks guys!  My nox is from that first run when you had to get on a pre order list.  Nox itself has worked flawlessly, but the ml80 headphones are showing some wear and I’m on the lookout for a replacement.  

Has anyone tried the Quest headphones on their nox.  Just today I was out detecting and a hard rain shower came up.  I’d like to find some nox compatible low latency apt x phones that’ll stand up to some rain without worrying about them getting wet.  I know this is an old thread, just wondering if anyone tried the quest phones or had another recommendation.  I’m not interested in earbuds although I may have to go that route. 

Nice find!  I've gone over areas I've pounded with the 11" coil and that little 6 incher will still make a good find.  If one can be patient and slow down and not worry about the coverage the 6" will find the goods.

Awesome find!  Nothing like finding gold....especially 18k and heavy!

Mine worked!!  Looking forward to trying F2 in some old home sites.

and he needed to confirm my address to ship my repaired compadre back to me.  I sent in my compadre, I think it was last October, for warranty work.  Then, two days later I read that they had laid off all their employees.  Hadn't heard a thing since and wasn't overly distraught since I hardly ever use the compadre and I had a new equinox.  But, out of the blue yesterday Vince calls and says he put a new disc pot and a new coil on my compadre and is sending it home.  So if anyone else here had shipped one for warranty work and thought they might never get it back because the company went under there's still hope.  It seems he's still working on making good on all the warranty claims as long as they were made before they decided to call it quits.  I'm actually now looking forward to getting that little compadre back!  I never did use it a whole lot, but it has found me two gold rings.

Got to use my new ls pelso phones for the first time today at a creek swimming hole.  Didn't find much of anything, but I do like the headphones.  Plenty of volume, the tones are good enough...the low tones don't have bass like they do with the wm08's, but it's a non issue for me.  As far as build quality, they're very nice and stout with a nice long cord.  I didn't dunk them, but did dunk my nox for the first time!

4 hours ago, MCH2 said:

Work well; nice and loud.  The cord is long enough to plug straight into your machine without your headphones being pull off your head.

Thanks guys!  I like the price and had seen the LS Pelso phones on Kellyco's site, but wasn't sure if these were the same or someone just copying them.  Looks like they're $95 shipped with 3 day shipping from Hungary.  I won't be diving, but only creek wading and submersing my nox control pod in the deeper areas.  

I really don't want to spend $150+ on a set of  waterproof phones since I don't do a ton of water hunting.  

Anyone tried these:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/LS-PELSO-WATERPROOF-HEADPHONES-FOR-USE-WITH-MINELAB-EQUINOX600-800METAL-DETECTOR/273858263213?hash=item3fc33978ad:g:CIQAAOSwIbtb6pHb

There's a small stream not too far from where I live that has a smooth rock bed that you can slide down.  So, the other day I took my kids there and I also took my nox.  In fairly shallow (18"), but swift water my third target rang up a solid 12.  I was in park 1.  Got a 2.2 gram 14k ring.  I don't have a scoop yet but I did just order one.

On 4/8/2019 at 12:35 PM, Happa54 said:

Good post Mark

I find Park 1 to be the best mode for me too. Learned the FBS waggle from A Sabich Safari handbook and use it on all targets. I use to use a 6" coil on my FBS and it is excellent in the trash. But, the 11" stock coil is awesome too and I stay with it on all my hunts. The one thing I like about the waggle is that those initial faint squeaks become magnified after a couple of seconds of waggling through the target. I've pulled many deep faint squeakers from the dirt this way. 

This.  The nox just seems to home in with the wiggle if you catch that good tone on your regular swing.  I don't how many times I hear just a bit of a high tone and then go back to investigate while wiggling the coil and after a few seconds that signal gets clearer and clearer and I just know to dig.

I would guess $200-$250 with tesoro going out of business.  I have a vaquero also, but I'm going to keep it as a backup to my nox.  I hardly ever get it out since I got the nox, but when I do use it, the fun factor is pretty high.  

There may be a difference in the audio of a gold ring verses a pulltab, but let's face it, to get that tonal difference etched into our memories, we have to dig a lot of gold.  But that just doesn't happen.  If gold rings were as plentiful as pulltabs I'm sure I could note a difference in the signal....if there is a difference.  I don't believe air tests cut it on how it sounds in the wild.  I've done air tests on gold rings and pulltabs side by side and just can't tell a difference in the audio.  

13 hours ago, Bhogg said:

Hi All 

I’m just wondering if there’s anyway to tell the difference between gold rings/ jewellery and trash eg pull tabs as it all seams to come in around the same numbers!.

 Cheers 

No?   Seriously though, I've found three gold items with my nox.  The first was a 14.6 gram 10k class ring that was the third target when I first got my nox.  It rang up 20/21 and sounded really nice, but zinc cents come in at those numbers and sound the same to me.  The second item was a solid 14k, 2.9 gram pin of a hand holding a baseball.  It wasn't round, but oblong and it rang up a solid 10.  The third was a 14k, 5.65 gram wide women's wedding band.  It rang up a solid 17.