rled2005

Which size and type of backpacks do you all use to hike in for panning?

What type and size of backpack do you use for hiking in with your pans and crevicing tools??

On 8/29/2019 at 1:02 AM, karelian said:

I was looking for battery tray design for my Tdi SL which would allow 4 x 18650 batteries. As luck would have it on the local Prospecting Australia website  XLOOX posted a simple mod for a Whites factory battery tray. I don't know how to post links so the full description is to be found in the Prospecting Australia site. Simple cut out the guts of the tray, leaving the original battery connectors with mods on one end and a copper connector on the other.  I can fit Panasonic NCR18650B cells, without nipples but with protection. They just fit snuggly. The only issue is closing the lid, you need to cut a channel under the batteries into the base of the tray to allow for this. I'll cover this with a thin carbon fibre sheet and look at using a thinner sheet for the cover also. I will also add something to secure the batteries in position. Just waiting for the postman to deliver my carbon fibre sheet before finishing my own version of XLOOX's design. What I like most is that this is simple and cheap. Must confess I am aware of many different designs, since there have been no reports of smoking Tdi Sl machines I have finally decided to give it a go.

All the best, Karelian

What charger is being used?

I have been pondering this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EE6GHU8/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

But I wanted to see if something was better and at a decent price point/

Anyone know the best bang for the buck for weigh scales, from experience? I’ve been looking at re-loader scales.

On 9/12/2019 at 5:14 AM, Jim in Idaho said:

It's a stripped-down version of the GMT...more simplified. There's a guy in southern Idaho has been trying to sell an almost new one for several months. He's asking $250.

Jim

Jim check your messages

Maybe some guru will create an app for the Deus to use on the cellphone.

This is a nice concept. If works I can see a lot of interest.

I had a chance to go out and use the NF 12x8 evolution coil. Holy @#*%! That is one powerful coil. Down on the river I was going through some bedrock. I found a nickel that’s probably been there for quite awhile. The detector was snorting, grunting and going into overload at a nickel at 5 inches. Found some bits of small sinkers, but no gold! 😫 I had to keep the mini pick at least 30” away to keep it from picking it up. I was able to run the sensitivity up to max without problems. 

Just now, karelian said:

Minelab GPX series lower shafts. Doc's detecting lowers are made for GPX machines etc. Yes perfect fit for all TDI uppers. Just need to fix the spring clip set up. Karelian

Thank you for the info!

I have an Equinox lower shaft, but it’s outside diameter is larger than the TDI upper shaft. So, Doc’s detector shaft will work, apparently?

Has anyone found a lower shaft for White's TDI to adapt to Minelab coils or coils made for Minelab correctly without extra rubber washers? Tecknetic's lower shaft comes close but is too short.

2 minutes ago, phrunt said:

I'm not sure if Nugget Finder still produce the Sadie, It's no longer on their website. The smallest coil available on their website is the 12x8" EVO which is flatwound rather than the Sadies bundle wound, Evo's are also waterproof.

From what I've seen the 14x9" EVO appeared to be more sensitive to small targets than the Sadie so the 12x8 must be a pretty good coil.

https://www.nuggetfinder.com.au/products

Nugget Finder seems like they've dropped all the Advantage bundle wound series in favor of the EVO's.

So they’re ok on TDI sl’s?

38 minutes ago, karelian said:

The duel field coils do well in low to moderate mineralization, but when the soil is hot in Australia they transmit more ground noise and are more difficult to ground balance than mono coils;  in my experience. This is particularly true for the larger coils and less so for the small ones. I only have experience with the White's 12" duel field and the Jimmy duel field coils. Most of the mono coils beat the duel field Jimmy  in Australian soils. The Sadie was the best of the small coils and the Detech equals it. Slight advantage to the Sadie on small gold and slight advantage to the Detech on larger deeper targets. 

If the Jimmy coil is equal to the  7.5" White's duel field then I can say the Detech 8"  which is near identical to the Sadie mono, will have a clear advantage in hot ground encountered in Australia. This would be  reflected in the coil chart results between the Jimmy and Sadie.  Hard won life lessons, plus an army drill instructor have pointed out that behind every stuff up there is an assumption. The above opinion is based on at least one assumption... since I've never seen or used the White's 7.5" duel field coil, only the Jimmy. Also White's didn't promote the duel field coils in Australia, instead providing the mono versions on local machines. Folks have posted videos comparing the White's 7.5" duel field and Sadie in the USA, probably more useful than my Australian experiences. Seems that in the USA  soils,  the performance is very close.. Hope this is not a confusing or contradictory answer and is useful to some degree. 

All the best, Karelian

 

 

I have not found any USA comparisons to date in my searches. Only the one called ridge runner says 7.5  dual field is blind as a bat.lol

Detech doesn’t list the 8” for TDI, just gpx, sd, Minelab detectors. That’s confusing!  I’m in southern Oregon. The soil can get nasty with hot rocks, serpentine, and other types. It is a big dive at the prices that they want without being sure that the improvement will be worth it.

The Detech is waterproof, the Sadie isn’t apparently. 

On 9/3/2019 at 4:40 AM, karelian said:

I haven't tried any of the flat wound Evo coils,  nor the Detech 11' Ultra. Last coil I ended up buying was the Detech 8 mono which impressed me a lot. Probably nearly as good or equals the Sadie on the small targets and has a small advantage on larger deeper targets. I suspect the round coil shape has a lot to do with that. I use it on the beach and in wet/muddy areas because that Detech is a solid little thing and waterproof, it gets all the dirty jobs. The Sadie doesn't see mud or water.   I'm in the process of culling coils at the moment and that will finance new technology. The mono 8' and Sadie are both keepers. Ground coverage and small gold sensitivity are a winning combination so I can see how the flat wound coils appeal. Karelian

How would the 7.5" White's dual field coil fare with the 8" Detech mono?

mm

Au4Gold2, I know that area very well. I grew up around Turlock, CA and had relatives in the Snelling area. I remember the big bucket dredge that was sitting there forever. A Co. bought the dredge and hauled it up somewhere in Canada. I remember the huge piles of river rock. I figured that someone bought all that property and made it off limits to anyone. I know that the Christopherson family snatched up a lot of the land in that area. The Christopherson's owned a turkey packaging meat factory in Turlock and I think also in Livingston or Atwater area's. I always wanted to hunt the Snelling area. I live in Oregon now and not sure if I'll ever get back there.

You can drive from Snelling to Placerville up old HI way 49, which goes through all the old 49'er mining camp towns in the lower Sierra's.

 Hopped-up Go-Find. LOL

No indication of the frequencies?

Garrett’s ACE and Notka Simplex have stiff competition. Simplex is waterproof, that’s a plus.

Looks like a re-configured, stripped down Equinox 600. At least that’s what it appears to me. That may be a good slot for someone between the Xterra and Equinox decision on purchase. 

Face of a Garrett AT, shaft and grip of an XP,  back of a X-Terra, color of it’s own. It'll sell, depending on price.

A park machine. One ugly machine! 😨

I was curious. I don't think I want to own one. That beautiful GMT that I got from you will suffice!

Maybe they knew about the new Simplex and had to act fast!