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One the local beaches here they use machines and rake the entire beach. Not very good for detectorist.

I found pieces of one with similar pattern and also thought it was part of a frame. Nice finds.

Next time it gives me fits I will pop it apart and see what I can find. There are 3 turn and 5 turn ones out. Not sure what would be sealed mil spec if even available that would be the same size. Thanks

Do you remember the part number on the original? I could fish around and ask some suppliers if they have or know where to get those. I have seen 5 and 10 turn pots too but thinking our thumbs would get tired trying to gb them :)

Why would troops train with landmines unless it was just a dummy mine right?

Are the AKA machines sold in the USA?

That is a good idea. Detecta was spot on with a rubber washer. I looked for my box of o rings and couldn't find one so I cut one out of some rubber sheeting on my laser 8mm with 4 mm center and it works perfect now. Rubber I used was for a roof, I use pieces as digging mats as they don't stay wet and don't blow around in the wind. Makes a really sweet seal and should last much longer as it is weather resistant. Probably overkill :)

There was a split o ring on the shaft, guessing that is what was the issue and also there was almost no resistance. Tried to request a sample kit but that page is blank (of course). Dug through my shop of horrors and had some high temperature silicone grease which stabilized it but I need to find a small o ring. Really tempted to just replace the pot with a better brand. Anyways the machine working now but just a band-aid.

I'll see if they have a small small tube. If not wonder if I could use dielectric grease on it? I don't think Tesoro used the highest end components. I'm surprised the pot wore out so fast. If I have to replace it i'll take a gander at military grade ones and replace the bunch while im at it. Thanks for the link

The GB knob on my Tejon is super loose now after the tons of hours I put on it and I get a little waver in the threshold. Trying to find who sells damping grease in really small quantities as the stuff is horribly expensive. Mcmaster has some at $111 + shipping, Amazon has some in the $30 range and all more expensive than the potentiometer itself. I could replace it but rather not start soldering in parts if I don't have to.

Should be able to snail mail to most locations and carry the detector onboard. https://faq.usps.com/s/article/Can-I-Ship-Lithium-Batteries

They could be for tie downs for gear but can't think of the name so I could look it up. They do look like they were attached to leather like a saddle.

Multi Kruzer with stock + 13" coil would run you about $100 less than the Nox 800 with just s stock 11" coil. If you hitting open fields and need the extra depth the Kruzer with a 13 will do very well. Just a bit of extra bang for the buck. Orx HF coils have a limit on how deep they can be submerged as the battery is in the shaft unlike the X35 coil that has the battery inside. If I where to buy an Orx I would get it with the X35 coil for relic, coin and jewelry though it probably is less sensitive than the 9"hf. If I wanted a land only machine and was just coin shooting and hitting small jewelry I would choose the HF. Bottom line choose the machine that will be comfortable to use and have the features you like. They are all good machines and when using comparable coils do about the same unless your hitting really extreme conditions. You already have a pi for prospecting so having a vlf to do that also might be redundant. Are there any dealers in your area where you can try the machines out?

I wouldn't be surprised if you get fast service. Nokta/Makro seem really aggressive to keep customers happy.

Update the paint stripper did nothing other than make the clad smell like a bag of oranges. I also gave Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) used for cleaning walls etc prior to painting and it didn't do much at all. So far the ammonia water and dish detergent does the best. Has a pretty low odor and think I'll make a batch of it for my ultrasonic cleaner. Naval Jelly might be good on heavily corroded coins.

Talked to my uncle and he said for general gold and silver use 8:1 water and amonia with couple drops of dish liquid. I just tested it on some clad along with a soft bristle toothbrush and it worked good even on copper and worked very well on a patina IH penny without removing the patina. He said Phosphoric Acid may work well and that can be easily found in navel jelly rust remover. I thought I had some in my shop of horrors but can't find it. Lastly testing an citrus based paint stripper on some coins that I dug at the beach which are in rough shape. Don't worry just clad.

If you're going to crack the lexan then the coil would have cracked anyways. Any kind of impact like that I think would be catastrophic to a coil. Even if you don't see a clean break like I had there would be internal fractures that make it unstable. I am looking at the .040 sheets as I can heat form them and if it works out I'll make a vacuum frame.

Taking the dirt off a coin that has been sitting in the dirt for 100+ years and possibly run over by tractors I would think would hardly hurt it's value. The real question I think is how much cleaning should be done. I try to leave the patina on them and not alter colors with chemical baths or solutions that have high acidic or base as that may react with the metal. Many coins I find have pine pitch on them and require something that can wash that off like acetone or naphtha. How does hydrogen peroxide react with different metals?

Coil I broke was the stock Garrett dd. Was 25F out and snagged it up on a log stepping over brush. Not a brand issue just my stupidity. How does the lexan hold up scratch wise? I plan on making a form and heat pressing the shape so it fits like a standard cover without glue. Got a few tricks up my sleeve to make them 🙂

Machines I would consider but not in any particular order. Nox 800, Nokta Amphibio Multi, Makro Multi Kruzer, Garrett AT Pro. The Nokta/Makro machines have a wide range of coil sizes to choose from at descent prices. I thew in the mix the AT Pro because IMO it still has a nice audio when used properly that doesn't sound like a dying cat. I think the Nokta/Makro machines seem to be quicker performers (fast recovery similar to the XP's) and the Nox I think is the best over all performer for all terrain machines at the moment in the less than 1k mark. I don't consider 3rd party coils as an option as I ran into an issue with one of the major brands where there seems to be 0 customer support.

If you have naptha (rubber mold solvent/rubber cement thinner), it will do ok on copper to take some the dirt off without changing the color. Goof-off is nasty and think it is similar to the dangerous MEK used in counter top laminates and acetone is the safer alternative which also isn't very nice. For many years I had used acetone and it does quite a bit of nerve damage to your hands so snag some poly gloves like the ones used in hair salons. An ultrasonic cleaner can do ok to take some the small dirt off without abrasives but avoid detergents as they can cause more patina on the coins. I had used it with a uv ink cleaner called yellow magic but you need to rinse really well after. I just leave the patina on the coins now, butchered a few slugs thinking I could recover what is underneath but found for the most part the patina is in better shape than the badly corroded copper below it so removing that you remove the detail. For my clad I have put about 30lbs or so through my vibratory tumbler in dry fine walnut shell which took the dirt off really well but took a few hours. Figured the bank might not appreciate me tossing muddy coins through their machines if I decide to cash them in LOL. I wouldnt use the tumbler on the oldies though because it is abrasive. I should contact my uncle on this as he is a retired chemist and one point specialized in cleaners. Maybe he has a few tips.

I would like to know what methods the experts use and how they considered experts. From my own experience if the patina is too thing the coin is junk anyways as there is nothing left below. I have tried on clad different techniques to at the minimum to see what details are left below the crud and still keep the patina if that is in existence. I found that: Acetone works well on tar and pine pitch. Mild acids, pickling solutions are just too aggressive, including lemon juice etc. Soaking in olive oil for long periods of time doesn't seem to do anything. Even tried a 35 watt Co2 laser which burned the foreign matter into the surface of copper. (not reocommended) Reverse electrolysis tends to destroy coins unless the surface has no dirt masking it (not recommended) Baking soda and water will take majority of dirt off and gently when used with a soft electric toothbrush but just takes some time but will leave copper/copper alloys dull. Typically I have been using baking soda and water to just take the minimal amount off so I can read what I have. Lastly as a non numismatist I have my own 3 level coin grading system: A- Shiny looks new B- Readable looks used C- Looks like an electrical box slug Awesome post as usual, looking forward to your tests.

I had snagged my dd coil on a log and didn't realize I had put a hairline crack in it until I had noticed it was falsing on me and every time I tapped a small branch or brush it would sound off. I had made a small vacuum degassing chamber/pressure chamber for casting resins out of a paint sprayer and luckily my coil just fit inside. First thing I did was use the vacuum chamber to draw out any moisture. Next I built a small barrier out of some tape, filled it with epoxy then used the pressure chamber at 60 psi to force the epoxy into the crack. Not perfect but the coil does gb now. I think there are internal cracks that would be impossible to fill but at least I have it as a backup until my new coil comes in. My next project I think is to give some lexan sheets a go for coil scuffs that cover the bottoms so branches don't get caught up. Friend of mine wants one for his Nox 800 so will see how that goes.

My bad I should have tossed in more specifics. The trime threw me because it was so small and thin I thought it was part of a button. Only ones I had seen were copper alloys in pictures and never seen a silver one. I show pics of some these coins to friends outside of the detecting realm (hard to believe there is one right?) and they never heard of them before. Last thing I care about is the value, never sold a find I got ever. I like the hunt, that is the gratifying part for me and when I drag my detecting buddies I try to show them spots I hadn't hit hoping they hit something good. I live an a relatively old area that has been pounded hard since detectors were invented. Takes 10% research and 90% dumb luck. I do better in the woods off the beaten paths in regions well protected by poison ivy 🙂 Hate to say that but that really looks like a 1915 by the top stroke and down stroke on the left. Do hope its a 1913. Best finds are Steve's oldies, amazing!

Top left is a plat ring with high end diamonds, the patina coins were found in one hole, 2-2cent's, 2 IH pennies and 1 eagle cent. The other I found in another area and is a silver 3 cent trime also USA. For those looking for eagle cents they chime in at a folded ring tab but better tone roll. The Trime chimes in just a bit higher but not a real strong signal. On the Garrett AT series that would be 60 and 62 for reference. Thanks