Busho

On 12/18/2023 at 3:55 AM, Gold Seeker said:

One hazard not mentioned and has killed people who go into old mines is poisonous gases that build up down in some mines, you usually can't smell the gas and one lung full is usually enough to kill a person or at least make you pass out and then you die as you breathe more of the bad air.

When the mines were active the miners had ventilation installed to vent out any bad air and pump in fresh air.

What Ridge Runner is saying about some of it went downhill is, when the miners were removing the gold bearing ore they would haul it out of the mine and then had chutes that they dumped it in to get the ore downhill where they would process it to remove the gold, there could still be some gold bearing ore at the bottom of the hill that spilled out or was never processed.

Yeah, the bad air gases. I personally knew a guy who used to go into old reef mine shafts and drives looking for gold with his mate in Victoria Oz. He just made it out, his mate died. He actually was so affected by it mentally, his best mate dying, that he gave up detecting altogether.

Technically England has the highest gold reserves.

They hold 99.9% of Australian gold in the Bank Of Englands Vaults and who knows how much else.

I did some looking up. And saw some spray on thing. But i hear it doesn't last..

Hey you guys with a 24, I do really like it, but my control box has started to get a bit of movement. I thought a few weeks ago, maybe I imagined it when I plugged my coil lead in,  but no, if I hold it, and no bad pressure but just a bit of side to side it moves a few mm. Noticeable. This is my concern. If it moves then does that affect its rain proofing? I think it may as shouldn't it be zero move? 

One other thing. When I push the battery box in, say 80 percent of the time it goes in great. But the other 20 percentage of times one of the rubber stops holds firm no move. But the other is like nothing happened, you can touch it and it pushes in no force required. Soft. Like it didn't engage. 

This I do. I put the battery box in but dont slam it, just a few times in and out and listen and feel. Then when I feel both are ok I slam it in. 

I know you dont slam it in like mad but remember Jimmy from Whites saying yrs ago with this type of battery box slam it in dont be scared. 

Does anyone with this 24 have these things happen? I know some other machines from others have a little movement with the top control box. If thats usual I get that. What about the battery box? 

Sorry guys, been away.

So, was chasing and chasing a coil cover for my Garrett 24k. Could not get one anywhere im the world. 

Ok, they are finally here in Australia. You have got to be kidding me!

Buy, pay for shipping im getting one for $68! 

What an insult! A bit of plastic! This was a cheap one, some wanted here to sell and send one for $80. 

Utter crap. I have one on the way but seriously this price. Rip off.

23 hours ago, Reg Wilson said:

Busho, I'm afraid you are wrong about Jim Stewart pioneering flat wound coils. Lance Hewitt who worked for Minelab was winding flat wound coils years before Jim Stewart. I have a 24" that Lance wound back in the early nineties. John Hider-Smith also built large flat wound monos, and I prospected with both Jim Stewart and John in Western Australia, and I also have a 38" flat wound mono that John built. John learned how to wind coils from Bruce Candy.

The Laanecoorie 'bash' is held each year as a tribute to Jim Stewart who died from cancer, and the bash is a fund raiser for the Peter Mac cancer center at the caravan park that Jim once owned. 

As an ex friend of Jim's, no doubt we will see you there next weekend Busho?

No Im not. Yes others were doing stuff and I don't doubt you have one your mate built, I know others were doing things, but it was through the use and kind release of Jims info that the ones we have today are. That is what I was saying. Im not going to get into an "im right, you're wrong, I know more than you" thing here. Was just paying tribute to Jim for his knowledge and contribution. 

27 minutes ago, Northeast said:

 

I have zero electronics wizardry.   Do you know why it HAS to be the same length of wire?  More to do with how the detector transits and receives a signal across multiple coil sizes and brands I am guessing?  

Cheers, NE. 

No mate. That's my limit of what I was told. But longer, shorter and it all goes south. The older type of coils, most/many had what could be best described as a sausage shape winding, all bunched up kind of. Some were flattened out somewhat to a point, but not like todays Flat Wound or Spiral Wound, which are essentially the same. NF Evo's, Coiktek Elite, and etc.The person who really pioneered that winding was a gentleman by the name of Jim Stewart, a late friend of mine now deceased for several yrs. For years unbeknownst to many he and a select few of his friends detected with SD's and GP's using his hand wound flat wind coils. They creamed it everywhere in Aus using them on the quiet. Can you imagine having flat winds to yourselves for years in the best nugget fields in the world? Good on them. No, even though he was a friend, I will not call myself one of his close "mates". It was those, and fair enough, who used them. So, for all of us now, we owe a toast to Jim for the work he put into pioneering these wonderful coils we now have and use on our PI's.

Hey guys, I'll tell you to give you an idea of what I know about the Flat Winds, Spirals. A 12" has the same length of wire as a 25". So, in a 12 you could count more winds than say the 25. But all up it will be the same length total. Its an exact science. From say a 12 going up less and less per wind. A 12 will have then more sensitivity than a 25, but the bigger coil, even though less winds per count, will still go deeper, but at a reduced depth on the smalls from the loss of wind counts/equalling depth to the Small's. But, at a gain from the increase overall field size, to larger targets. Squash that field in, into an elliptical coil, and a slightly smaller round can actually go deeper than the elliptical. Lets say a 14 elliptical. Id back a 12 in over the 14 any day. The 14 though can fit in tighter spots. But now, the strands. There are various strand counts in Litz. So that can come into play. You can now have two same size coils, but with different strand counts so one may go deeper by a little, but be more affected by mineralisation due to increase sensitivity. The other may go a smidge shallower but beat the other in hotter ground due to being quieter. So it's all a balancing act between depth, noise and overall usable ness. All coils are just tools. There is no one coil fits all, as no one detector setting fits all situations. I have seen over my time a detector shown to kick another's butt. But in real overall use it was the last choice to use. I have seen, and have found gold that a certain detector finds better than another. But the other detector overall was best. I saw this with the first Garrett PI. Against the Minelab at the time, the 2200d and GPxtreme I saw it in a buried test beat them on a multi gram bit of gold. I say multi as I cannot recall the exact weight. But when pitted against them in the field, not on a chosen specific piece that suited the chosen settings, it looked lame as. So, beware of what coils and detectors and those who spruke them are claimed to be capable of. You can make a mule look like a racehorse if you know how to. 

8 hours ago, davsgold said:

I don't know anything about this coil, there are obvious differences between the Nuggetfinder coils made here in Australia to the the coil in the picture of the coil in Russia,  the labels on the coil and the cable entry and the bracket and the air relief valve appear different.

The coil may well be a real coil, and it may work very well, but unless it is a genuine Nuggetfinder coil, then it should have its own name.  That is my main point.

cheers dave

Yeah mate, even though I know those coils like family, that bracket and connection really threw me. But its 100% legit. 👍

Ok, 100% right, from the man himself. Is to be officially released next month. 

Sorry @Elijah just that, that coil connection hasn't been seen on the Evos before. So what do I now think? Great for many in big open areas. I will always give the NF Evos the 2 thumbs up. 

Ok, so someone in Russia has that coil. Thats not the typical coil lead into the coil connection that NF typically uses on all the coils. Because of that, and that its in Russia I'm pretty sus on it, with it not showing up on the Nugget Finder sight also. 

Hi mate. A newie in the range? Not on Rohans website! The biggest Evo listed there is 19. What country was the photo sent from?

Wow, (i believe you) here in Oz 1 g where I live with a Eqx, 1/3 of that. You lucky rat. Good on you. 

On 9/20/2019 at 11:27 PM, madtuna said:

This is the mess left behind here in WA by a well known Eastern states tour company.

Crap "reality" shows like Aussie Gold Hunters sure don't help and in fact have caused our station and others no end of problems.

That show is so far removed from reality. It seems to attract people who usually don't have two cents to rub together, who think they can get rich quick by picking up nuggets just laying around everywhere. No clue, no grasp of reality, no research, no preparation, no brains and no care taken.

 

Hard to find words for that! I don't know what's happened to people now days. 

7 minutes ago, Reg Wilson said:

Totally agree with Busho, about the idiots who wreck it for all, then go on to attack and rubbish so called 'greenies', for the negative public reaction to the mess they themselves have left. In Australia we have a certain number of 'prospectors' who believe they have the God given right to do as they please in the bush.

Your dead right Reg. It dumbfounds me at times. I even know, not here say, of a prominent PMAV member who actually had manufactured and sold hookup (illegal) behind 4wd scraper blades to pull out the scrub. And the hide of them, they all in it know about them, to say they "fight for our Aussie right to prospect" what a joke!  They're part of the reason the powers hate it!

12 minutes ago, Lacky said:

So what is it now? Just open to anyone detecting or closed to everyone?

Hi mate. You can detect in areas that are State Forest, some areas that are reserves (you need to find out the ones you can) and certain areas in National Parks. But the push is to close more and more to detecting. And to be honest, even though I have detected for decades, I can understand why they want to, even though it would sadden me to see it happen. What is taking place, more and more, even though many say it's just the few. I will completely get if and when it happens. I am totally sick and tired of kicking in others holes and seeing the rubbish and s#$t. Im done, and leave it now. When it shuts, bad luck. For years I've tried to fix it, I'm done. End of story. 

14 minutes ago, geof_junk said:

In Aust. it is the fortune hunters thinking with no experience that they are going to get rich quick, that leave a mess behind including those illegal prospector that have access to earth moving equipment. Most hobby and full time prospectors try to keep things as they were, even if it is to prevent claim jumpers knowing where they are.  

Hi mate. Yes, those illegal ones, and some have been around a while too, have done some serious damage and a few still do. It saddens me to see it. But you know what. I'm glad those in power have put the brakes on Bush claims. The amount that left them after working was an utter disgrace to say the least here in Vic. Pushing outside their claims, destroying tracks, burying rubbish. I hope they never let anyone ever again here have a claim in the bush, ever. 

4 minutes ago, tboykin said:

Here in the states 98% of detectorists are over 55, have bad knees, and only detect within 100ft of their rig... The other 2% find gold. 😋

I try to make it a point to detect in places not frequented by other humans, but when I have gone to flogged areas they usually seem fairly tidy, save for some unfilled holes and big iron left out. Maybe we just don't have the bogan infestation you ozzies do.

Mmm, might take some spray with me next time I'm out. 😀

5 hours ago, klunker said:

OK you guys. I guess it's up to me to get this topic onto the subject at hand and keep us out of trouble. So- - - - I wonder how deep that cold be found with a GPZ 7000?

About a foot shallower than a 5. 😂

Hi guys. In the last couple of years I've noticed where I live an increase, visible and noticable, of gold detectorists doing the wrong thing. Leaving all their holes unfilled, rubbish from camps and even their actual crap and crap paper just lying there in plain site. Some even digging on tracks leaving pot holes to drive over. Yeah, there are plenty that do the right thing but the pigs are now increasing. A while ago I went to Castlemaine in Vic, you gotta be kidding me, I must have been greeted by about 100 holes and scrapes unfilled and actual crap and the paper on the walk track! Just saw similar at Avoca with a big dug up, raked area, unfilled holes and the rest. A while ago at Dunolly the same and again at Stuart Mill. Is it any wonder they want to shut people out of the bush here these days. Im getting sick of seeing it. Whats it like in the US?

All gold is good gold mate. 👍

6 hours ago, Condor said:

I got my GPZ back from Minelab last month, which included a new 14" coil and lower rod.  Only $3600.00 AUD lighter in my wallet.  As you may recall, I bricked the detector after the Patch Lead was defective.  It's still crazy hot here in Sunny Yuma, but I was bored and still curious about the X-Coil, so I shook off my concerns and cut the connector off my brand new coil and built the Patch Lead myself.  I was extra careful with the heat from the soldering iron and did a respectable job of putting together the connection.  I did a few practice runs on scrap wire and connectors so I was a little more confident of my skill. 

I got out 5 mornings last week for a total of about 12 hrs run time.  At sunup the morning temps were still in the high 80's and jumping to 100 by 9:00am.  Unbearable in the desert washes with no breeze.  The one thing that saved me was the synthetic chamois cooling cloths, one around my neck and one under my cap hanging down my neck. 

The first morning I did a complete set-up with the detector since it was, for all practical purposes, a brand new machine with all new printed circuits etc.  I waved the 17" X-Coil over the ferrite and got the machine nearly silent, though still reacting some to the ferrite.  I started in the area where I found the 28 gram rippa last May.  This area has a fairly hot layer of clay about 12" under the overburden.  Last May we were able to run this zone using HY, Normal, Sens 12,  (Threshold 27) with the Patch Search mode to quiet down the machine.  The 17" X-Coil in those same settings was way too sensitive, so I had to switch to Difficult to quiet it down.  Because I knew I could only be out for a couple hrs, I focused on trying to get that coil over gold hoping to then play with the settings.  No joy the first morning.

The next morning I went out to an area that had produced half a dozen 1 grammers when the GPZ first came out.  I knew it was deeper and a little quieter ground.  We tried Paul's 19" GPZ here when it first came out to no avail.  This time I was able to zero out the Ferrite and switch back to Normal from the Difficult setting.  The machine was still a little twitchy so I backed off the Threshold to 22 and got it humming along nicely.  I gridded the area pretty good and came up with a few deep trash targets and then, right as it started to get unbearable hot, I got a faint, sweet rising tone. A lot of digging and sweating produced a sweet 4 grammer right on the hardpack, about 14 inches down.  Now a 4 grammer at 14 inches should be well within the range of the GPZ and standard 14" coil, but I've been over that zone at least 6 times over the past 3 years.  The only significant difference is the ground is bone dry this year.  Last year there were still pools of water from late season rains.  

The next morning I was back to the area of the 28 grammer.  I found that the machine was more stable and I could run in Gen, Normal, Sens 14.  I got a couple deep trash targets and chased a number of hot ground seams and hot rocks.  The settings were really sensitive to hot ground, but in my mind that's the only way to find good missed targets.  Right at the end of the morning I got what sounded like another bit of hot ground.  I switched to High Yield from General and it brightened up the target, but still hadn't convinced me that it was gold.  The target was in the sidewall of a drywasher's hole, so the 17" coil was pretty awkward.  I dug out the ground so that I could get the coil level and the target brightened up a little more.  By then I had hit the hardpack which tends to hide these small, reddish hotrocks.  I dug dozens in this same area, but I needed to check this coil's capabilities.  The hardpack was brutal in the morning sun so I had to go back to the truck and get my handy Aussie (DavesGold) made pick.  I'm not going out without it now.  About 8 inches into the hardpack out popped a nice 1.5 grammer.  I can guarantee I  stuck the GPZ standard coil in the hole a half a dozen times over the past 2 years.  

Thur morning I got out in the same area.  I chose a wash that a produced 5 small nuggets, in the sub-sub gram range, in May.  I concentrated on the deepest gravels thinking deeper nuggets must be in there, just beyond the reach of the 14" coil.  I gridded the zone where a bench had formed on the inside bend of the wash.  I went at it from every angle and was about to surrender to the heat when I got the faintest of faint tones.  Again I switched to High Yield and it brightened up some.  I switched to Difficult, nothing.  I started pulling down the bank so that I could get a good level swing with the 17" coil.  Slightly improved tone, still unconvincing.  I pulled down another few inches and got a much improved tone.  I switched to Difficult and got a dull growl, more convincing yet.  After much digging into the hardpack out came a nice 1.8 grammer.   I even photographed the hole for this one.  The Aussie pick is 28" long.

I'm really starting to like this coil.  It's light enough for all day use with the addition of my homemade hipstick.    I run the hipstick to the bottom of the frame in my lightweight framepack, which moves the weight to the back of the hipbelt and off my shoulder.  I'm also running the SteelPhase amp plugged directly into the GPZ, no wireless connection between.  As per some of JP's guidance, I'm running the GPZ volume at 2, adjusting loudness at the amp.  I'm running the Threshold between 20 and 22 depending on how twitchy the ground is.  For the most part I'm running General instead of High Yield trying to reach those deeper targets.   The first 2 targets were well within the reach of the standard 14" coil, but somehow I didn't find them over the past 2 years.   The last one, doubtful for the standard coil.  As the weather cools I'll start doing a quick change to the 14" coil over new targets for a comparison.   Right now, it's still to friggin hot to bother. 

 

 

Nice gold, well done. 

Looks good to me. 👍

@phoenix  

Hi mate, cant find that specie. This came from the same line though. Same place and another little leader. Highly mineralised. Im thinking that other one must have got dollied up by mistake, can't think of any other reason I cant find it or didn't keep it. 

Good one mate. 👍

On 9/7/2019 at 11:59 AM, Glenn in CO said:

Dealing with some family issues me, my wife and a group of friends finally made a trip to the central Colorado mountain’s to search for gold specimens on tailing piles that have been productive in the past. Part of the group this was their first time using a detector searching for gold specimens. After a brief overview of the history and different areas to search, we spent some time setting up the different types of detectors to achieve the best results. We then took off in different directions with some partnering up with others for additional instruction. It didn’t take long for the 10,000+ foot altitude to begin taking its toll and the steep terrain limiting the area they wish to search as everyone was cautious for their well-being while detecting. The group detected for three days and four specimens were found.

 

Here are a few pics showing the wire and leaf gold specimens as found and then cleaned:

 

Close up of the largest gold specimens:

Couple of us detecting on the tailing piles:

 

Wow, stunning gold, seriously stunning!