GB_Amateur

Ok, enough! Now you're just showing off. Heck, I count bullets as finds, not trash. Bathing suit clip? Well, I guess it depends on what it's attached to.... 🤔 I'm glad you joined here. Always good to be reminded it's still out there if you do things right.

I can see why. Looks like you never use it! What do you do, keep it on a throne? I like the flange transition between blade and hand grip. I have seen at least one person here complain that this gets in the way, but I use both hands -- one on the grip and one on the flange -- and it helps me a lot. I've thought about buying one of Ken's (kac) as I like to support innovative people, particularly ones I know ('know' through detectorprospector.com in this case). But since I have two of the pictured ones already plus a Predator Raptor, I probably need something else worse. (Give 'em away? I've actually already given two as a Christmas gifts.)

Never heard nor thought of that. Think I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip!

I hope we don't see you on the evening news (and I don't mean for finding a large nugget).... I've 'graduated' to multimeters ('vometers' we used to call them, but that's too puerile today, too). I keep one in my detecting travel pack. I can buy them on sale for about $10 and they seem to be accurate enough. (Then again, I never calibrated my tongue like you sickos.)

Steve's Database is a good place to start. (7.2 kHz) Serious Detecting always has a good description on products they sell (and they sell a very wide range). It's sometimes better than even the manufacturer's sites, and a lot easier to find, in general.

Well, OK, but we're going to have to replace you with an Australian detectorist, I guess. (Did you say you were born in Australia? Then I mean a non-defector.) We on this side of the International Date Line need a reliable (far) Eastern Hemisphere tester/troubleshooter so we have fresh news when we get up in the morning.

website 'Rob' is Rob Allison here if you want to PM him. Here's his website. You also may want to check with Gerry McMullen (PM Gerry In Idaho or go to his website). If you call him (phone # on his website, but be forwarned -- he likes to talk), don't be surprised if he tries to talk you into a used GPX. He's quite the salesman!

I was out one time with the Fisher Gold Bug Pro and Garrett Carrot pinpointer (each needs a single 9V battery) and following my Boy Scout days' advice/motto ("Be Prepared"), headed out with two (brand new) 9V batteries in my pocket. After hiking a while I noticed things were heating up in my pocket! One of them shorted out against the other. No major safety issue resulted, but I sure lost a lot of juice out of the one that shorted. It's amazing to me that after how many years that 9V batteries have existed, they still don't all come with the kind of protective cap or insert as in your photo. Heck, I even remember from my (not so smart) high school years testing them with my tongue. (Don't laugh, Phrunt -- I bet you did too!)

I hope his posts regarding mods to the White's TDI's survive. He's a legend in the world of TDI modders. Sad to hear of the loss of another metal detector icon....

Oh, you think? I just Googled it and found several hundred across the USA including 45 in SoCal alone. Odd thing is they all appear to have gas pumps....

You got the drawing part down pat, that's for sure! 😁 Probably out of my league since I don't do beach, but from what I've seen, something needs to keep the device from digging too deeply into the sand -- for example, some kind of float or deflector on top which limits the depth. Do you think yours will have that property? (I guess that's what prototypes are for....)

You're asking if couldn't I find it? Best I was able to do was download Garrett's new catalog (I linked to the page where you can do that; then you have to click on the photo of the new Apex) and then search through it. That's why I said page 43 of the catalog. I did search with Google but only online 'retailers' showed up on the first page of results so I assumed there isn't a direct link to it on Garrett's site.

It's good that you've done "...all of the necessary start up procedures AND ran this through ALL levels of sensitivity and subsequent adjustments and parameters." You seem to be very thorough. However, that doesn't jibe with your description as you don't even tell us where the target is -- still in the ground or in the plug itself? Exactly where is it? How deep? What exactly is the target? What digital TID does it show (or did it show when you were still getting a signal)? After you've recovered the target, does it give a signal in an air-test, and if so, what is that signal? A video would help, but if you're like me you don't have the capability to do that. "A picture's worth a thousand words" but short of that at least provide a better description. Put yourself in our shoes and imagine what kind of information you would need to be able to figure out what is going on.

I like your (and everyone else's) ingenuity when it comes to these garage mods. Having said that, the market isn't devoid of solutions although this one may be a bit small for some applications compared to yours: https://www.pioneermining.com/cart/stackable_screen

38 days and counting -- this thread has more life in it that White's Electronics, by far!

Of all the different types of metal detectors, the two box is the oldest(?) but also one of the least used. Defintitely a detector for special situations, but with a couple possible exceptions, for the proper situation it's the best choice for the job. I'm aware of two standalone models still available new -- Fisher Gemini-3 and White's TM808. Garrett's Treasure Hound (see P. 43 of their latest catalog) and apparently a new kid on the block are attachments for specific standard (control unit + shaft + single coil housing) detectors. In particular what has me wondering (and confused) is the fact that the Gemini-3, operating at 81.92 kHz doesn't appear to have a gound balancing adjustment but the TM808 (6.5 kHz) does. I was under the (naive?) impression that low frequencies are less susceptible to ground mineralization but here it seems in practice, it's just the opposite. Any thoughts/explanations?

You're going to make Joe Beachnut envious, and that's got to be almost impossible to do!

I'm pretty skeptical/cautious. I can understand the paranoia of not depositing money in a bank if the concern is that the FDIC will fail. (So now you don't trust the bank nor the federal government?) That's exactly what happened in ~1930 (before the government insured bank deposits by creating FDIC). However, what do they think, that the bank employees will break into their safety deposit box? Did they take that Warren Beatty & Goldie Hawn movie too seriously??

Forum member kac has invented and is selling a new idea digger (rotated handle) which some really like. If I were getting another Lesche I'd get one from George (and family) himself. I don't know the story of how his name is associated with a product he apparently is not involved with. The Predator version (Lesche family company) has a much better sheeth. I've ruined the WW sheeth just from continued use. The Predator version has rivets in the most vulnerable place to prevent what happened to mine.

Well, since you're half a world ahead of us, are you going to have a chance to test it? Have you gotten a decent break in the weather?

Good thing we have this forum and cooperative posters like you. If it were up to me finding out directly from Minelab (I did register my warranty) I'd be SOL. Maybe they'd be more helpful in dealing with me if I ratted out the other detector companies on one of their surveys. Great find! I assume you were using Multi-Frequency, not the new 4 kHz single frequency. This is worth posting on the coins and relics sub-forum and revealing a few more details, like the kind of site you were hunting, your settings, how deep it was, what digital TID it showed, etc. 18th Century silver, and a classic!

I"ll be interested in reading how well they block out ambient noise. For some of my sites (near busy roads and highways) that is very important. You recommended the White's ProStars to me by PM and those worked well for a long time, although eventually they developed a problem in one of the channels. I since discovered the Garrett PS-2's which are half the price and about equal sound quality. Neither blocks out the noise as well as the SunRay Pro Golds, though. However, those are about 4x the cost of the PS-2's (~$120 vs. ~$30-$35). The Pro Golds (for me) also really improve the sound of the Minelab Equinox, better than any of my other (many) sets of headphones, including the Minelab supplied ML-80's. As always, YMMV. When I get a chance to hit the mountains and deserts (not often enough by a long shot), even the wind can be a problem which makes the Pro Golds my 1st choice. However, your recommendation (ProStars) was spot on, so I look forward to your next review.

That looks like a good price. How warm are they? I ask because I don't wear gloves to protect my hands from scrapes and cuts, but rather to keep warm. I have hunting gloves for the coldest weather but for the ~45-55 F temps, those are just too bulky (and overkill for warmth).

Only you can answer these questions. We all make our own decisions. Life is full of opportunities, and for most people more than they have the time to invest. Many have come before you and have had to make a similar decision. They have come down on both sides of the fence. It's your turn.

Sporting events, court houses, schools, airports, military bases(?).... Too many mass killings (and individual killings such as judges who ruled against someone) anymore here. Garrett has had a huge part of the market in the USA from what I've seen over the years. Maybe others have made headway, though.