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Everything posted by GB_Amateur
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Welcome, Veisal! You have a high quality metal detector manufacturer there in your country. But the ML Equinox 800 is a great tool for finding native gold, so you're in good shape. I hope you are successful and will be able to photo and post some of your upcoming finds.
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Your middle photo doesn't show a break that I can see. Why do you say 'other half missing'?
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One More Before The Road - Relics, Coin
GB_Amateur replied to F350Platinum's topic in Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics
I've been tempted many times in the past at the play-on-words (sort of) that mis-spellings generate, but I couldn't pass this one up, and DoD (play on letters?) is usually a good sport so I don't think he'll be offended, at least I hope not. So, is a guilt button kind of like a mood ring? (Hey, there's money to be made next Christmas if you can convince the gullible public to go along!) -
Is there a difference in Australia vs. Western USA? I mean specifically the possibility of finding new or lightly searched patches. While we're on the subject of this new detector (and apologies if I'm getting too far off Lucky Lundy's topic), have there been any big (say 10g and up) nuggets found with the GPX6000 yet, anywhere? I've been expecting Gerry to show up with a picture of a large cookie (or cupcake) in his mouth but from what he said last week or so, he doesn't even have a GPX6000 for himself yet.
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Ready For The Next Level! Hello From Las Vegas.
GB_Amateur replied to OneAcre's topic in Meet & Greet
Welcome, OneAcre! There's quite a bit of desert gold within driving distance. Get out there and get some of it! You likely will get some tips on using your MXT from the following articles, most written by site-admin Steve Herschbach: https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-reviews/whites-electronics-mxt-metal-detector/ https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-guides/whites-mxt-engineering-guide/ https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-guides/steves-guide-whites-gmt-versus-mxt/ https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-mining-journal/minelab-gp3000-whites-mxt-fortymile-gold/ https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-mining-journal/garrett-infinium-whites-mxt-ganes-creek-gold-nuggets/ https://www.detectorprospector.com/magazine/steves-mining-journal/colchester-uk-metal-detecting-fisher-f75-whites-mxt/ -
Or put another way, titanium has a high strength to weight ratio. Aircraft/spacecraft are particularly critical in saving weight which makes aluminum and titanium among their top candidates. Bottom line is that if you're carrying the larger tools, particularly for a long distance (or a long time) then strength/weight is going to matter, possibly a lot. If your vehicle is doing the heavy lifting, probably not worth the extra cost, extra wear, etc.
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Had to Google that to figure out what you are referring to. Here's a short YouTube video which shows the principle:
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Grass looks extra long & thick there. Have you found older (e.g. Wheaties and silver) at this site? Hopefully at some point they will either cut the grass shorter or it will dry out and you can get the coil closer to the deeper targets (assuming this site is old enough to have those...).
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What are the advantages of that style over the more conventional/traditional/historical GI belt? As can be seen in my photo, I use the grommeted holes of the latter for attaching some items. Like most of my gear, for lower priced products I've bought identical or nearly identical backups to protect against situations such as companies going out-of-business or discontinuing products, not that this ever happens in metal detecting.... ? But variety/optionality is good, too.
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One unexpected but positive result of this thread: when I went out the my vehicle Monday morning to grab my gear for photographing I noticed my White's Bullseye TRX pinpointer wasn't there. I had last detected Saturday mid-afternoon.... Uh-oh. I drove to that location (only 10-15 minutes, fortunately) and noticed the grass had been cut since I was there. Another strike against my chances of finding it (in one piece). Why do they always mow right after I detect?!?!?! I parked in a private business lot (but they were closed for the holiday) and quickly walked over to where I had last dug. Sigh of relief #1 -- I could see the TRX down in the grass. Was it damaged? Sigh #2. No visible signs of trauma and it turned on and off as normal. It was pushed down to the ground's surface so apparently the mower's wheel had run over it, possibly saving it from the blades. Another loss averted, and this one more/less irreplaceable. This isn't the first time I've left items in the field but typically it's things I don't normally carry/wear (e.g. raincoat). (Oh, once I started to drive off with my detector leaning against the vehicle, but heard the 'smack' as it hit the ground.) I must get in the habit of looking through all my gear when I load it back in the car. That would prevent the issue I experienced this weekend. Hot, tired, sore, disappointed with finds -- all distractions that make it easier to forget something.
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Not The Bucket Lister I Wanted To Find, But!!!
GB_Amateur replied to dogodog's topic in Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics
Too bad we don't live closer because I'd provide you a shoulder to cry on..., and while you were occupied with that I'd relieve you of that silver 5-cent piece! I've yet to find any seated coin (nor any 3-cent pieces, nickel or silver). OK, I do feel bad for you and your friend because of the dates of your other finds. If you could have just added any of 1 thru 7 to that 1865 IHP you would have had a semi-key. And your friend's 1874 Shield was 5, 6, or 7 years too early for being one of the three key dates. Do I sound like someone who hasn't found even a silver Roosie in several weeks? ? -
Well, that's your experience. I wish I had a nickel for every time TSA has stopped me for some inane reason regarding my person or my carry-ons. My world seems to be a lot more complicated and 'rich' in experiences than some people here. But I still do my best not to demean others when I disagree with them.
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I have another TRX which I'm overdo getting serviced (button wore out). Another personal preference and although I love mine and didn't mind paying $150 each, I wouldn't pay the exhorbitant prices they are bringing now (up to $400??). Those should come down -- there's always a time window when no-longer available but still desirable items get their prices run up, sometimes to ridiculous levels. I think we're in it. And maybe (fingers crossed) Garrett will both have the ability and the motivation to recreate them. White's had some really good products over the years and the TRX was one of them that still AFAIK hasn't been surpassed for its unique qualties (but not for everyone, I understand). I try to find a happy medium between using my equipment but also keeping them maintained in good condition. The Lesche handheld is so resilient (including resistant to rusting, bending, other damage) that IMO you'd have to intentionally try to trash it to do so. I've used the hell out of mine (including in difficult packed crushed stone) -- "takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin' ". I've broken multiple plastic recovery scoops and worn out 2 sets of kneepads as well as my 1980 vintage Dexter hiking boots -- now there's a company from New England that made high quality products but went the way of dodo thanks to cheap-ass consumers buying crap products.... (OK, time to get off the soapbox.) Oh, my wife is in charge of the Sampson since I got it 'for her' to use in the garden. I did have a friend reweld it to meet Simon/Phrunt's exacting standards.
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When I drive on long trips (my preferred method of travel) I just set the detectors on my bed -- no special packing used. I've driven across country (5500 miles round trip) twice as well as a couple shorter (but still multi-thousand mile) trips this way with no problems. Needless to say when I'm detecting near home I don't use a case, either. The Pelicans are pretty much the industry standards for carrying delicate items (such as cameras) and you do pay for their reputation. I started off with a ~$160 Pelican case (inside dim's 5.5" x 11" x 20") which I'm pretty sure is small enough to qualify as an airline carry-on case. (However I always checked mine.) A downside of this size is that some detector shaft sections, even when broken down, don't fit. (White's longest lower shaft is an example.) I later bought a larger hardshell case (inside dims 7"x17"x22") at Sam's Club (special one-time item no longer available) for $40 which was almost as durable. This one is too large for carry-on, at least officially. I used it only once, I think. I went to the trouble of buying those TSA combination locks (for which they have a key) and that was a waste as the first time someone jimmied them. (Who? Many suspects including TSA....) Then I decided it's not worth locking as these cases don't come open by themselves and if someone want so look inside they will do whatever it takes to get in there, including steal it and eventually realizing there's nothing inside they want. A big downside to carrying one of these is that everyone thinks there's a gun inside (which apparently is allowed, but...). Think about it -- how many guns are in the USA compared to metal detectors? That's a big downside, IMO, considering guns are way more stealable/usable/resellable here than metal detectors (duh). Bottom line (which others have echoed, and something Steve H. has said multiple times previously) is that best is to carry on the delicate parts (control unit), well cushioned, and put the bulky shafts, coils, etc. in your checked luggage. If you really want to go the extra mile then a carry-on sized hard-shell case can be used for the delicates. The required size for that should easily qualify as a carry-on, just be ready to show and explain after it goes through the X-ray tunnel. (Probably my post isn't helping someone set on building and selling cases for metal detectors....)
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Welcome, Troy! Learning is half the fun. Looks like you're off to a very good start, based upon you finds photos. You mentioned using the ML Gold Monster 1000 in Puerto Rico. Was that for natural gold, beach jewelry, or ??
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Here's my park/school gear. (I was feeling guilty for it not being minimalist but then I saw CPT_Ghostlight's post. ?) (Lower, from left to right): 1) GI belt (army surplus), 2) Estwing rock hammer/pick sheath (not used for parks/schools but keep it mounted), 3) knee pads (above belt, from Menards -- Midwest big box hardware/lumber store), 4) White's Bullseye TRX (for fine target location after Carrot gets me in the ballpark), 5) ankle straps (made for bicyclists, but I use for extra coverage to keep bugs out of my pants legs), 6) hook on belt for carrying gold pan, 7) TreasureWise leather sheeth (beats the hell out of nylon) and toothless (modified) Lesche (don't want to damage tree roots), 8 ) Detectorpro Carry-All finds and trash pouch with Garrett Carot pinpointer. (Above center): Fisher plastic Gold Pan with the following: a) plastic garden trowel (handle serendipitously removed -- for deep loose dirt removal when other scoops are inconvenient), b) insect repellant (actually leave it in the vehicle, but good reminder...), c) 1" wide aluminum garden trowel (for working between roots), d) spray bottle containing water (used to indentify coins, then quickly dry the find -- in case you don't know it I'm allergic to dry-rubbing finds, might as well use sandpaper, IMO....) e) nugget scoop (removes lots of looose dirt quickly). The gold pan (which I typically carry in my non-detector hand) doubles as an easy storage container for loose dirt and a handy place to dump scoop that contains target for further location with pinpointer. All the loose items shown in the gold pan go somewhere in the finds/trash pouch. I don't wear gloves except in winter to keep my hands warm (I have three different weights depending upon how cold it is). I seldom put my bare hands into holes; I let the scoops do that. My homestead (permission) setup is pretty much the same except for longer handled tools (e.g. reinforced Lesche Sampson, pick, etc.) My gold prospecting setup shares some items but this thread is about park/school/homestead/beach(?) so I'll leave those details out.
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The belt loops are the only minus I see, but for a different reason. I like wide belts (I'll photo my 'rig' later today) but don't like the fact that the straps are above the full pouch as opposed to 'hidden' like on some competitor models. I like my pouch to mount high around my waste so it does less swinging, etc. when I walk. When mine arrives next week I'll see if I can talk my wife into modifying it. I'm not one who likes the mesh bottom of many pouches. I bring my finds and trash (while still in the pouches) into the house to sort and the mesh bottom leads to dirt and dust falling out in the wrong places. (I don't water detect so that advantage isn't relevant for me.) Everyone has his/her preferences.
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Pretty sure George Lesche (the original designer) is now with Predator, along with at least one other family member (daughter/wife?). My suspicion is that the Lesche brand was either sold off or spun off, possibly with other family members (children, etc.) If you look closely, the Predator products are a cut above. For example, the sheaths have rivets to prevent the sharp edge of the handheld digger from cutting through. (That happened to me with the popular Lesche digger.) Phrunt had a problem with his Lesche brand Sampson bending and got a local welding shop to re-enforce it. That shortcoming is less likely on the Predator version. Compare the two carefully and you'll see that the Predator is more robust. In some cases (maybe all cases) the Predators cost more. I didn't know about Predator when I bought my tools but from now on that's the company I'm going with. (Actually I have their Raptor which has no competition, AFAIK.) Good thread, BTW. mh9162013's finds pouch reminded me I wanted one of those, so I just ordered one on Ebay.
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In Need Of A Picture
GB_Amateur replied to Jim_Alaska's topic in Gold Panning, Sluicing, Dredging, Drywashing, Etc
Can you give an idea of what years it was available? I may be able to find it in a magazine ad. Others might have old catalogs. -
I assume these have met the seal of approval from Chase -- i.e. they do more than advertise that they are LL-aptX but actually live up to those specs/standards....
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Water location detecting (espeically salt water) adds another entire layer of complexity in more ways than one. In my soils there wouldn't be much mystery finding a coin in that condition since 90% silver is seldom harmed in our sometimes damp/soggy ground. Even 35% silver Wartime Nickels fair pretty well -- I have one that's the nicest I've ever found (and that includes taking them from bank rolls). Yours sure does look so much nicer than those that others have displayed that came from apparently many years in salt water.
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Bullseye Trx Price Continues To Climb
GB_Amateur replied to ☠ Cipher's topic in White's Metal Detectors
I don't really understand why that is a problem. Automobile companies have multiple models and seem to do just fine. If, for example, the TRX works better than competitor company XYZ's pinpointer but that competitor model is superior (in the eyes and usage of the buyer, of course) to the Carrot, XYZ gets the sale if Garrett isn't selling TRX. Last week I left my Carrot at a park (it fell out of my finds pouch) and realized that after it turned dark. So I had a full night to think about what I would buy if I couldn't find the pinpointer the next morning. (Fortunately my sister had been watching me recover my last find and retraced my steps -- eureka!) In my 'what if' scenarios I was weighing the Nokta/Makro Pulse Dive vs. the First Texas PI's (Tekpoint and F-pulse). Having the option of another TRX would have increased Garrett's chances of making a sale in my case. -
I've been away for awhile and I know Steve (before even I left for 'vacation', let alone when he left) was contemplating changing some of the forum rules. (I just noticed you don't see user lifetime 'likes' on posts, so obviously changes have been made). My question is about the subforum title and the comments. This thread is in the Nokta/Makro sub-forum. It used to be that this meant mentioning other detector manufacturers (in a let's just call it 'competitive' way) was off-premise and should rather be in the Advice and Comparisons sub-forum. So, has all this changed while I wasn't paying attention?
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My Greatest Coin Spill Of All Times
GB_Amateur replied to relic ray's topic in Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics
@relic ray Beautiful Walking Liberty Half! (And nice job photographing it.) Was this found on a permission or ?? (Same question for the silver dimes, etc.)