The GPZ Is Fragile!

[geek4gold]

10 hours ago, Jonathan Porter said:

Edit: This is one of the reasons why I get a bit ‘pissed’ by all the aftermarket coil brand chatter, its always X sized nugget/nuggets were found with X sized/type coil and no mention of the actual detector it was attached to!!? 

If X type coil was so revolutionary then why doesn’t the coil manufacture make their own electronics to go with said wonder coil? After all the detector manufacturers are doing a really crap job of things!!!

I am pretty sure that most, if not all, people who use after market coils & chatter/post on forums of their finds do mention the actual detector used too. Everybody is interested in what others are using & what is working for them both in what detector & what coil combo. More choices & each coil has its own signature on certain size, type & depth of gold. Any thing to get an advantage in the hunt for gold when pickings are getting lean. Even if it is only psychological but gives them a boost in confidence & morale in getting out there with high spirits & enthusiasm. That in itself can lead to success.  

I think we all agree that ML make the best detectors but have fallen a bit short with coil choices for some of their models. None more so than with the GPZ 7000 despite commenting they would make a 10" coil for it that never eventuated.

With the GP & GPX series of detectors numerous outfits made some damn good revolutionary after market wonder coils for them. Of that there is no denying. They didn't need to make the electronics as ML already had the platform for them to work with, & besides, ML has all the patents & copyrights in place to protect those electronics. Now we are seeing it with their coils & chips added to protect their detectors so only their coils can be used.

Personally I don't think for a second that the GPZ is fragile at all. It might be if you throw it under a bus & don't take a bit of care with it. There has been the odd occasion when I have gone to dig a signal, have gone to place the detector on the ground & after unclipping the bungy have gone to grab the arm cuff to lower it gently to the ground. With my eye on the spot where the signal is, have missed grabbing the arm cuff & the detector has dropped to the ground. I cringe & curse at myself for being so foolish & careless. But so far nothing has gone astray with the detector. Touch wood.

Someone made the comment of breaking 37, I think it was, lower shafts. How on earth have you done that? I have had my GPZ for 3 years also & still have the original lower shaft & I am out most weekends so it is well used & in some pretty rough terrain. 

G4G 

[jasong]

I think it's pretty well implied which detector is being used. Besides, we had 5 years of talking about and extolling the virtues of the GPZ, I'm not sure there is much more new to add there. Whereas the coils were a new unknown thing, and thus were the subject of new conversation.

I have to disagree with many here though, certain parts of the GPZ are fragile and should be redesigned. The foot and the battery design among the most often mentioned ones.

The great thing is, looking at the 6000 it does appear that engineers have listened and they not only got rid of the foot and made the bottom wider, but they rubberized the bottom too (it appears?), like you find in high quality power tools. Also following the high quality power tool lead they seem to have used similar new rugged battery insertion schemes there too. So, it's a good thing people mention these issues, they appear to have been addressed and that's a win in my book.

I also have to take slight exception at the amazement someone might drop their GPZ 1 foot. I do it all the time. It should take it. It's a field tool meant for rugged environments. It's not hard to design sensitive electronics to withstand 1 foot drops. I've dropped my phone 10 or 15 times from hip or chest level, no problem, and it's an office tool. Dropped my Hitachi framing nailer from 16 feet onto gravel, no prob. And dropped my Makita's more times than I can count from roofs, ladders, and hips with no issues. 

[afreakofnature]

37 minutes ago, jasong said:

It's a field tool meant for rugged environments. 

I agree with this.  It should be a rugged field tool, not some dainty POS china garbage.  Especially for the price.  I like my field scars but never abuse is all (like throw it down a cliff on purpose so you don't have to hike it down ?).

[Jonathan Porter]

None of those things cost near on 10K and none of them are as sophisticated as the GPZ. ? I too have dropped my GPZ from a foot on a regular basis, but it’s not deliberate and yes they do withstand accidental dropping, a part of my field testing was cringingly doing just that!!. The damage I saw earlier in this thread suggested a far greater impact that just a drop from 1 foot, I’ve never seen damage like that to the battery area and suggests the impact was high velocity for the weight of the battery to sheer off the pin like that!! 

Feet break all the time on my units, especially in the gully country, even with the covers installed and are basically sacrificial, hence the ease of buying replacement parts.

JP

[geek4gold]

I wonder what it costs Minelab to produce a GPZ? I am sure there is a huge mark up on it at 10k. As sophisticated as it may appear it is just electronic components & wiring. Once worked out probably just printed & pumped out by robots at a dime a dozen. Electronic products these days get cheaper & cheaper. ML have unique products & protects its technology vigorously with patents & copyrights to 'try' to eliminate competition & so can name their own price.

G4G 

[Sheppo]

45 minutes ago, geek4gold said:

I wonder what it costs Minelab to produce a GPZ? I am sure there is a huge mark up on it at 10k. As sophisticated as it may appear it is just electronic components & wiring. Once worked out probably just printed & pumped out by robots at a dime a dozen. Electronic products these days get cheaper & cheaper. ML have unique products & protects its technology vigorously with patents & copyrights to 'try' to eliminate competition & so can name their own price.

G4G 

It’s not just the manufacturing they’re paying for, it’s the R&D that goes into them aswell. The R&D phase can occur over as long as 5 years (and longer). Something has to pay for that time and money spent.

 

[geek4gold]

Yes, I realize that but I am sure they do ok. 

G4G

[madtuna]

Well my next big screen super thin wall hanging tv I’m going to demand I pay no more that 50 bucks! After all they’re just electronic bits and pieces thrown together by a few robots

[Jonathan Porter]

The componentry in the GPZ is all high end/high spec, very close tolerances are required for the tech to work so its not just some run of the mill cheap bits and pieces cobbled together in a sweat shop!! ?

As an example of cost, you will see the X coils and now the new Nugget Finder Z search coils are all quiet expensive, that should be an indication of the costs involved in manufacturing something for ZVT tech. GPZ’s are expensive to build, they were also very expensive to develop.

JP