Docs Swingy Thingy And Swing Arm

[Gold Catcher]

I got my HipSticks from Rob 3 years ago. The designer is Chris Porter. Mine came from "detectoraid" in NV (I believe). I don't think they distribute them anymore. Rob would know. Yes, the HipStick can be a bit in your way, but boy does it work well (I wear suspenders with belt). Finally, no need for a harness anymore in 100 deg heat. Use it religiously with GPZ and SDC.

GC

[Aureous]

@phrunt @Doc How does an overseas customer buy your gear? Most of the Docs  product pages say 'Orders to the USA only' 🤔

[Doc]

31 minutes ago, Aureous said:

@phrunt @Doc How does an overseas customer buy your gear? Most of the Docs  product pages say 'Orders to the USA only' 🤔

Mostly that has to do with Detectors that we are not allowed to sell outside the U.S.  There are some items that are too cost prohibitive to ship.  But I send stuff to Australia every week.

On the GPAA Specials I'm happy to send the merchandise but the shipping cost will be higher.

Doc

[Aureous]

7 minutes ago, Doc said:

Mostly that has to do with Detectors that we are not allowed to sell outside the U.S.  There are some items that are too cost prohibitive to ship.  But I send stuff to Australia every week.

On the GPAA Specials I'm happy to send the merchandise but the shipping cost will be higher.

Doc

I think you need to edit your website listings then... even small things like Qweegle, Saga and Swingy thingy have this no sales outside USA issue. You'd be losing heaps of 1st time buyers, thinking that you don't sell overseas. Only once I looked the 'details' page on each product, did I see the true picture. Im sure lots of others might be confused and disappointed. Im just trying to help, not annoy. I really like the Swingy Thingy and Qweegle combo. I'll be buying one off you soon. Clever designs...I was thinking along the same line years ago but never did anything about getting something made up. I'm getting an SD2200 modded next year as my big gold and backup unit....think I'll be needing your combo for sure!

[Goldseeker5000]

I had bought Doc's guide arm and when I got it and saw it was enormously large where it connects to the shaft, I was thinking why is this made so big a diameter? It would not stay where you attach it and it kept flopping around. I used it two days and called up my dealer and bought the Gpz 7000 guide arm. This was ideal as it stays where you clamp it on and has more flexibility at the joint. You don't have to cut anything down and glue the knob on. The other one was going to be thrown away but I decided to give it away. I don't see the logic in making the universal attachment knuckle so large as to accommodate one detector shaft, that it hinders all other detector shaft mounting functionality. Sorry Doc, I am not trying to slam you at all but the universal joint doesn't work. Perhaps provide two sizes of joints that can be chosen from and make the guide arm length not so long that you have to cut and glue. Also a ball joint would provide more flexibility as well providing the plastic used is higher quality. 

[phrunt]

I think the problem there is knowing how to wrap the rubber strap, I'm not sure I've got it right either and mine was moving around like crazy, granted I'm using it on the Manticore at the moment which has a very thin shaft, abnormally thin, but found a workaround by just cutting a small strip of rubber and putting it between the plastic of the guide arm holder and the shaft so there is some friction there and then doing it up, I'm sure I've done the rubber strap up incorrectly as there is a slot in the guide arm assembly that I don't have the strap going through.  I just copied the rubber idea of the Chinese pinpointer holder for detector shafts that has a lumpy rubber strip that goes between the mount and the shaft to stop it moving before tightening it up, works a treat, I like the Chinese holder for the Saga swimg arm too, quick and easy and very tidy, along with a very strong piece of equipment with its rubber clips to hold the arm of the swing arm, not to mention it's only a couple of bucks.

Once you've got the swing arm secured to the shaft nicely it really is good with its multi-directional pivot system, far better than the standard GPZ one.

In this photo you can see the strip of rubber I've put between the shaft and the swing arm holder.  I believe I probably need this due to the very thin shaft on the Manticore and also the way I've wrapped the rubber strap which is very likely incorrect.  It has a lot of over-hang too on every detector I've tried so I guess I'll work out the length I need to use it on the GPZ being the bigger shaft I use and then chop the excess off once I'm confident I've got it wrapped right.  A video from @Doc showing how to wrap it would probably be beneficial.

But these little Chinese pinpointer holders are magical, so cheap and really good.

I just bought another few as they're only about $3 each delivered, that's NZD too so even less in USA.

Update: There is a video, I missed it somehow.

Now to see if I've done mine right 🙂 I highly doubt it.

 

[Swegin]

On 11/23/2023 at 1:58 PM, DSMITH said:

a hip stick would be a good item for @Doc to produce for us here in the U.S i can get one from miners den in Australia but the shipping is like $50 to get it shipped to Arizona

Make your own.  Use a Arrow shaft.  I would add a paddle from a holster tom the ball socket end to make it more comfortable.

 

[phrunt]

1 hour ago, Swegin said:

Make your own.  Use a Arrow shaft.  I would add a paddle from a holster tom the ball socket end to make it more comfortable.

 

Fiberglass tent poles work perfectly too, and they're cheap as anything. Comparing to my original it's the likely source of the component although these days 8 to 10mm carbon fiber rod in meter lengths is extremely cheap and would be an excellent modern alternative.

[DSMITH]

2 hours ago, phrunt said:

Fiberglass tent poles work perfectly too, and they're cheap as anything. Comparing to my original it's the likely source of the component although these days 8 to 10mm carbon fiber rod in meter lengths is extremely cheap and would be an excellent modern alternative.

picked up some 8 MM carbon fiber shaft for pretty reasonable, think it will work good for one, gathered up some parts I had laying around in my shop, think I will have less than $20 in it when finished with my hip stick,  plus maybe an hour and a half of time putting it all together, if I take a beer break in between LOL, or an iced tea break. 

[phrunt]

I'm hedging by bets on 15 minutes, with a coffee break, a toilet break and a phone call from a friend, it's not the job of a rocket scientist 🙂  I would have more trouble putting my daughters little new little Lego set together, you'll be just fine.

I just hope it along with the Swingy thingy helps you get back to comfortable metal detecting seeing you've got quite severe problems prohibiting you from the thing you love doing.