Rcdigs Deus 2 Rc Mount Review

[F350Platinum]

I've seen other reviews here (I think) about the RCDIGS remote holder for the Deus 2.

Here's my pup Sammy Hagar (😁) checking it out after I test fit the RC. It comes in left hand or right hand tilt, or straight. This is the straight one. You'll have to wait a month for my birthday to see the right hand tilt. 😎 

I've got a couple different kinds of locking mounts for the RC, looked for something immediately after seeing the lanyard and having the RC pop out of the mount. 🤪 I have found the more serious mounts wear out after the beating I give them.

This one looks like a beast. Initial impression is this manufacturer must have a heck of a printer, and knows how to make something tough. Lots of backfill and great material. Stainless and brass hardware, it almost feels like a precision instrument. Unlike other printed stuff it has a less raw feel, no really sharp edges.

It comes well packaged with a piece of paper that has a QR code with a link to his assembly video, watch the video before you do anything. He will tell you some stuff you should know so you don't trash the mount.

The manufacturer doesn't tell you one important thing in the video however - that you should have a 1/16th inch drill bit available and probably get some 1/8" stainless countersink screws that are 1/4" long. This is what I used:

The screws are not included but he does mention that he doesn't use the stock mount screws, which in a few words (mine) are absolutely ridiculous crap that will break and wear out fast, not to mention they are too thin. A few times unscrewing them will wear them out.

Rant over. 🤣

You don't need the electrical cutters, I used them to cut the zip ties for the waveguide off my 9" coil. 😁

This is what it will look like when you're done, the countersink screws will not interfere.

Took the rig out today, you'll notice (or not) when you put this together the RC is a little loose in the mount, it's probably better it is because it will probably break if it was hard to put in. I considered adding some foam or a rubber washer to tighten it in, but after a long field test today I'd say it's not a big deal. What I was mostly worried about is that the RC banging around in there might create extra tones with high sensitivity but it did not. It ended up being a pretty great day.

About the only things I don't like about this mount are the following:

There is no way you can get the waveguide inside the shaft, up the tubes and through the mount, it will have to be wrapped around the shaft. The outside tube is clever, and there's room inside for the waveguide end but not the clip, his video shows you why you won't need it. It also explains the gap inside. 🤔

The last thing is kinda a double edge sword, the RC gets dirty in use, and you have to disassemble it after every hunt to clean it and the RC. The retaining screw knobs should probably be knurled a bit so that they are easier to turn.

The good thing is that you do have to take the remote out every time, I've had issues with the charging jack from not taking the remote off, and have had to replace the charging cable a couple of times from trying to twist it in while the RC is mounted.

Overall it's a pretty darn good piece of kit, I'll probably revisit this later if I find anything else to write about it.

Here's the link to get one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/134654186891

[ColonelDan]

Excellent review.  Very thorough and well presented.  👍🫡

[Brad Plohman]

Thanks for the review, it looks like Sammy approves!

I'll just ad that Steve G is teaming up with RCDIGS to bring us a model that screws right into Steve's Deus 2 shaft. He just posted it on his FB page, check it out. It looks like it will be available in L, R, & Straight options plus have the ability to run the antenna wire through the remote holder. 

 

[F350Platinum]

5 minutes ago, Brad Plohman said:

Thanks for the review, it looks like Sammy approves!

I'll just ad that Steve G is teaming up with RCDIGS to bring us a model that screws right into Steve's Deus 2 shaft. He just posted it on his FB page, check it out. It looks like it will be available in L, R, & Straight options plus have the ability to run the antenna wire through the remote holder. 

 

Thanks Brad. 🙂 I'm aware of this, but glad one of the true testers let the cat out of the bag 😁 thanks for the photo! I'm excited to get one for that rig.

I'm thinking the RCDIGS mount is going to be a winner for the SCUBA folks, actually thought of you and @Skull diver, with either shaft you have.

Yeah, that's the thing, and maybe the manufacturer will improve the stock shaft design, This remote mount is going to be especially good for those that just need to rinse it off when done.

Most "rural engineers" have found methods of installing the waveguide so that it can go up through the shaft including me, you can't avoid zip ties on the coil to mitigate snagging. Tons of stuff to snag on the bottom I'm sure! That mount could also eliminate the top waveguide hole on the SteveG rig.

My only concern is having to take the RC out at the end of the day relic and dry beach hunting, the captive screws and brass inserts could be more robust and spares would be a necessity, not to mention some good stainless mount screws included with the stock shaft model. I can't imagine what salt environment will do to the hardware even as it is, but I see WD-40 in our future 🧙‍♂️ Galvanic Corrosion is real.

It's a shock to have to go out and buy extra stuff, even a 1/16" or sightly larger drill bit if you're not a tool guy 😎 I had a box of stainless screws left over from a boat rebuild years ago.

[Redneck]

Not to hijack the thread, but what do you guys think of this unit?   

XP Deus 2 locking shoe (detectingdoodads.com)

I dont have a D2 yet, but slowly assembling accessory ideas.

[Brad Plohman]

17 minutes ago, Redneck said:

what do you guys think of this unit? 

Here's mine. Other's may have had a different experience...

[Skull diver]

42 minutes ago, Redneck said:

Not to hijack the thread, but what do you guys think of this unit?   

XP Deus 2 locking shoe (detectingdoodads.com)

I dont have a D2 yet, but slowly assembling accessory ideas.

I have it already.

I can't say anything against its use but my remote still continues to fall away when I hit it and I'm next to try this solution posted uphere.

[Chase Goldman]

57 minutes ago, Redneck said:

Not to hijack the thread, but what do you guys think of this unit?   

XP Deus 2 locking shoe (detectingdoodads.com)

I dont have a D2 yet, but slowly assembling accessory ideas.

 

36 minutes ago, Brad Plohman said:

Here's mine. Other's may have had a different experience...

While I like some of DD's products (the XP compatible headphones he sells are great as well as some of the other 3D printed accessories) there are two issues in play here. 

First, the XP design of the mount is fundamentally flawed because the objective to provide a mount that enables quick attachment and removal of the remote also results in high stress concentrations that cause the mount to gradually lose its ability to maintain a secure grip on the remote and eventually results in mount failure regardless of the material used (but some 3D printed materials are especially ill suited for this application - see Brad's pic). 

Second, applying bandaids such as locking levers, lanyards etc. to address the degrading secure grip issues don't really reduce the cyclic stresses (from constantly mounting and removing the remote for charging/storage etc.) that eventually causes failure (though some of these bandaids may reduce the number of "unnecessary" re-mounts resulting from the remote simply falling off the mount after being bumped while detecting).  

The real solution is to move completely away from the design altogether, and that's what the RC Digs cage accomplishes for a cost not much higher than purchasing a replacement XP or third party version of the original design (and certainly lower than multiple XP mount replacements over the lifetime of the rig).  I like the RC Digs design, but have yet to put it through its paces.  You lose the quick removal capability, but taking an extra 30 seconds to undo two thumbscrews for mount security and longevity is a small price to pay.

[Chase Goldman]

7 minutes ago, Skull diver said:

I have it already.

I can't say anything against its use but my remote still continues to fall away when I hit it and I'm next to try this solution posted uphere.

This RC Digs cage is exactly what you need for diving.  

[Skull diver]

2 hours ago, F350Platinum said:

with either shaft you have.

 

Since a few months I have the red locking shoe on an Anderson dive shaft..

Still looking for a damn stable mount like the black one uphere.

There's no way to keep the remote there on the shaft and the shape problem will be never solved if not excluding the original mount in the system.