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Best "WATERPROOF" detector for nuggetshooting?
- Thread starter tomtowns
- Start date
Hoser John
New member
Matching the coil to the unit lies the troubles. New logic circuits have reduced interchangeability of different coils on machines. Made more and more to be model specific. Cheap marketing,then ya gotta buy more coils as all I know use multiple machines like me,3 units on any given day at times. Tesoro Shart or Ray vlf or pulse choice and infiniumn are my choices-me I'd get both tesoro--vlf better for small gold and fresh water and pulse as superior in salt but not a good as a vlf in fresh water or tiny nuggets.Pulse likes iron too.. John
machineman
Member
I am contemplating building a water proof gold detector also. I just finished the mod on my Compadre,(practice) look in modifications forum for my post. I have a GM2 that I am thinking of modding. The problem lies in ground balancing under water. The Compadre was easy because all the controls could be put inside the box. Water proof pots are expensive. This being the case I would want as few controls as possible outside the box. What I would like to do is combine a Tesoro lobo ST, and a Tiger shark or stingray or sand shark. The Lobo ST should fit in the water proof box and the 4th pot location could be used for internal volume control. You would just have to drill 2 holes for switches. They might even have usable pots. I think Tesoro would do well to do this themselves. It is a bit of a niche market but there does seem to be call for it. The lobo ST is getting dated but is still a good detector and the auto GB would make use underwater much easier. I would use a clear box for any mod because you can see if it is leaking while under. It would be a bummer to find out you had a leak after the box was full of water. Just my 2 cents.
I once built a waterproof case for a GB2 but it was a dismal failure. The problem was that I had no method of ground balancing once the detector was sealed up inside the case. I made mine out of 6in PVC tubing with a screw on cap and with the headphone lead and coil lead coming out the back end and sealed with silastic and self adhering 3M tape. The problem with the GB2 was that it required almost constant ground balance adjustment and this was not possible with the case I made up.
I solved the ground balance problem in the end by buying a second-hand Minelab FT 1600 which has automatic ground tracking and combining this with a waterproof coil off a Musketeer beach detector. This worked quite well but my setup was never designed for deep diving as the case was very buoyant and wanted to float on the surface but up to about the 5 foot mark it worked OK.
cheers
Steve
I solved the ground balance problem in the end by buying a second-hand Minelab FT 1600 which has automatic ground tracking and combining this with a waterproof coil off a Musketeer beach detector. This worked quite well but my setup was never designed for deep diving as the case was very buoyant and wanted to float on the surface but up to about the 5 foot mark it worked OK.
cheers
Steve
steve herschbach
New member
I am interested in doing some mask and snorkel nugget sniping with a metal detector myself. I am leaning Garrett Infinium due to the ability to handle extreme mineralization combined with interchangeable coils.
machineman
Member
I would love to try converting a vlf to a water machine. I dont have the funds at this time to get a good one to convert. I was looking at a gmz, or a lobo st. The gmz should be easy to convert, it has minimal controls. I really think that manual GB would be a pain in the water. If someone has a Lobo st that needs work or is really beat up I would be interested in modding it. The hard part is waterproof potentiometers are about $50 each for 3/4 turn and alot more for 10 turn. I converted my Compadre recently. I had it out yesterday and it worked down to about 5'. I couldent get any deeper in the river I was in.
I was wondering what you prospectors thought about the Garrett AT Gold. I know its not rated for 30 ft. but it would be good enough for shallow hunting, if it is good on small gold. Anyone seriously try it for prospecting yet ? Save you a lot of time trying to waterproof a gold machine, since the AT Gold is waterproof.
steve herschbach
New member
The AT Gold is a good unit and if I wanted to mask and snorkel with a VLF instead of a PI it would probably be my choice.
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?27,1750412,1769238#msg-1769238
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?27,1750412,1769238#msg-1769238
SWMO Mark said:
I compromised my desires vs. reality & bought an AT Gold shortly after making the OP... The only fly in the ointment though was the following week, I blew first gear out in my old 66 jeep & there are no hard parts to be found to rebuild it.
I've been scouring craigslist, ebay & other forums looking for parts or the best solution other than modifying my drivetrain to accept a newer tranny & the best I've come up with is a guy up in Washington can rebuild mine with the "guts" of a different model...$700 plus shipping & I have to ship him my case to get it done...
Needless to say, I haven't had any gold in my pan this summer.