Excellerator "butterfly" coils?

[backslyder]

Ok, I'm kinda trying to "sneak" back into the forum, after a couple of years hiatus :|. I don't think I did any thing bad, but I used to drive people nuts with too many questions,,,,, but, at any rate, I still have my trusty old Quatro, and it's still ticking. I bought it back in 05, and I'm basically trying to get my self going on it again, and get my "butt" back out there. Well, I got on the Kelly co site yesterday and started reading about these "butterfly" coils. I wonder if it would take getting used to the shape of them while your swinging, but I love the idea that you could cover so much ground and how deep they seem to go. I'm interested in the 15" one, mainly because the 18" inch one costs more than my first automobile. I just wanted any feed back anyone might have on any of the excellerator coils. I'm definitely planning on getting a bigger coil of "some kind" first part of the new year for hunting at the beach. Any comments are appreciated. Marc Trainor.

 

[TomH]

Marc,

I have two friends that use the XCellerator coils with MXTs but I don't know anyone that uses them on Minelab machines. You may also want to look at the Coiltek coils on the Detector Depot site. Detector Depot - Coiltek Coils

I use the 15" WOT with my safari and love it. It is lighter than the Excellerator and was made specifically for Minelab. The extra 4 inches of sweep width is a real asset in the big fields that we hunt and I use the Swingy Thingy to compensate for the extra weight. The coil is very sensitive and once you get the machine balanced with the Swingy Thingy it swings like a champ.

Small deep targets ring nice and loud with the WOT and I recently found a colonial era pewter button that was at about 8 or 9 inches and standing perfectly straight up and down. The coil picked up the edge of the button with a perfect repeatable signal.

Just a humble opinion,
Tom Henrique

 

[backslyder]

Thanks for the quick response, Tom. It's great to have people to talk to about this stuff and know that they're interested in it too, and in most cases, like you, really out there doing it. I've also been looking at the WOT coils online, and have heard nothing but good about them, so I would definitly consider a wot, too. Man, that's a good report on the wot. Finding that button on it's side, that deep, (if I'm reading you right on that) is pretty darn impressive. I also like the fact that the wot is lighter. You know, right now I just don't have the bucks for either of the coils, but I really think I will around Feburay of next year, so I'm just trying to do some research on it now. I'm also a little embarrassed to say this, but since I just turned 61, that "swingy thingy" sounds like it might be a pretty good idea. I'm really thinking about it, because I do get more tired than I used to. Alright fellas-- I may be just getting out of shape, but maybe it could help. I just know I don't have the stamina I did when I was in my 20's and 30's, for sure. Tom, thanks for your response. (man, I love talking about this stuff) I forgot what a wonderful place this forum is to talk with others who have the same hobby and interest in this that I do. I'll definitly consider the wot. I remember reading a fair ammount of posts back in 05' or so, talking about that 15 "incher". To me that's a pretty reasonable size to get, "swinging wise" and price wise. Sincerely, Marc Trainor.

 

[TomH]

Marc,

I'm 58 with a shoulder trashed from youthful folly (martial arts, hockey, etc.) and the ST lets me go all day with the large coil.

That button surprised the heck out of me. I pulled an 8 inch (or so) plug and looked into the hole to see about 2mm of the leading edge sticking out of the dirt. The button was about 5/8 inch wide, no shank but you could still see the solder marks where it was attached, and standing as straight up and down as could be. Nice clear, albeit short duration, signal that repeated when I changed axis by 90 degrees so I dig the hole.

So far, my deepest small finds with the WOT were two small dribs of melted lead, also about 5/8 inches wide, down about a foot in the reddest, most mineral rich Culpeper County, VA soil. I also found a melted bullet in decent soil at about a foot and standing on edge like the button. So far, the major downside with the WOT coil is that in heavily mineralized soil you get many more false signals, but they are bad tones and generally not repeatable. I run in All Metal and just ignore the tones that I know are junk.

I'll be trying out the WOT in March at a three day invitational dig in Orange County, VA, an area where there are documented CS camps and plenty of Federal involvement. We have 600 diggable acres at our disposal and the hunt is limited to 150 diggers (50 from the Fredericksburg Relic Hunting Club and 100 by invite). Heavily mineralized soil but a "target rich" environment so expectations are high. The dig will start at sunup and go to sundown each day so thank God for the ST!!!!

Good luck in making your decision,
Tom Henrique

 

[bunker314]

Hi Marc,
I just run the standard 11 inch coil so I can't address your question. But welcome back!
HH,
Bunker