PinPointer security

[dbax]

Greetings -- I have been out of touch for a while -- traveling. I have a simple solution for securing your pinpointer -- you will never walk off and leave it. In my travels I lost my cherished Garrett PinPointer. You don't know how much you miss a tool like this until you discover your don't have it. In searching the Internet I discovered others must have had the same unfortunate lose, but few say much, I think it may be because there are a few metal heads making scathing remarks about how stupid it is and so senseless and careless a knuckle head you have to be to get up and walk off without your pinpointer. Well, I may have thought that very same thing -- until -- it happened to me. So, I searched the Internet to see if there is a solution to this ---------- Oh, but wait, you may be wondering how I could have been so careless. I was out of state on a hunt with my son. We got separated and I got a bit annsy about his location so I headed back to the car, put my gear away and circled the lake and found him a good distance from where we started. All was good, I picked him up and we went for lunch. Two days later I went out early one morning, by my self, put my belt on and notice the pinpointer holster was empty -- I tore the trunk of that rental car apart. I went back to the area I had last hunted -- nothing. Okay, so I started an Internet search looking for a solution and I saw a couple. One really nice answer to this is a "security ring" that slips around the screw cap, like a washer, with a protruding slot that you can clip a bungee to. But, $20 plus shipping and it becomes a pretty expensive fix. Worth it, I guess, considering you are saving a $130 piece of -- can't live without it -- equipment. Being the cheap skate that I am I put my careless brain to work and came up with the following solution. I had seen a couple of other examples of fixes for this but did not like them -- while these are not advertised as water proof, one should not break the water "resistant" characteristics of the Pinpointer, right?

My solution is pictured below, and it works great and is watertight -- Drilling a hole in the center of the cap, after removing the small foam pad inside the cap. I took a #12 - 24x3/4" round head with nut and ground the round head off, thin and flat. I made the hole just big enough to thread the small bolt through, but before that I ran a small bead of plumbers glue around the shank then pulling the bolt through the underside of the cap, pressed it into place -- this secured the bolt and sealed it. I then took the nut and spun it down over the bolt down onto the topside of the cap, this really secured it. I then took this to my vice where there is a small anvil and I placed the exposed bolt on the anvil and with a small hammer I beat the bolt out flat -- well, sort of flat, knocking the threads down, this gave me a good surface to drill into with a small drill bit making a hole big enough to accept a split key ring. The bungee cord I am using came from and Indian Casino -- you get these for free, as many of you know. This bungee works great. The purpose of the bungee is not to carry the pinpointer around but only to make sure you do not get up and walk off without it. Hope someone finds this helpful. Lastly, I replaced the small foam piece over the top of the flattened bolt head, worked out perfect. Nope, did not have to make any other adjustment, it screw down normally.

 

[marcomo]

Nothing against your mod, it looks well done, but I think there's a good chance sending in for repair with the screw cap modded like this would void the warranty.

Voiding the warranty is a significant issue, I've used Propointers since 2008 and they usually need repair or have performance degrade before two years of use.

 

[Larry (IL)]

I doubt his mod would void the warranty but the bungee is a good idea. I used the same kind of bungee but used duct tape to attach the bungee. I think there is also an aftermarket ring that can be placed under the cap for a tether of some sorts to attach too.

 

[sprchng]

If you will do a Pro pointer tether ring loupe search on the interent there are a number of easier solutions that avoid the warranty issues.

 

[hunter_46356]

I agree with Larry....Don't see how Garrett could use this mod as an excuse for voiding a warranty unless they just wanted to be jerks. My experience with their customer service is great.

 

[dbax]

I hear you Marcomo but my warranty is up -- two years, right? The Garrett Pinpointer I lost was about 4 years old and still working great, this one that I punched a hole in was one I had bought for my wife but as soon as I lost mine, hers became mine. The warranty should be a consideration, and If I had it to do over again or on my next PinPointer (maybe the White's TRX?) I would opt for one of the other choices. Thanks for the reminder on the warranty. Larry, the duct tape solution is a good one, sometimes I over think things. I have lots of black duct tape too, missed that one, and an easier solution too. Thanks for the input, Dan

 

[Larry (IL)]

I don't think it would be asking too much for Garrett to come up with a new end cap in a bright color and add a tether loop like White's did. I think their engineers missed the boat on that one. (hint, hint)

 

[dbax]

I'm with you on that on, Larry -- Maybe it is not an oversight? Sometime marketing managers can get too focused on profit and future sales -- Not saying that is what happened here but enough of these PP have gotten lost, apparently (very few admissions) to cause some enterprising people to Laser cut security rings (washers) and sell them, and then there is the detectorgaddet guy making plastic security rings -- must be a market. For every PP that gets lost another sale is made, I am just sayin' -- Of course they could add these types of security rings to their Ass. offers, why not?

 

[oneguy]

I got some velcro tape and wire ties and mounted by PP sheath on the shaft of tector just below the power head. Worked great as right when you set tector down the PP is right there handy. Weight wasn't a problem because I use a small harness for the boat anchor Etrac already. Yesterday I switched to a Sun-Ray x-1 which is located in the same spot as the PP was.....

just an idea that worked well for me........

 

[dbax]

Just another quick note -- a confession, really and just for my own closure: Pretend we are all sitting around in an Metal Detector addiction circle, and it is my turn to speak --- I did not know I had lost my PP, I could have sworn I saw it in my holster when I tossed everything into the trunk (sniffling). When I got back out, a couple of days later, (wringing of hands, more sniffling) and I saw the holster was empty (sniffling a sob) I frantically searched my tool bag, dumping everything on the ground -- no PP (sobbing). I gathered up my courage and thought it might still be where I last searched. I headed for that place under the large spreading tree. No PP, gone forever. I tried searching without it, after all, I got along without it before, right? Between tears of anguish I blindly dug and poked and wondered how I ever got along without one of these. I wished that I had my old Bounty Hunter pp only one point better than using my finger or a screw driver. I have to admit, I nearly cried. When we got home from the trip I did a terrible thing -- I took my wife's Garrett pp and claimed it as my own. I'm not proud of that.

I am not an addict, either, not like some of you, I am only telling my story so others will appreciate what they have before they lose it. Dan

 

[sprchng]

Demonstrate your confidence in the human condition and put a slip of paper with your name and phone number inside the battery compartment and the word "REWARD"
Can't hurt , especially if you actively work on your karma.

 

[Mega]

I use one of those steel rings that you put under the screw cap this also has a curly landyard,which does work very well and only cost peanuts compaired with the price of a new probe,bought it from the 4 letter website starting with a 'E' and ending in a 'y'.

What i still cannot work out is Garrett produce the ACE range in that horrible Yellow colour but make the ProPointer in black,it would have been much better too have reversed the colours as if you dropped a Yellow probe it would stand out,you dont tend to drop and loose Ace detectors do you as much as pinpointers

 

[dbax]

sprchng -- really good idea -- The security screw mod I did is working really good. I thought the coiled tether might get in the way but it does not. I have to replace my wife's PP however and after much research and almost buying a new White's TRX, pausing because of the high price, I went further into what others were finding out and came across another new offering, the XPointer for $89 and that included a security ring with a coil tether. I came across a guy on You Tube that tested the Minlabs pro pointer and the Garrett and the XPointer side by side and then check each on against a 12 point check list with a scoring system 1-5 and the XPointer came out on top by a bunch. So, I went to Colonial and ordered one after seeing all of the comparisions. The White's TRX really caught my attention, at first, and it has a lot of nice features but the $159 just gags me. I paid $127 for my Garrett and that made me choke but after using it I reasoned the price was worth it, not that it should cost that much but compared to the cheaper Fishers and Bounty hunters it is worth it. Now, if only the XPointer proves itself in my hands I just might buy another one for my brother -- I know, I know, don't get ahead of myself. $89 + a $20 security ring with tether, not bad if it is only 95% of what the reviewers are saying about it. Peace, Dan
Meg B, I agree with you 100% -- They make their lower range Metal Detectors look like toys for tots. One other thing about the Xpointer, you can buy it in different colors and it has a feature that could be handy. If you leave the PP on for over 3 minutes it will start beeping ever few second until you turn it off. So, if by chance, you are hunting in tall grass and walk off you can circle back and find it by the beeping -- it will keep doing this until the battery is dead, giving you time to find it, also to let you know you left it one so you can turn it off before storing. The TRX does this also but after 5 minutes, or there abouts, it goes off so it you don't find it within that time frame, too bad.

 

[Mega]

@dbax,i think you have made a wise choice with that pinpointer,the X-Pointer has become the hottest detecting purchase over here in the UK at the moment.When my PP finally packs up i will also buy one as well.It could even take the crown from the Garrett as the best selling probe.

 

[NiagracountyNY]

@dbax,i think you have made a wise choice with that pinpointer,the X-Pointer has become the hottest detecting purchase over here in the UK at the moment.When my PP finally packs up i will also buy one as well.It could even take the crown from the Garrett as the best selling probe.

Might wanna hold off on that crown until we try the new makro pointer..I believe its waterproof also.

 

[dbax]

all about the competition, i guess -- that will drive the prices down on these mini detectors. I have never been able to figure out what has taken the manufactures of quality metal detectors so long in providing a quality pinpointer, except for Garrett. Garrett has sold so many of their PP there is not hardly anyone than does not have one, no matter what his or her favorite metal detector is. MinLab finally came up with on -- copied Garrett. Now after two failed attempt (bulls eye 1 & then 2) the TRX finally shows up for White's -- now others are jumping in. Maybe the makers of the name brand Detectors never thought the rusty money of the USA would ever rust and look like the dirt? I hunt with a Fisher, F2 and F70, I have gone through 2 of their Bounty hunter PP and finally coughed up the paper for a Garrett and cannot live without it now. I used one of my old BH PP when I lost my Garrett and it was pure pain -- better than nothing but no where near the joy of using the Garrett. Now, with the new models coming out I do hope the XPointer is a good or better. There was a really good comparison review on YouTube, comparing the TRX, Garrett and the Xpointer -- just type in that combination and you should find it, it is a very detail review, diffinitely worth a look if you are considering a new PP.