To SEF or not?

[sand turner]

I've been pretty busy with my Pi so far this year so not used my XS/WOT combo this year. Anyway the WOT is the only sovereign coil i have now. I hear good things about the SEF coils from real users not manufacturers hype. If i was to do 20 hours a week beach is it worth changing and for which size if it is?

 

[muggsc]

I was using an Excalibur with the 8" coil. When I got the GT I bought an SEF 10x12 for it. Wow what a difference as far as coverage and picking up targets that I'm sure that I would not have with the 8" coil. It doesn't work that well on land for me but is a killer on the beach. I also bought the Plugger straight shaft to balance the detector better and the weight difference has minimal effect.
Thanks,
Cal
'
'

 

[sand turner]

Do you find any difference between the operation of the sovereign and the excalibur? I have had all models of sovereign including the GT and I've not noticed any improvement over the years just different features. Wondered if there's any advantage of getting an excalibur if you don't water hunt

 

[muggsc]

I like the GT better for the beach especially with the 10x12 SEF. Can't beat the Excalibur with the 8in coil in the surf. Just my opinion.
Thanks,
HH ...Cal

 

[Critterhunter]

Get the 15x12 and you'll cover the beach faster than even the WOT (slighter more lenth tip to tail) and many feel this coil is deeper and more stable. Some others may disagree but I'd say at least 75% of all the opinions I've dug up on these two coils lean toward the SEF. The 12x10 Is a great coil too with the same kinds of remarks compared to the 10.5" and 11" Explorer/Etrac coils as well as to the 10" Tornado. The separation and pinpointing will amaze you. Love this coil and it's now my every day coil. I don't know if I'll ever put the 10" Tornado back on. It's THAT good! I can't even bring myself to part with it long enough to put my S-5 through it's paces at some trashy sites because I just feel the SEF seems to unmask coins at those sites that even a little coil might not be able to see, though I'm sure the S-5 would have to separate better....Separation and unmasking are two different things to me.

 

[Neil]

Critter how did you mount that 15X12 and keep it from moving around? I believe you said you used the whites lower rods? I just got some and they are really a stiff rod which is great but they are smaller than the minelab rods at the end. Might be able to make it up with washers. How about the ears of the coil, did you bore them out to 3/8" like the whites rods are bored to or use the stock 1/4" bolts that are on the minelab/sef coils?
the whites rods are as light as the tesoro/fisher lower rods, they are stiffer which I like better, but they lack the hole through the rod for drainage when wading.
all in all a nice lower rod.

 

[Critterhunter]

I covered this in the mods forum and here but I don't blame you for missing it since it was probably lost in my endless ramble on the SEF. I used two Whites rubber washers and then two "rubber" washers from Home Depot in the faucet fix'in section. They had two sizes that were very close in diameter so I bought both since I didn't have the Whites with me to compare to. One turned out to be a near perfect match. Anyway, so two Whites washers and two of these faucet washers made up for the slightly less wide Whites lower rod coil mount. Stick the Whites into the Whites shaft and then the other two between those and the coil. I didn't drill out the coil to take the larger Whites bolt/washer, but you'll have to drill out the faucet washers center holes to accept the Minelab bolt (it's a pain to drill...try heating up a piece of medal instead on your stove or in a blow torch and metling....might be easier). Anyway, it works find but I find if I bump my 15x12 against a rock or branch it will wobble on the shaft for a split second. It's not the Whites shaft (I'm using the tall man lower carbon shaft for $10) but rather the rubber flexing. Now you have a choice. Perhaps drilling the coil to hold the bigger Whites bolt would eliminate this? Or, you can replace two of the washers (don't know which would be better...whites or faucet?) with two plastic washers to eliminate the rubber "flex". I'm still debating that "problem", but it's not really a problem The rod/coil is stiff unless you bump something. In a way it's an advantage in that it acts like a shock aborsber to keep impact vibration from traveling up the shaft to your hand or the control box/meter. It's in no way a problem, but still in the woods I get a little sick of the "Bong" effect when I just bumper a stick or stump. I may leave it as is but probably will opt for some stiffer washer setup. What I've noticed is that on most machines the rubber only protrudes out just a hair from it's mounting hole on the shaft. It only is out just enough to grab and rub against the coil mounts to keep it from moving. Consider options accordingly.

So far despite my concerns the Tall Man lower carbon "Fiber" rod is very stiff and just as strong as the Minelab lower rod, yet much lighter. Remember, I'm using the LOWER (coil) tall man Whites fiber rod (not the stock rod), which allowed me to cut my custom/lighter aluminum upper shaft even shorter than the stock GT upper rod length. So far no issues, and I've been banging this thing around in the woods with the 15x12 so far on about 6 or 7 wood hunts where it's taking some abuse. Since it's only $10 like the stock Whites lower fiber rod I'd encourage everybody to buy it. It's the same exact rod only longer so if you don't want to mod your upper rod just cut the thing down to whatever "stock" length you desire. As an added bonus you'll have a carbon fiber tube laying around in your garage to use on another project.

I don't see any issues so far, but I plan to use the stock upper/lower GT shaft for any water hunting to avoid any undue stress being put on my lighter upper/lower rod setup just to be safe. Besides, I won't need my remote pinpoint setup mounted inside my custom shaft since water hunting the box will be on my hip or chest and so the PP switch is right at easy access.

 

[Critterhunter]

Oh, and for a drain hole on any lower shaft just use a tiny drill bit (for less stress) and drill a hole on any shaft. I'd stick a measuring tape down the lower shaft until it hits the coil mount plastic and use that as a guide to know where to drill it. As close to the solid plastic coil mount that's inside the lower shaft as possible so no water is stuck in there. REMEMBER! If any water is trapped on a machine in the shaft sitting a machine down could allow the water to run up the shaft and into the box. This is really a problem on Whites land units but just the same I don't want any water finding it's way up near any box should it be shaft mounted once set down.

 

[Neil]

Ok thanks for the info. I thought myself of buying some plastic rod stock, cutting it to length and then drilling out the center to accept a bolt and use that in place of the washers I figured Im gonna have to use. Now on the tesoro/fisher lower rods, its not as big a gap so the makeup is easier. It would be great if the isolators were removable on the minelab rods as I can see the whites rods isolators are, then I could just swap them and be done with it.
In clives book he drills out the wot coil to 3/8" and uses plastic toilet seat bolts and says it gives a secure fit.
another idea with the lower rod might be to fill it with foam stock, I think I have some left over from isulating basement windows. comes in rolls, looks like rope but its foam for isulating cracks and such, you cut to length, now that I think of it its just about the thickness of the inside of the lower rod.
I bought the whites tall man lower rods and two of the whites hipmount poles with handles/armcuffs, really like that setup.
Thank you!

 

[Critterhunter]

BEFORE you stick that foam in there! Pick up that spray foam that comes in a can from home improvement stores. Use the extra foamy stuff. It's VERY light and will expand beyond your wildest dreams. It's going to expell out the end of the shaft but just cut it off when it dries. It's called Great Stuff but one doesn't foam as much as the other. Now for the big question....Why do you want to fill the lower rod with foam? I'm a little drunk right now so maybe I missed it? I'll re-read tomorrow. Loving VA!

 

[Neil]

putting the foam in would block water from going in the rod and then there is no need to drill holes to drain it. the middle rod is a non issue since its got the adjustment holes. spray foam would work also,

 

[Critterhunter]

Now that I've slept off all the beer I drank last night that makes perfect sense to me. I'd use the spray in foam because it will not add much weight at all. An alternative would be Gorilla Glue. I use that stuff in RC builds because it foams up and is very light yet strong. Mix up probably 4 or 5 ounces of that stuff with some water and it will probably foam way out of the pole more than you need. It's mostly trapped air so the final weight will probably add less than an ounce to your lower shaft once it foams out and dries. It for sure will stiffen the rod up even more but that's not a problem for me even swinging the 15x12.