Thinking about trading the DFX for a ExpII....any opinions?

WheatbackDigger

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I have been detecting a little over a year. As much as I love my DFX, I've been thinking about trading it for an Explorer II. I have found tons of stuff, including over 50 silver coins, two large cents, one half cent and six indians. Seems like around here, the "good" stuff is 6+ inches deep. My Merc and Barber dimes have been dug in the 6 to 7 inch range, while the indians are 7 to 9 inches deep. At these depths, my DFX see's a faint whisper. I am thinking I need just a tad more depth out of a machine and the DFX is just not getting it for me.

My concerns, besides depth, is the weight and balance issues. The DFX is well balanced and light enough, that I can swing it all day long. #2 concern is the learning curve. I had no problems learning with the DFX. From the factory presets up to my individual programs. Really hasn't been much of a problem.

Is there any decent intructional books out for the Explorer II? I bought the book "Diging Deeper with the DFX" and it had a ton of information in it.

Last question for now, WOT coils...what are they and were does one get one? I am assuming it's a larger coil than the stock. Is it worth getting and how heavy is this?

Any input would be greately appreciated
Doug
 

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Rusted_Iron

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I'm also thinking of getting a WOT coil eventually for my Explorer. They are made by Coiltek. They retail up in the $300+ range but I've seen them for $219 at a couple websites. It's a 15 inch diameter double D coil. Charles of upstate NY told me it stands for "wonderful orange thing"... he's found a lot of great stuff with it and says it's definitely worth getting. Hopefully Charles will stop in here, because I can't remember his website address. Maybe he can also give us a few pointers on using it.

I do know the Explorer even with the stock coil will find things deeper than I care to dig.

I am still at the point of frustration with the 10.5" DD coil, though, since I'm so accustomed to a concentric coil. In high trash areas I find my Expl. almost unusable with the stock coil. Too much overlap on targets, it will drive you crazy with all its "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" sounds. Powerful machine, though.
 

bazinga

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Since you are in the midwest, you know all about DEEP coins unlike a lot of those guys out east that are pulling Indians at 3-4"... BOO TO THEM, haha :)

I live over in Indiana and can't imagine detecting anywhere without my Explorer XS. I use a 15" WOT coil in most places because it goes that extra depth needed to get those really deep, iffy signals that often produce some good finds! I hunt a lot of parks where I've dug wheats at 10" deep buried in roots. If you do get an Explorer I would recommend getting a Sunray inline probe before getting the 15" WOT coil. The probe connects to your detector and has a little switch with it to allow it work just like your regular detector. Just flip the switch and now you have a little mini coil to stick into the hole and it gives off the same signals / sounds that the large coils give you.

It can be a heavy machine for some, but I am younger and have no problem swinging it all day unless I am not finding anything and then boredom takes over. There is something called the 'Swingy Thingy' that attaches the detector and you by a small bungy coil that makes it basically weightless in your hand.

Charles' website is www.detectorgear.com. It is better than any book you will read as far as info on the explorer goes, although Andy Sabisch's (sp?) book is good, too. But, to really learn the machine, try and find someone with experience with one to take you out and show you what a good, deep coin signal sounds like and your life will change after that! Anymore questions just PM me... I might be able to make it out that way to hunt with you and help you if you get one :)
 

Rusted_Iron

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bscofield6 said:
If you do get an Explorer I would recommend getting a Sunray inline probe before getting the 15" WOT coil. The probe connects to your detector and has a little switch with it to allow it work just like your regular detector.

I wanted to get the Sunray but was too impatient to send my machine out to Minelab to get the probe installed. I have a Treasure Mate on the way, which should be cool because I can use it with my other detectors too. Oh well, no tone ID. :-\

Thanks for the link to Charles' website, I couldnt for the life of me remember that address.
 

bazinga

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Rusted_Iron said:
bscofield6 said:
If you do get an Explorer I would recommend getting a Sunray inline probe before getting the 15" WOT coil. The probe connects to your detector and has a little switch with it to allow it work just like your regular detector.

I wanted to get the Sunray but was too impatient to send my machine out to Minelab to get the probe installed. I have a Treasure Mate on the way, which should be cool because I can use it with my other detectors too. Oh well, no tone ID. :-\

Thanks for the link to Charles' website, I couldnt for the life of me remember that address.

No problem at all for posting the link! I love the guys site!

I was lucky enough to by my explorer used with the sunray probe already installed. I would also hate to have to send my baby away on a trip without me, haha.

There is a way to order the supplies and do it yourself though, which might be worth a try. With the sensitivity up you can get a solid coin signal from 2-3" away... plus with the tone id it keeps you from going after iron if you are after a coin or after a coin if you are after iron in your case :)
 

Rusted_Iron

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bscofield6 said:
plus with the tone id it keeps you from going after iron if you are after a coin or after a coin if you are after iron in your case :)

ROFL you got me fair and square on that one ;D ;D ;D

I do find that a lot of times when I dig a coin there's also like 2 or 3 nails in the hole. I like old iron, but the only nails I really want are the hand-wrought ones with the rosette or "rose" heads, those are pretty scarce and usually occur only at early to mid 1700's sites anyway.
 

bazinga

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Rusted_Iron said:
bscofield6 said:
plus with the tone id it keeps you from going after iron if you are after a coin or after a coin if you are after iron in your case :)

ROFL you got me fair and square on that one ;D ;D ;D

I do find that a lot of times when I dig a coin there's also like 2 or 3 nails in the hole. I like old iron, but the only nails I really want are the hand-wrought ones with the rosette or "rose" heads, those are pretty scarce and usually occur only at early to mid 1700's sites anyway.

I must say... I hate finding the nails, but when I do find them I certainly don't mind if they are old square nails. I try to save those when I find them. As for rose heads.... nothing from the 1700s anywhere near me... so sad :( Around here you can occassionally find one house pre 1850 still standing per county.
 

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WheatbackDigger

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Question on the sunray probe. I googled it...(I am not familiar with it). It's a pinpointing device that is attached to the detector itself (by the manufacturer)...Is this correct? It has a detecting depth up to three inches?? What would be its purpose on coin size objects deeper than three inches? How is the pinpointing on the stock coil and WOT coil as a stand alone machine?
 

Rusted_Iron

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bscofield6 said:
I must say... I hate finding the nails, but when I do find them I certainly don't mind if they are old square nails. I try to save those when I find them. As for rose heads.... nothing from the 1700s anywhere near me... so sad :( Around here you can occassionally find one house pre 1850 still standing per county.

Aha... so you do get a lot of the more recent iron, which I guess I could understand your views on iron stuff... although I am known to hang onto horseshoes for good luck ;D. Out here, a significant portion of the iron I find dates back 200+ years (the hand wrought era) and is pretty exciting to find. Wait till I show you the hand wrought relic I found, complete with hand wrought chain links. It could make an Iron Believer out of ya. It just needs to be cleaned up first before I post pics.

One thing about nails though, out in your area especially, nails were so scarce that people were known to burn down their house when they moved, just so they could take the nails along. In those oldest houses, some of the nails you're finding may have been in another house at some point. So they may have a neat story to them.

Around these parts though, I do drive by a lot of 1920-ish houses and consider that I might be missing out on some great silver coins. I have to do some knocking on doors...

Illinoisdoug, sorry to hijack your thread, but in summation: Get the Minelab. You Won't Regret It. The DFX is no slouch, but if you're straining to get coins over 7-9", you will easily get a couple inches more out of the Minelab, as long as you're ready for a completely different set of sounds and detecting style.
 

bazinga

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ILLINOISDOUG said:
Question on the sunray probe. I googled it...(I am not familiar with it). It's a pinpointing device that is attached to the detector itself (by the manufacturer)...Is this correct? It has a detecting depth up to three inches?? What would be its purpose on coin size objects deeper than three inches? How is the pinpointing on the stock coil and WOT coil as a stand alone machine?

The purpose of it is when you find a good target with your regular search coil you then dig your plug. Then you stick the probe into the ground and it helps you locate that signal you were looking for.

As for the pinpointing feature... I have honestly never used it. I just make a back and forth swing several times, then move about 90 degrees and repeat and by then I generally have a pretty good idea where the coin is located so that I can dig. Then you just use your probe to find the coin with ease and to also not scratch it as well since you know where it us and you can now dig around it and not through it.
 

bazinga

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Rusted_Iron said:
bscofield6 said:
I must say... I hate finding the nails, but when I do find them I certainly don't mind if they are old square nails. I try to save those when I find them. As for rose heads.... nothing from the 1700s anywhere near me... so sad :( Around here you can occassionally find one house pre 1850 still standing per county.

Aha... so you do get a lot of the more recent iron, which I guess I could understand your views on iron stuff... although I am known to hang onto horseshoes for good luck ;D. Out here, a significant portion of the iron I find dates back 200+ years (the hand wrought era) and is pretty exciting to find. Wait till I show you the hand wrought relic I found, complete with hand wrought chain links. It could make an Iron Believer out of ya. It just needs to be cleaned up first before I post pics.

One thing about nails though, out in your area especially, nails were so scarce that people were known to burn down their house when they moved, just so they could take the nails along. In those oldest houses, some of the nails you're finding may have been in another house at some point. So they may have a neat story to them.

Around these parts though, I do drive by a lot of 1920-ish houses and consider that I might be missing out on some great silver coins. I have to do some knocking on doors...

Illinoisdoug, sorry to hijack your thread, but in summation: Get the Minelab. You Won't Regret It. The DFX is no slouch, but if you're straining to get coins over 7-9", you will easily get a couple inches more out of the Minelab, as long as you're ready for a completely different set of sounds and detecting style.

Yes, a lot of my iron is trash idealogy stems from not having old iron to hunt for, haha. OLD iron is great, but I've seen a enough horse shoes in my lifetime already, haha. Hand wrought iron is something completely virgin to this area for the most part. The iron we find here is mostly huge pieces that have broken off of old tractors, haha.

Yeah, I've heard about nails being reused before when they decided to move.

I do have a couple of log cabin sites that I'm allowed to hunt that is on family property.... The iron finds there could be interesting because when I went out there earlier this spring for about 5min while visiting family is a solid null at IM -13.... I could be digging for years! haha
 

Rusted_Iron

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ILLINOISDOUG said:
Question on the sunray probe. I googled it...(I am not familiar with it). It's a pinpointing device that is attached to the detector itself (by the manufacturer)...Is this correct? It has a detecting depth up to three inches?? What would be its purpose on coin size objects deeper than three inches? How is the pinpointing on the stock coil and WOT coil as a stand alone machine?

The Sunray basically helps keep you from digging bizarrely shaped holes that turn into gopher burrows. You start digging, then when you think you should be in the general vicinity of the coin, you check with the probe. You wouldn't want more than 3 inches of detection from a pinpointer probe. If you check with the probe before you dig, the absence of a signal means the coin is deeper than 3 inches. So you start digging after you've carefully done as much pinpointing with the Explorer as you could. The stock coil on the Minelab will be good enough that your hole should get you within 3 inches off to the side of a coin, which should bring you within reach of the pinpointer probe. So you won't dig an 18 inch deep hole for a coin that's only 6 inches deep (been there, done that...)

The stock coil in the Minelab is tricky to pinpoint with by itself. I've dug some real silly holes looking for coins. The built in pinpoint function on the Explorer does pinpoint almost at the center of the coil, and this can save you from pinpointing hell (see Charles' website), but it's still not perfect. I can pinpoint things so well with my Tesoro machines that I can put a 3/16" brass rod right into the face of a dime, but the Minelab usually has me at least 2 inches off center at any given time. When you get good with it, though, you should consistently be able to get the center of your hole within 2-3 inches distance from the "center" of a coin signal.
 

Rusted_Iron

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bscofield6 said:
I do have a couple of log cabin sites that I'm allowed to hunt that is on family property.... The iron finds there could be interesting because when I went out there earlier this spring for about 5min while visiting family is a solid null at IM -13.... I could be digging for years! haha

sounds good to me :) :) :)
 

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WheatbackDigger

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Thats interesting that you dont use the pinpointing feature. DFX pinpoints on the spot. I think I only knicked one coin and that was laziness on my part. So does anyone have any experience with pinpointing with the stock coil or WOT?

Another question. The EXPII comes with a rechargable NIMH battery. How long will the charge last? Does it allow the use of alkaline for backup in the field? The DFX has two packs...one thats rechargable and one that can be loaded up with AA's.
 

bazinga

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ILLINOISDOUG said:
Thats interesting that you dont use the pinpointing feature. DFX pinpoints on the spot. I think I only knicked one coin and that was laziness on my part. So does anyone have any experience with pinpointing with the stock coil or WOT?

Another question. The EXPII comes with a rechargable NIMH battery. How long will the charge last? Does it allow the use of alkaline for backup in the field? The DFX has two packs...one thats rechargable and one that can be loaded up with AA's.

The reason I don't really use the pinpoint feature is because I tend to only dig signals that are a bit deeper than most. When you are using the 15" WOT coil you will dig some monsterous holes to begin with, especially if you don't have the sunray probe. When digging a 10" deep coin there is generally going to be a nail or two found in the hole along with it at some point.

I've never really paid attention to how long the charge lasts because when it gets close to half way I put it on recharge and slide in another battery pack. They also make battery packs where you can slide in AA's. I have one of those as well and use rechargeable AA's in those. I can generally hunt for a few days at 2-3 hours each hunt on a set of batteries, if not longer. I would say a good 10 hours per charge, if not more.
 

Rusted_Iron

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ILLINOISDOUG said:
Thats interesting that you dont use the pinpointing feature. DFX pinpoints on the spot. I think I only knicked one coin and that was laziness on my part. So does anyone have any experience with pinpointing with the stock coil or WOT?

Another question. The EXPII comes with a rechargable NIMH battery. How long will the charge last? Does it allow the use of alkaline for backup in the field? The DFX has two packs...one thats rechargable and one that can be loaded up with AA's.

Well let's put it this way... I have pinpointed a few coins almost dead-on with the stock Explorer coil, and I"ve used both methods. (1.) the 'sneaking up' method, where you back off the signal and then edge up to it with the toe of the coil, and (2.) the actual pinpoint function, where the coin will be pretty much at the center of the coil. Method 1 is no good if there are nearby targets. Either way, I just feel I can't rely too much on pinpointing with the stock coil. There's too much of a chance I'll run my stainless steel digging tool right across the face of a good coin. Already done it on quite a few clads.

Batteries... when I bought my Explorer used, it actually only had AA packs, no rechargeable. The AA's last a while, maybe not quite as long as they do in my Tejon, but you can get a couple trips out of 'em. The thing makes a weird, low series of tones when it's running out of juice.
 

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WheatbackDigger

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Thanks BSCO, just the information I was looking for. I have never dug a 10" deep hole for a coin. I did hit an indian at a solid 8.5 inches and had no problem pinpointing and digging a fairly tight plug to retrieve it.
 

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WheatbackDigger

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Thanks Rusted

Think I'll get the EXPII, but I'll keep the DFX along with it. Can't hurt to have an extra detector around. This way I can get some side by side comparisons too
 

bazinga

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ILLINOISDOUG said:
Thanks BSCO, just the information I was looking for. I have never dug a 10" deep hole for a coin. I did hit an indian at a solid 8.5 inches and had no problem pinpointing and digging a fairly tight plug to retrieve it.

My plugs are always huge, haha, like 8" in diameter because I want to make sure I get around the coin and not into it.
 

bazinga

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ILLINOISDOUG said:
Thanks Rusted

Think I'll get the EXPII, but I'll keep the DFX along with it. Can't hurt to have an extra detector around. This way I can get some side by side comparisons too

That's a great idea! Each machine has it's positives and negatives for each type of area that you are hunting.
 

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