Custom Minelab Excalibur Endcaps / Lathe

OBN

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Set out over a year ago to have a Local machine shop make me 36 endcaps for the Excalibur, been checking in on them over the past year. No Progress, so I went up and picked my Blueprints up a month ago and figured I would give it a shot. Hit Ebay for a small lathe, turned out it was too small and I had to do some changes to the carriage. Now she will take the larger rods of materal. This is endcap number #1. Also have a good friend OT who is working on casting them, which is alot less time consuming and cheaper. His are close to perfected also.



 

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OBN

OBN

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OBN0007.jpg
 

cudamark

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Has anyone tried to make end caps with thread-on connectors for the main housing like the ones for the battery pod? It sure would make life easier when it came to swapping coils and headphones.
 

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OBN

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In the works but looks like it will be next winter before I get time to focus on that, still working on the Skullies..UW Speaker headphones.

pjrough drawings OBN0020.jpg obn OBN0021.jpg endcaps been made from BP addon.jpg
 

DocBeav

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Looking forward to having these on my excal! And the pinpoint switch!
 

OD_hunt

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Hi all

Thanks for the detailed photos OBN, and ideas from everybody! It's been an inspiration. Change of mood from 'darn my Excal is failing me' to 'I can actually fix this myself...'

I'm looking at doing a remote PP button cabled into the pod via the end-cap. So I plan to take the single-holed end-cap out as I'm also changing my Koss earphones to harwired GGA earphones. I'll use a new two-holed end-cap for the PP and the earphones. So I'll end up with battery and coil cables on one side, and PP and earphones on the other side.

Question is, can I get a standard Minelab spare part for use as the new two-holed plug? I see no issue, unless somebody knows of something.
If I use the standard Minelab two-hole plug, what is the thread size of the hole for the cable gland?
Is it the same size thread in both end-caps?

I have a local supplier for the glands in several different threads (PG, Metric and NPT)

So if the Minelab spare part end-cap is too expensive I'll make a new one at work with M12 threads and get new M12 IP68 glands. Any suggestion for the raw material? Perspex / polycarbonate / nylon?

Thanks
 

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OBN

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Wow, Things have really came a long ways since this post...I did end up make a endcap for the coil side so one can swap out coils on the Excalibur, and on the PP endcap I used the same connectors as the CTX so one can swap out headphones, I also using a m12-4 for the remote PP so it is much easier to change out PP handles and put the machine together.

I use Acrylic rod to make the endcaps...[h=3]Optically Clear Cast Acrylic Rod[/h]
[h=3]1-3/4" Diameter[/h]I think I understand what your asking, Yes the thread size on the endcap are the same on the double and single. But I would suggest making you own.. Unless you can get a used endcap I don't think Minelabs sells them.
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Hi all

Thanks for the detailed photos OBN, and ideas from everybody! It's been an inspiration. Change of mood from 'darn my Excal is failing me' to 'I can actually fix this myself...'

I'm looking at doing a remote PP button cabled into the pod via the end-cap. So I plan to take the single-holed end-cap out as I'm also changing my Koss earphones to harwired GGA earphones. I'll use a new two-holed end-cap for the PP and the earphones. So I'll end up with battery and coil cables on one side, and PP and earphones on the other side.

Question is, can I get a standard Minelab spare part for use as the new two-holed plug? I see no issue, unless somebody knows of something.
If I use the standard Minelab two-hole plug, what is the thread size of the hole for the cable gland?
Is it the same size thread in both end-caps?

I have a local supplier for the glands in several different threads (PG, Metric and NPT)

So if the Minelab spare part end-cap is too expensive I'll make a new one at work with M12 threads and get new M12 IP68 glands. Any suggestion for the raw material? Perspex / polycarbonate / nylon?

Thanks

Just an FYI, per Dave at repair center doing so will void warranty if excal is still under warranty, also if there is an issue with the remote pp not working or causing a problem on the excal and it was installed by anyone other than the repair center they will not work on the 3rd party remote pp, they will simply remove the pp mod...... (Only exception are mods done by OBN)

They have already had to work on multiple bad remote pp mods done by other people to correct issues from shoddy work and have decided to no longer repair other people's mods....


Wow, Things have really came a long ways since this post...I did end up make a endcap for the coil side so one can swap out coils on the Excalibur, and on the PP endcap I used the same connectors as the CTX so one can swap out headphones, I also using a m12-4 for the remote PP so it is much easier to change out PP handles and put the machine together.

I use Acrylic rod to make the endcaps...Optically Clear Cast Acrylic Rod


1-3/4" Diameter

I think I understand what your asking, Yes the thread size on the endcap are the same on the double and single. But I would suggest making you own.. Unless you can get a used endcap I don't think Minelabs sells them.

Correct ML does not sell parts.
 

Last edited:

beerguy

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I am very interested in this thread. I am putting together an Excal 800 on a Plugger shaft with aft controls.

I picked up a 15" NEL Attack coil, and I am now modding the handle to accept a pp switch.

I realized that an insert can be put in the top of the standard handle on the Plugger which is 7/8" ID with a hole for wiring, and the top of the assembly could be a square U shape to mount the switch.

I went online to a CAD site, designed my part, and exported it to an online 3-D printer shop.

2 units 3-D printed in plastic?

18 dollars delivered.

Took me 20 minutes from light bulb in my head to paying for it.

What a world we live in.
 

Sheepdog43338

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OBN is the acrylic cap for the coil/battery end available yet. Dropped mine and broke the battery threaded piece off,,,,UGGGGG
 

OP
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OBN

OBN

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OBN is the acrylic cap for the coil/battery end available yet. Dropped mine and broke the battery threaded piece off,,,,UGGGGG
I stopped all work about 5 years ago...But I know where you can purchase, have to get back to you on that.. Should be able to get what you need from these guys...in PA ......814-283-4270
 

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Sheepdog43338

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Nope they will not sell them so I am sending it in to get raped with pumice for lube most likely
 

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