Not that I'm endorsing the idea, nor have I tried it, but I have heard of some folks having some success with a coil that does not come with a skid plate, by spraying a thin layer of "bed liner-type" material onto the coil bottom, for added durability...
Steve
Thanks. Im happy to get any advice from anyone. What I was told and learnt was this. And im talking gold detecting with sensitive to the smalllest targets. We dont only chase the smallest but they give a good idea to what affects targets. Some tapes used to tape coils covers to coils used to affect the field. Im pretty convinced the old ones from say 20 to 30 yrs ago may, but more recent no.
I would now put a tape, or sealer, I say sealer to stop dirt or other things entering between the coil and skid plate, I use a neutral cure silicone.
Detecting for gold in highly mineralised ground, just small amounts of dust that are highly iron mineralised here can hugely affect things changing ground ballance and target response. Just it shifting across the coil cover bottom as you swing can create false signals. True.
Thats why I fully seal my coils covers.
And why, I with any tape I use to do so, I bunch up a lump, put it on the end of a plastic ruler and wave it over the coil, detector wound right up to max sensitivity and see if there is a response. Years ago we got some, but in the past 20yrs I have not seen it happen. But I still check, it only takes a minute to do. Gold wise you want nothing, zero to affect anything. But like I said, yrs ago there were a few that did, not seen any do that since. Still I check.
Never seen a sealer do it though. Still, there are sands and soil and silt that can get in and screw things up and is why I always seal my covers to the coil.
Imagine you detect in an area with a negative type soil that gets in between your skid plate. Just a bit. Then go to another place the opposite and do a balance and so on. We all know a badly balanced detector is behind the eight ball. 😉