Coil Ear Brace: My Approach

[ColonelDan]

Coil ear bracing has been the subject of numerous posts so I thought I'd add my approach. Yes, I've used several differnect designs of stiffeners and sad to say, my coil ears still cracked and I was out of business until I could replace the coil. Fortunately, those coils were still under warranty. My concern was finding a way to prevent this recurring after the warranty expired.

The ultimate solution is, without doubt, for Minelab to field a redesigned coil ear that is a lot tougher than the current design. Failing that, the best approach in my opinion is to epoxy the stiffener to the coil making the stiffener, the coil and the ears one solid unit. Midalake has done this and as I see it, ensures a solid repair. My concern with this approach would be two fold. One, would that void whatever warranty remains and two, if the coil is sent to Minelab for replacement, there goes the stiffener.

I wanted a method by which I could attach the stiffener to the coil, be able to remove it if necessary and still use the coil cover.

mn90403 has done this as shown on another forum by using zip ties. A workable approach but his method shows the zip ties over the coil cover so you couldn't remove the cover to clean the coil without cutting the ties. Having said that, his system will work as he intended.

I thought I'd share my approach which I've found to be simple yet effective in accomplishing my goals. The key is making the ear stiffener one with the coil so even if the ears snap, the stiffener holds the coil and shaft in place. I decided to use zip ties but in a somewhat different way than mn90403. I wanted the stiffener to be solidly attached and still be able to remove and replace the skid plate.

I threaded the zip tie through and around the stiffener and bare coil without the skid plate attached. I then installed the skid plate over the coil as before covering the zip ties. The skid plate remains in place, the stiffener is solidly attached to the coil and there is no modification to the coil which voids the warranty and if I have to return the coil, I can save the stiffener. Bottom line; with this approach, even if the ears break, I'm still in business.

It works for me....

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Good post and info ColonelDan!

These Detecting adventures Equinox coil stiffeners work well to!

 

[ColonelDan]

Good post and info ColonelDan!

These Detecting adventures Equinox coil stiffeners work well to!

Those stiffeners at your link look to lend themselves very well to the zip tie approach I'm using.

 

[sphillips]

Minelab replaced my Equinox coil last summer under warranty due to cracks, noticed over the weekend that my coil ears are cracked again. Very frustrating. I don't abuse my coil, rubber spacers are like new, and I don't over tighten the bolt, just enough tension to hold the coil in position, but allow it to rotate when I set the detector down to dig. Grrrrrr!

 

[midalake]

Minelab replaced my Equinox coil last summer under warranty due to cracks, noticed over the weekend that my coil ears are cracked again. Very frustrating. I don't abuse my coil, rubber spacers are like new, and I don't over tighten the bolt, just enough tension to hold the coil in position, but allow it to rotate when I set the detector down to dig. Grrrrrr!

The only way the stop this is take a quality ear stiffener and epoxy it to the coil ears. Making both units one.

 

[sphillips]

Will send it back for warranty and add the stiffener when I get a new one back. Planned on doing it to this one but put it off too long

 

[Dblue]

Will send it back for warranty and add the stiffener when I get a new one back. Planned on doing it to this one but put it off too long

I just got a new EQ. 800....I hunted with it one time and could tell it wasn't a matter of was the coil ears going to break ?...it was a matter of "WHEN" they were going to break....I went ahead and took care of the problem before it was going to happen.
I had some 2" diameter delrin, I chucked it up in a lathe and used a cut-off tool and cut two pieces 1/8" thick and made two ears out of the pieces. I used the Gorilla two tube epoxy and epoxied them to the factory ears and filled in all around them and let it cure for 24hrs....I will guarantee that the rod will snap before those ears break. That Gorilla two part epoxy is some good stuff, it will bond itself into the plastic, just have to mix small quantities at a time and build it up as it sets up in just a few minutes and let it sit for 24hrs for it to fully cure....Here's mine....

 

[sphillips]

I did similar Blue with my first coil while visiting the kids in Norfolk, VA. I bought a sheet of 1/8" plastic from the hardware store and some two part gorilla glue (that s__t is good!). Cut the two pieces like Gigmaster did in his video and was able to complete my detecting trip before sending it back to Minelab. Delrin is an excellent product. So I will send this coil back and as soon as I receive my new one will reinforce before using. Thx for the input.