Ever heard of a Goldak Commander Model 720?

[CanUDigIt]

Mom picked up a Goldak Commander Model 720 at a yard sale for $1. I have only been detecting for 6 months and have never heard of it in all of the posts I have read here. I did an internet search and still didn't find out much. It looks like it is from the 50's or 60's. It is listed as a pipe and cable locator. Now, here's the kicker.... they still make and sell it. I found three posts on the old server here. One was an inquiry and the other was a response saying that they thought they folded 40 years ago. I have a picture of it and a catalogue to buy a new one for $415. The only noticable difference is they changed it to cheap plastic. I was thinking of contacting the distributor for a user manual. I haven't tried it yet and don't know how I can help with my limited detector experience. Does anyone have any info for me or even know of this machine ever being used to detect. Mom wants to take it with her to the beach this summer but doesn't know how to use it other to make it beep loudly (She now has headphones). I am not sure where to start with this thing. Any suggestions other than mine to retire the collector item and get a new one?

http://books.google.com/books?id=_8...ig=FqaBBmyt7eOllh_yafFZTqGucSY&hl=en#PPA31,M1

http://www.omnicontrols.com/SearchResult.aspx?categoryID=1366

 

[CanUDigIt]

I think it looks like something from a bad 50's sci-fi movie. Anyone?

 

[Bridge End Farm]

your not out anything by playing with it for a while. You can always give/sell it to me if you don't like it.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yes, Goldak folded FROM THE HOBBYIST market many many decades ago (early 1970s?) but has continued on in the market of industrial applications.

HEY! that $1 garage sale unit of yours is SURE to give a lot of Explorer users a run-for-their-money, eh? Just please stay out of my hunting spots, lest you scarf up on all the deep goodies, you hear?

 

[CanUDigIt]

I probably would have spent a buck for it myself but I probably wouldn't have used it. Mom used it to find arrows while she and her boyfriend were bow hunting. Saved them a few bucks in arrows. She said it could find them a couple inches down but Mom does stretch the truth a little now and then. It does beep at targets. I figure it probably would be OK for the DE beaches. I don't think she will be lucky enough to find a long handled scoop at a yard sale, but who knows?

 

[Bridge End Farm]

I probably would have spent a buck for it myself but I probably wouldn't have used it. Mom used it to find arrows while she and her boyfriend were bow hunting. Saved them a few bucks in arrows. She said it could find them a couple inches down but Mom does stretch the truth a little now and then. It does beep at targets. I figure it probably would be OK for the DE beaches. I don't think she will be lucky enough to find a long handled scoop at a yard sale, but who knows?

never know she might come home one day with a excalibur for 5 bucks and wonder if she got a good deal lol

 

[CanUDigIt]

She told me she bought it but didn't know what kind it was. I said I would take her for a hunt when it got warmer and that if she told me a brand and model, I would look for info on it. I've only used two detectors which is why I needed to look up the manual. I was sure I could find something here. It was out in her garage and she said would get back to me. My sister's friend bought a historic inn and was opening a restaurant. I had done a bit of research and found it was from the 1750's. There had been some trouble with the natives during the French and Indian War and many settlers were chased to a neighboring town during the massacres. I went to detect the property to make a shadow box of relics for them. They liked the idea of having the inn history recovered and displayed. My sister had dinner with my mom the night before and mentioned it to her so she decided to tag along with her detector. I was not expecting to do anything but a serious hunt and recover day. When I joined the forum, I read everything I could to help me decide on my first detector. I definitely wasn't expecting a machine that I hadn't read about in a post here.