First time out this year, silver, and an excal fix

[teklord]

After being out of commission since January with a torn retina and the new full time job of " Mr. Mom " I finally got out for 2 whole hours on Saturday. My wife and I went out to Cocoa with the baby to visit a friend who has a condo on the beach. It felt great to get out if only for a short spin. Found 51 cents, 2 pull tabs, and a .925 spinner ring in the wet sand. The plastic shaft on my Excal where the coil attaches slipped out of the metal shaft. I think it is only glued in. I drilled a hole and added a bolt which should fix the problem permanently. The conditions were good and I wish I had time to go deep in the water, the waves were low and the tide was going out. Next time...

Tek

 

[juju]

That's a great ring. With all the jewelry I recover, I have yet to get a spinner ring. Keep it comin.

JuJu

 

[seeker41]

the bolt may be to close to the coil? there are usually plastc rivits near where your bolt is. that bolt might be interfering with/decreasing your coils sensetivity?

 

[JRich98150]

I agree with Seeker. You certainly need to make a trip to the local hardware store and get a few plastic bolts and nuts (never hurts to have an extra or two.) I would not use a metal bolt and nut so close to your coil. I would think the metal nut and bolt would certainly have some effect on the coil. Go with the nylon or plastic hardware down there.

JRich

 

[TexasDigger1]

You might replace that aluminum bolt and wingnut with the plastic kind....Your coil will pick that up, way to close. HH John

 

[teklord]

I think the bolt may be far enough away, but if I have any problems I'll switch it out with a nylon bolt like the one that attaches the coil at the bottom.

Tek

 

[drewan29]

Hey teklord,
I had the same problem earlyer this year I called minelab and they gave me the number to a place that repairs them here in Michigan I talked to him and he told me to use JB weld it's what he uses so I tried it haven't had a problem since it's been 4 months. The only draw back is you have to let it cure and dry for 14 hours. I would loose the bolt though the reason I say this is not only because of the sens. issue but I would be afraid of the fiberglass cracking after awhile.
just my .02
HH-drewan

 

[teklord]

Thank you all for the input. When I move an aluminium bar past the area where the bolt is I get a solid reading which fades out about 4-5 inches above. I will definitely switch to nylon. Why does the aluminum shaft itself not cause a problem in this area?

Tek

 

[DrJoePrime]

Have to put in my nickel's worth ...

I know that metal near the coil which is stationary has only an electrical properties effect. For example if you tape a penny to the coil it will have an effect on the coil properties (the coil wires are metal too) but not picked up in the motion mode.

I wonder if metal like that might not have a positive effect too? Hmm Maybe an interesting project to try?

HH Joe

PS: please correct me if I am totally off base here.

 

[digum smacks]

just epoxy it back in there no more worries

 

[scrounger d detector collector]

u might think a 1200 dollar machine could be engineered

so as not to have such problems in the first place

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I used epoxy like Snookson suggests ( ) on mine 3 years ago, hasn't had a problem since.......

 

[seeker41]

Hey teklord,
I had the same problem earlyer this year I called minelab and they gave me the number to a place that repairs them here in Michigan I talked to him and he told me to use JB weld it's what he uses so I tried it haven't had a problem since it's been 4 months. The only draw back is you have to let it cure and dry for 14 hours. I would loose the bolt though the reason I say this is not only because of the sens. issue but I would be afraid of the fiberglass cracking after awhile.
just my .02
HH-drewan

DREWAN........YES!! we need the number to the repair center that you were refering to!!!!!!!!!!!!

TEKLORD.............. i used waterproof marine epoxy and its still holding!!!!

TEKLORD..................... your lower shaft should be fiberglass not aluminum.

 

[time4me]

That lower shaft should be fiberglass, not aluminum.

Mine fell apart exactly as you describe, and I just used epoxy to bond it back together. Been fine ever since.

Good luck!

Jim

 

[Jason in TN]

The bolt will not effect the coil as it does not move. Nautilus detectors come with a stainless bolt to hold the coil on. Some of the deepest detectors out there.

Jason

 

[teklord]

I got out again yesterday for 3 hours, 76 cents and a junque ear ring.

The stainless steel bolt worked fine. 99 % of the time I am running with discrimination on. In pinpoint you get a slight reading but none at all with disc on. Against the majority of advice here I am going with the hardware over the glue. I am more concerned about the damn thing falling apart than anything else.

lots of people at the beach yesterday.

Tek