Before, when my rods crossed, about one to two inches from the tips, that was where I dug. The location didn't have to be exact because I was locating man made objects like water lines. For me that was my "yes" for a question asked, and/or the location of an object. It was going to be a big hole anyway, so inches didn't matter. After seeing how the rods crossed one directly over the other in Arts pics, I decided to experiment. I liked that and I thought if I could get my rods to cross like that, one directly over the other, it might tighten my dig area for treasure hunting, like pinpointing with a MD does. Before, if my rods were directly over the other I was already about a foot past my target. I'm not sure how or even if anyone else retraines their rods. I've read that some people let the rod react the way it wants, then they remember the rods response. I want my rods to react the way I want. I prefer 18" rods so I decided that they "will" work for me at that length. Cocky or maybe bullheaded, for someone new to dowsing for treasure huh? I just don't want to be stopped, slowed or crippled simply because a dowsing tool isn't absolutely perfect. What if I have to cut a clothes hanger to dowse somewhere? What if I don't have my perfect rods with me? Does that mean I can't dowse until I go get my perfect rods? To me, it means the rods are doing the dowsing, and they're in control, not me. I should have control. That sounded good in theory, but would it work for me? I laid a silver dollar on the ground and crossed it with my rods. They crossed at 2" from the tips directly over the dollar just like always. I backed off, made it clear in my mind exactly what I expected from myself and the rods. I physically moved the rods to cross one exactly over the other and said this is the new "yes" and it is also the exact object location. I then opened the rods, physically repeated that rod position and explained those instructions several more times. From the ready position, I then asked my rods what the answer for yes is. They crossed like I wanted. I then told my rods that they will "both" follow the target and point toward the target. I began working around the dollar. "Both" rods, instead of just the rod farthest from the target as before, stayed on the target. I attempted this several more times with the same results. As I retrained myself and the rods to cross the new way, I didn't say "instead of". I only explained what I wanted them to do NOW, a positive. For me, this is the basics. I'm the dowser and I feel that I should have control, not some tool. This experiment was done with an object above the ground, that I planted, that I knew was there, so it's not science, and I'm not finished yet. I'll let you know if my retraining method works as well for a target below the surface that I've never seen before.