Relco Frontiersman

[Blackfoot58]

If I get it working, it’s going out tomorrow. You can laugh (I am) but it does find things. Sure it might miss a 25 ft motor home, but it still finds SOME things. I’m planning to order a Nokta makro simplex in a few weeks and can’t wait to upgrade. Tomorrow will be like walking you dog one last time before putting him down. I can’t see not using it. I had hours of fun with it in the early 70s. Will send pics IF I get it going.🙏🏼

 

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[Blackfoot58]

If I get it working, it’s going out tomorrow. You can laugh (I am) but it does find things. Sure it might miss a 25 ft motor home, but it still finds SOME things. I’m planning to order a Nokta makro simplex in a few weeks and can’t wait to upgrade. Tomorrow will be like walking you dog one last time before putting him down. I can’t see not using it. I had hours of fun with it in the early 70s. Will send pics IF I get it going.🙏🏼

Here’s a picture of the tool. I worked picking watermelons all summer to get the cash for it. I believe it was $150+ with 2 coils, hard case and freight. A fortune to a 12 yr old in 1970-71. I LOVED this machine. I had no idea it was bottom shelf.

 

[dcisfun]

Be gentle swinging the coils and moving them around the epoxy in the coil is brittle tends to crack like an old pretzel taking the copper wire windings with it.

 

[Blackfoot58]

Be gentle swinging the coils and moving them around the epoxy in the coil is brittle tends to crack like an old pretzel taking the copper wire windings with it.

This unit has a speaker issue. Some good tones, some crackle, some just don’t happen. Going to try to re-solder speaker wire connections

 

[Blackfoot58]

This unit has a speaker issue. Some good tones, some crackle, some just don’t happen. Going to try to re-solder speaker wire connections

Ok, I fixed a couple of small issues. New 9V battery. We went for a walk. I tried it out on visually obvious metal. It did the following: “found” my mower trailer once the coil touched the trailer frame. “Missed a huge roll of rusted woven wire fencing and a solid iron shepherd hook. Its going to my museum; aka she’d.

 

[Blackfoot58]

Ok, I fixed a couple of small issues. New 9V battery. We went for a walk. I tried it out on visually obvious metal. It did the following: “found” my mower trailer once the coil touched the trailer frame. “Missed a huge roll of rusted woven wire fencing and a solid iron shepherd hook. Its going to my museum; aka she’d.

Shed not she’d. I hate auto correct!

 

[jeff of pa]

I remember my Relco Frontiersman
I'm conviced it would detect a 25 ft motor home.
as long as I saw it first or was pointed in the right Directon
but it wouldn't detect the tiny 1/4 inch or so coin they gave away free when you ordered their catalog. at least not here with all the iron ore in the ground. BFO Metal Detectors is one of the most rudimentary metal detection systems.
Thanks for the memory !

 

[ArfieBoy]

The latest detector I bought was a Garret AT Pro, but I still have the first detector I bought; a BFO detector called the Crusader from the old "Association." It still works (after a fashion)!