Replace my Excal 2 for a Whites Dual Field.

Soflhunter · Nov 20, 2015

Thinking of replacing my Excalibur two with a Whites Dual Field for more depth any thoughts on this,comments?

I know I will have to dig everything but I already Hunting in all metal mode on my Excalibar 2.

OBN · Nov 22, 2015

fsa46 said:
I have two Excals an 800 ( that was changed from a 1000 ) and a 1000. I also had two DFPIs and sold one. Because of health conditions I've considered selling the other DF but just can't pull the trigger even though I don't use it anymore.

Although I hunt with the Excal 1000 almost exclusively because I don't dig all the junk and find the gold at a very respectable depth. The DF has paid for ALL my detectors ( 6 ) , wetsuits, scoops, waders and everything associated with this game. It's hard to get rid of something that you know has the potential to, and has kicked butt.

The DF is very noisy and you have to get use to it. The main thing I found with the DF ( beside learning it ) is CONFIDENCE , you have to have the confidence that you are going to find gold that the Excal has missed.

Most of you know Cupajo, in my opinion he is a Master with the DFPI and will find gold that others have missed, there's no doubt about it, he knows what he's doing. CJ got me off on the right foot when I got into water hunting and the DF was my only water machine and I found my share of gold. I also would like to add that I have a hearing problem and can only imagine how much better I could have done if I wasn't handicapped with this problem.

So to answer your question, I would never get rid of the Excalibur, it's a bear of a machine, but, if you have areas that aren't iron infested, you can pick up a DFPI very reasonable and have some fun with it.

I would also like to add, and this is ONLY MY OPINION from owning both, the DFPI is a lot more than 2" deeper than the Excal.

This is not to start a debate or argue, again it's just MHO. Those of you that are friends with Clive may want to get his opinion on the subject.

Dag Frank you go and Post this now I have to Break out old Yellow....FSA's words are good as Gold...Thanks for Sharing...

Soflhunter · Nov 22, 2015

Thank you for all the replies. All of your answers are very appreciated.
Ok, I will keep my Excal 2 and do the bigger coil and pinpoint mod.
I allready have the GGA Amp and the Anderson shaft.
Like I said, I dig all targets in AM/PP mode.
I still may buy a used DF and do a comparison of the depth.

Need some storms down here in SoFl,to much sand is on the beaches right now!!

fsa46 · Nov 23, 2015

fsa46 said:
Most of you know Cupajo, in my opinion he is a Master with the DFPI and will find gold that others have missed, there's no doubt about it, he knows what he's doing. CJ got me off on the right foot when I got into water hunting and the DF was my only water machine and I found my share of gold.

I would like to add one thing to this....I can remember Cupajo making a post where he found gold and said he was digging targets that he thought the sound, " was a figment of my imagination ".

I can't emphasize enough, whispers and the SLIGHTEST break or change in threshold is where it's at, dig these and you'll find the deep, deep gold and lets not forget, the dreaded bobby pins. lol

sandswimmer · Nov 23, 2015

Got to agree with you fsa46, my first water machine was the DF....not that I was looking for one, but after reading CJs post for a few years and the opportunity to by a new DF for a 3rd the price came up, my water hunts were on. I was first a bit intimidated, (but now get a chuckle),by what other water hunters had said, "you will be digging bobby pins and hooks all day, the huge (to me at first) 12" floating coil is a pain, It's a noisy machine and you'll only get a few more inches over the ExCal"...which I only have heard recently, but highly disagree!!. None of these deterred me from the first time out and it was not till 3 years later and a box full of gold, silver and platinum rings that I got my ExCal. As I said before...keep the ExCal and get a used DF. SS

lost items recovery · Dec 22, 2015

I'd have to agree with that!
There's nothing like the depth of the dualfield out in the surf. Excalibur's are great all around but not going to beat the dualfields depth underwater.....as much as a benefit and a curse it can be while those holes are filling back in. That's when you realize just how much a scoop like the 720i comes into play.
However a dualfield in the wet sand can cause a murder case with the people that come up asking "what's the best thing you've ever found?".

ARC · Dec 22, 2015

Oh PS... I will find you a Whites DF to trade you for the Excal

Treasure_Hunter · Dec 22, 2015

Soflhunter said:
Thinking of replacing my Excalibur two with a Whites Dual Field for more depth any thoughts on this,comments?

I know I will have to dig everything but I already Hunting in all metal mode on my Excalibar 2.

With the reverse pinpoint mod and 12x15 coil on Excal you will dig as deep as you ever want to dig and still not dig iron....

ColonelDan · Dec 23, 2015

I will add my experience even though the critical points have already been covered.

I own two Excals...one with the stock 10" coil and the other with the 12x15 SEF. Both have the PP mod. (all mods done by Kellyco). I've also tested and reported on several PI machines for Kellyco at the beach. Personally, I'll use my Excals. The PIs are certainly deep but so is my 12x15 SEF in PP....as deep as I want to dig anyway. The PIs will find bobby pins and bottle caps at significant depth as stated. The Excals will certainly find them also but will alert you before hand if the target is iron...the PIs will not as was also pointed out. So where would I use a PI machine? In clean areas..perhaps prospecting for gold nuggets out west. But using them on our beaches with all the trash

At 67 years old, I personally prefer to discriminate out the iron but as I always say, that's just the view from my foxhole...

jeepGold · Dec 23, 2015

I have a 3030 and an Excal. I wouldn't give up one for the other or live w/o either. Yesterday with the CTX and 17" coil in the wet I dug up the HEAD of the rivet on the back of button (if you know how little that is) 20" down. Utterly worthless but I was amazed... With the Exal and 15" WOT, I've dug bobby pins nearly 22" down....
If the machine you have produces and you know how to operate it why get something else? Only reason I have two is because I use one as a backup in case one goes out for repairs.
I hunted ALL summer long and only got 3 gold rings. A storm comes into town and I pulled 5 in 3 days. Then just as fast as they appeared, the beach re-sanded and it was all gone again...

We pay SO much attn to the depth game and which machine is better by an inch than the next that we forget about learning tide times, wind directions, current flow, etc. Those are much MUCH more important.
I say keep your Excal, get a backup and mix up your current hunting style.... I won't disclose how I did it but by changing it up I'm starting to FINALLY produce. :headbang:

Jason in Enid · Dec 23, 2015

The only true test of a beach machine is that it can handle the saltwater. After that, it's all personal preference and skill. When I switched from a PI to the Excal, my gold finds didn't increase, but my trash sure decreased!

Treasure_Hunter · Dec 23, 2015

jeepGold said:
I have a 3030 and an Excal. I wouldn't give up one for the other or live w/o either. Yesterday with the CTX and 17" coil in the wet I dug up the HEAD of the rivet on the back of button (if you know how little that is) 20" down. Utterly worthless but I was amazed... With the Exal and 15" WOT, I've dug bobby pins nearly 22" down....
If the machine you have produces and you know how to operate it why get something else? Only reason I have two is because I use one as a backup in case one goes out for repairs.
I hunted ALL summer long and only got 3 gold rings. A storm comes into town and I pulled 5 in 3 days. Then just as fast as they appeared, the beach re-sanded and it was all gone again...
We pay SO much attn to the depth game and which machine is better by an inch than the next that we forget about learning tide times, wind directions, current flow, etc. Those are much MUCH more important.
I say keep your Excal, get a backup and mix up your current hunting style.... I won't disclose how I did it but by changing it up I'm starting to FINALLY produce.

Jeep I have pulled targets over 20 inches myself many times with my excal and 15" coils, some think I am making it up but it is the truth....

jeepGold · Dec 23, 2015

To be honest I'm sure I've pulled deeper. Ive dug a solid 4 scoops straight down and my shovel is a TRex 9.5. The unfortunate thing about digging that deep with the excal is that that "gold" sound might (and probably is ) just a penny. None-the-less, I wouldn't walk past a solid tone unless it's aluminum. Now with the CTX I often walk past a 12.36 (yes some will say, "DUDE that could be gold!") and some will say that could be gold.... lol...but I'd wage 1 in 3000 it aint. And 3000 pennies is A LOT of wasted time digging.. The worst part is when you get a solid large gold number. i.e. 12.20 to 12.27 which would be a nice 3.5+ gr ring, you excitedly dig it and its a decomposing zinc. CURSE YOU MOTHER NATURE!!!

cudamark · Dec 24, 2015

I dig the 12-30's at the beach anyway......I just can't help myself! I've just found too many good pieces of jewelry in that range.

jeepGold · Dec 24, 2015

I was in a dime trap today. Good God.I thought, it could be a sterling silver and diamond ring. .. 12.40 to 12.45 galore...my back hurts and I'm defeated... and it's 1 hr b4 low tide...grrrrr