Tightening up the Ace 250

[Wabash]

Got my new 250 from Kellyco (nice people) yesterday and put it together right away. The shafts seemed a little loose and wobbly to me, so I took it apart and put 2 & 1/2 turns of 3/4 in. wide Scotch tape around the ends of the tubes that go inside the center tube. I also did the same thing at the spot on both end tubes that locate themselves just inside the center tube at both ends. That made it solid as a rock. I watched the DVD three times, and read the manual twice, went outside and dropped a dime in the dirt. I practiced "pinpointing" for about ten minutes--it worked exactly as the DVD showed, "piece of cake'. I think I'm really going to enjoy this thing. The last time I did any detecting was in 1972 with a Heathkit I put together. I read most of the forums for two weeks before buying the 250, and I'm really glad I did. Thanks to all of you who contribute.

 

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[Ricardo_NY1]

Wabash, you and I were thinking the same..........except I went with black electrical tape!

 

[jak61]

I have read this and other posts in this and other forums about the Ace 250 shafts being loose and sloppy. I purchased a 250 last year and also had that loose feeling in the shaft. The lower piece is made of a hard plastic like substance and the upper part is metal tubing. I drilled holes through the plastic shaft and put metal bolts and nuts and solved the problem. Not sure if this is the best way but it doesn't effect the machine at all. I see posts of using tape to help solve the loosness and wonder why not just bolt the shafts together like I have done. I have found many coins and artifacts with it since I modified the shaft and the machine hasn't failed yet. Just thought I would give my sollution to the problem. Keep digging!!!

 

[Tykit]

1972 Heathkit

Hey Wabash, glad to hear from someone else who started in the very early 70's with a Heathkit. It was a pretty sesitive detector back then, loved tinfoil. Found a lot of old coins with it. Then I went to Whites and Fisher. Now have a Compass Coin Scanner Pro, CZ20 for the beach and just got a Tesoro Vaquero, like them all. I was out of detecting about 15 hears or more, just got back in less than 2 years ago, things are sure different now, now it is a lot harder. I remember how it was back in the 70's, virgin territory was easy to find here in Jersey, silver was shallow and indian heads were everywhere it seems. Back then my pockets were bulging with good stuff after a days hunt. I'm retired now and have more time but less places to go. So I hit the hunted out parks and the Jersey shore for newly dropped jewelry, it works for me, but it aint like it was. Check out the Techniques forum, see my post "Make this digging tool, save lawns". Tool works great, pulls stuff out of the ground without digging a plug and is much faster, great in parks where there is a lot of pull tabs. Easy to make with a Dremel tool. Take care, Tykit.

 

[Wabash]

Hey TY: Haven't been in the forum for a couple of weeks. Yes, the 70's were a great time for detecting, and a LOT of other stuff too! I used to take my kids to places where they have had fish fries and other outside activities for years before . It was "easy pickin's" back in those days for sure. But the old Heathkit picked up everything there was, (no discrim) in those days--at least that I knew about. It's been thirty years since I've done any detecting. The people a Kellyco guided me to the ACE 250, which wasn't going to be my first choice after doing what I thought to be adequate research on the "net". I'm glad they did, I love the little thing. I'm dazzles with all the features, and began finding coins with it right away--even though they were in my own crushed stone driveway. Limestone really does a job on coins. Thanks for the come-back!

 

[Fluid_Thought]

I'm glad I read this section of the board as I noticed my Ace 250 had a loose shaft when I first purchased it. So before I took it out, I made the suggested repair and.... no problem. I can see though where he shaft "wobble" would be a problem though.

 

[Keppy]

I CALLED GARRETT ON THE SHAFT BEING LOOSE ON MY ...250 ...They will replace it with a new type shaft free that is not loose........

 

[Keppy]

I called Garrett again about the lower stem being loose on my... 250 Ace ...and Mary sent me 2 new ones FREE they have a replacement for the lower stem now ...And my lower shaft is not loose any more.....Mary at Garrett ...said any one that has a loose lower shaft to ...CALL Garrett...at ..1-800-527-4011 and they will send you a new one...FREE>>FREE..........

 

[Fluid_Thought]

Thanks for the info, I'll have Garrett look at my 250's loose shaft as well as the pinpoint when I send it in this winter. Once those two issues are repaired, that machine will be perfect. It already has quite a nose for Silver

 

[CORY IN FLA]

i got my ace 250 about a month ago and the shaft was so tight putting it to gether i had to use oil in order for it to slide together that's how tight it was when i put mine together. at first i thought it was not even going to fit together at all, and it would not have if i did not take a little cooking oil and just rub it around the vary top of the shaft and then slide the two pieces together.

 

[khouse]

If your shaft is loose the easiest way to tighten it is with a bolt. 1/4 x 1.25 inch with a wing nut. Remove your spring clip and install the bolt.