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Carbon Fiber Shafts
- Thread starter otlew
- Start date
GraveDiggerMax-VaBch-Va
New member
would u belive i do not have any ?
i got the underarm rig in case i wanted to use my excal on it, but i never did.
i just bolted my se pro coil on the bottom...............never looked back
i got the underarm rig in case i wanted to use my excal on it, but i never did.
i just bolted my se pro coil on the bottom...............never looked back
OldBeechnut
Well-known member
Plugger said:
I Do have a lot of trouble with the fit that's why I use the 7/8inch OD x .049 wall, and the reason is where you hunt. I have no problems in the calm saltwater of Florida, the Bay or the fresh water lakes I hunt but when it comes to the ruff waters of the MId-Atlantic, it is a battle to disassemble the 800 after a 6 hour hunt because there is so much action in the mines, salt/sand....this year was one of the worst for this type of hunting and I doubt if I was in the deep more then 5 minutes for every hour I hunted.
This day the Lg's allowed no one in the water....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l_nnGs2ZOQ
Sitting here thinking about all this, I have decided to go Critterhunter's route, this makes the most sense in the end. I would like to keep my Minelab shaft original for any future sell.
I am going to pickup one of the extension poles at Home Depot, order the White's Tall Man lower shaft and set things up for better balance during the build up by placement of the Sovereign Control box further back, with balance biased to keep the coil end a bit heavier. If it is still too heavy, I will just go the hip or chest mount route.
Anyone know where to buy the shaft V clip for the meter or will I have to fabricate the V clip? I really don't want remove the one on my shaft.
I am going to pickup one of the extension poles at Home Depot, order the White's Tall Man lower shaft and set things up for better balance during the build up by placement of the Sovereign Control box further back, with balance biased to keep the coil end a bit heavier. If it is still too heavy, I will just go the hip or chest mount route.
Anyone know where to buy the shaft V clip for the meter or will I have to fabricate the V clip? I really don't want remove the one on my shaft.
Critterhunter
New member
Made most sense to me as well. I'm the kind of person who hates ordering stuff through the mail, so I'm always looking for a local source for whatever I need. I used to own a window cleaning business so I just happened to have an Unger window cleaning pole sitting around, but these can be had for under $20 at Home Depot or Lowes. The inner rod works as the upper shaft but is much lighter yet very strong aluminum. Has to be to stand up to professional window cleaning use extended out a good distance with a heavy mop head on it. This grade aluminum also won't corrode over time as it's built to handle moisture/etc. Not sure what grade it is. The gauge is much lighter than the stock Minelab upper shaft. If you buy the Whites tall man carbon rod it will fit nice in snug right into it. No need for a camlock, just drill out your two snap pin holes and overlap the two shafts by about an inch and a half or so. Since the Whites rod is much longer than the Minelab you get to cut down the new upper shaft's length a bunch smaller than stock, so that saves some more weight. The window cleaning rod is only going to lose about a foot and a half (roughly) so it will retain it's function for choirs around the house. It also comes with a snap pin so you'll have a spare.
The Whites rod is not as wide where the coil mounts so you'll need four washers instead of two. Either buy four Whites or pick up a faucet washer repair pack at Home Depot or Lowes. Glue them into pairs and then drill the center hole out to fit the nylon bolt. Whites use a bigger bolt but just use the stock Minelab size so you don't have to drill out your coil's mounts.
While ordering the Whites Tall Man coil mount rod (there is a tall man middle rod, don't get that) order the Whites "heavy duty" arm cup with strap for $10. The stock GT arm cup weighs over half a pound at 8.8oz, so that will save you a good deal of weight. Drill out the two rivets in the GT control box clip and set the upper piece aside as you won't need it. Drill out a hole (it may already have it) on the bottom of the Whites arm cup where the back rivet will go for the box clip, then drill out both rivet holes on the shaft for the clip. Rivet the clip/arm cup in place and you're done. No need for side bolts or anything as it snugs very well. Just make sure to measure your shaft length, hand grip position, arm cup spot, etc, on the stock shaft before building the new one so you know exactly where things need to go without mocking it all together to figure things out all over again.
For the V-clip just drill those two rivets out as well and use it. It can always be riveted back onto the stock shaft for re-sale, as well as the two piece box clip put back together. I used the method that others use on here for mounting the meter by putting it on one of those copper pipe hangars from a home improvement store for under $2. Just use a few flat head screws to mount the V-clip to it. I mounted it on top of the bike end bar I'm using for a grip so I cut most of the length of the mounting bracket off. Can't get any lighter than using that.
With the above mods and a lipo battery along with the 12x10 I can honestly say my GT feels no heavier than my QXT Pro did. I never suffer from arm or shoulder fatigue now where as the stock unit would give me trouble after a few hours, even if I hip or chest mounted the box because that throws off the balance (no leverage).
The Whites rod is not as wide where the coil mounts so you'll need four washers instead of two. Either buy four Whites or pick up a faucet washer repair pack at Home Depot or Lowes. Glue them into pairs and then drill the center hole out to fit the nylon bolt. Whites use a bigger bolt but just use the stock Minelab size so you don't have to drill out your coil's mounts.
While ordering the Whites Tall Man coil mount rod (there is a tall man middle rod, don't get that) order the Whites "heavy duty" arm cup with strap for $10. The stock GT arm cup weighs over half a pound at 8.8oz, so that will save you a good deal of weight. Drill out the two rivets in the GT control box clip and set the upper piece aside as you won't need it. Drill out a hole (it may already have it) on the bottom of the Whites arm cup where the back rivet will go for the box clip, then drill out both rivet holes on the shaft for the clip. Rivet the clip/arm cup in place and you're done. No need for side bolts or anything as it snugs very well. Just make sure to measure your shaft length, hand grip position, arm cup spot, etc, on the stock shaft before building the new one so you know exactly where things need to go without mocking it all together to figure things out all over again.
For the V-clip just drill those two rivets out as well and use it. It can always be riveted back onto the stock shaft for re-sale, as well as the two piece box clip put back together. I used the method that others use on here for mounting the meter by putting it on one of those copper pipe hangars from a home improvement store for under $2. Just use a few flat head screws to mount the V-clip to it. I mounted it on top of the bike end bar I'm using for a grip so I cut most of the length of the mounting bracket off. Can't get any lighter than using that.
With the above mods and a lipo battery along with the 12x10 I can honestly say my GT feels no heavier than my QXT Pro did. I never suffer from arm or shoulder fatigue now where as the stock unit would give me trouble after a few hours, even if I hip or chest mounted the box because that throws off the balance (no leverage).
Thanks guys,
I called Chuck at Indian Nations and have it all on order, arm cuffs, lower shafts. I have a used Excalibur 1000 on the way due to arrive on Dec. 2nd. It has the S shaft, so I will making the same basic straight shaft for it and the Sovereign. For the Sunray DTI III meter I ordered the snap on clip that Plugger makes.
I called Chuck at Indian Nations and have it all on order, arm cuffs, lower shafts. I have a used Excalibur 1000 on the way due to arrive on Dec. 2nd. It has the S shaft, so I will making the same basic straight shaft for it and the Sovereign. For the Sunray DTI III meter I ordered the snap on clip that Plugger makes.
Sure if U leave it unwashed after each hunt for a couple of weeks Also since I figure I am through growing and am not going to have to take my shafts on a plane (if I ever did I would make a 3 piece) once adjusted to my liking they stay that way. PS ever try to get an Anderson rod a part after a couple of weeks without disassembling and washing??plugger said:
Give me NO SLOP any day but then again I dont make and sell shafts so one size fits all do not apply in my case
One more thing I forgot to mention. If your lower rod has ANY wobble the upper will eventually cut a ring in the shaft and it will eventually break at that point. Found this out the hard way B 4 I started making my own. Nothing will ruin your day like a broken lower but just think of all the money U saved by going to Home Depot for the shaft
" The .065 wall is too thick for the Minelab lower rods."
I don't know where you bought your aluminum , but I bought mne from Aircraft Spruce and haven't had ANY problems with the .065 wall aluminum that I've bought, and I've used both Whites and Minelab lower rods in them with no problems at all .... .....Its a nice tight fit that will STILL slide nicely , and no need for any additonal clamps ...The spring clips are all that's needed .... I LOVE the clamps that you make for the loose shafts that are out there, but I won't be needing them on the rods that I'm building ....It's a nice design though, and will surely be needed with a lot of guys buying upper shafts that are too big for the lowers .....
....Jim
I don't know where you bought your aluminum , but I bought mne from Aircraft Spruce and haven't had ANY problems with the .065 wall aluminum that I've bought, and I've used both Whites and Minelab lower rods in them with no problems at all .... .....Its a nice tight fit that will STILL slide nicely , and no need for any additonal clamps ...The spring clips are all that's needed .... I LOVE the clamps that you make for the loose shafts that are out there, but I won't be needing them on the rods that I'm building ....It's a nice design though, and will surely be needed with a lot of guys buying upper shafts that are too big for the lowers .....
....JimThis is what I use,,,,,never had a problem,,,,can get 2 shafts from one piece. This is from West Marine
Tubing-Alu 7/8''X6' 136440 A23-7858BLY6-1 In Stock $39.99 ,,,,
I also get it under their Port Supply wholesale price,,,alot cheaper than this price,,,,,also any boating place that makes tops, awnings etc. should have it also, good luck,,,,I know ive made about 10 of them,,,,,tube,,,,bike grip,,,,,arm rest,,,,,done
Tubing-Alu 7/8''X6' 136440 A23-7858BLY6-1 In Stock $39.99 ,,,,
I also get it under their Port Supply wholesale price,,,alot cheaper than this price,,,,,also any boating place that makes tops, awnings etc. should have it also, good luck,,,,I know ive made about 10 of them,,,,,tube,,,,bike grip,,,,,arm rest,,,,,done
Max, nice setup!