confused

[upthecreek]

Since finding some gold flakes in a remote river recently,I thought I'd have a better look upstream for the source. Then my troubles started. Trying to find a suitable detector has proved frustrating. Due to budgetary constraints, around AUD $2000 is all I can afford at the moment.

I first looked at the X-terra 70 however I was told by a dealer that it doesn't have a waterproof coil and not suitable for small nuggets <5g. From Minelab's products, the only thing I can find within my budget is the Eureka Gold with a waterproof coil. Has anyone had any experience with this unit? Am I in the right forum?

David North West Slopes NSW Australia

 

[Ron@ Ron's Dixie Metal Detectors]

Since finding some gold flakes in a remote river recently,I thought I'd have a better look upstream for the source. Then my troubles started. Trying to find a suitable detector has proved frustrating. Due to budgetary constraints, around AUD $2000 is all I can afford at the moment.

I first looked at the X-terra 70 however I was told by a dealer that it doesn't have a waterproof coil and not suitable for small nuggets <5g.
The Coils on the Xterra should be water proof, and when using the 9 inch Concentric HF coils, you should not have a problem. As far as the 5g, I can't tell you. From Minelab's products, the only thing I can find within my budget is the Eureka Gold with a waterproof coil. Has anyone had any experience with this unit? Am I in the right forum? The Eureka Gold is more sensitive to the smaller nuggets as you can hunt at the 60 Khz frequency, but the Stock coil is not water proof. Hope this will help you some. HH,Ron

David North West Slopes NSW Australia

 

[Digger]

The dealer who told you the X-70 does not have waterproof coils was incorrect. The coils of the X-Terra series are waterproof. The control box is not. Although I am not a gold hunter, I have read reports from those who are. And they indicated the X-70 has no problem hitting 5g gold. Even with the Iron Mask level set at maximum. You may find the DD elliptical HF coil (18.75) to perform the best for you. But the concentric 9-inch HF should work OK as well. HH Randy

 

[JW]

The coil housing is the same used on the Eureka

 

[willy]

The guy who told you that an X70 won't find stuff under 5g doesn't know what he's talking about. I have a 3 GRAIN test nugget that the X70 bangs on HARD with either the stock or HF DD coil. I lost my 1 grain test nugget and have been using little bits of lead to see how small of a target it can find. So far, the 5x10" coil will see bits of lead <1 grain. I'd say that it's a bit more sensitive than the MXT (which I've prospected with); something along the lines of a Goldbug 1. It seems to do as well, or better than, the XT18000 (at 20KHz) that I had a few years ago. I've been hunting in the water (up to 3') with the HF DD coil with no problems.. except that the coil tends to float. ...Willy.

 

[Tinfoil]

Joey coil has. I waterproofed my Joey coil for my Exp ll and I waterproofed my Exterra coil also. You have to run a bead of seallent around the edge where the two parts of the coil come together first. Then run seallent around the bottom and up and around the sides of the coil cover. Put the two halfs together and get you some spring clamps and put them on the coil and coil cover. Make sure you have squeese out all around the coil cover and the coil. Wipe the excess off. Run another bead around the area between the coil cover and the coil and smoothe it out all the way around the coil. I hunt in the shallow water with my X70 with the 5x10 DD all the time just like I do with my Exp ll and the SE withe the Joey coil. I sealled up the Joey the same way and it has never leaked or gave me any trouble for 3 years now. : : . Later Jerry aka Tinfoil