Fisher ID Excel?

[ALOW1]

I been reading on these forums for some time now and I don't think I have ever posted. Well heres my first post.......

First off, my name is Rob, I am from Clinton,Iowa and I am a member of IandI Treasure Club.


I have been detecting with a Fisher CZ-7 Pro for around a year and a half. I had wanted a detector for many years and wanted to get into this hobby, my first choice at getting a detector wouldn't have been the CZ-7, because I felt I didn't need something with all the bells and whistles but just needed something to get me started.

Anyways awhile back I was at my mothers house and I spotted a Fisher box, I thought WOW my parents are getting me something I always wanted for X-mas!

But it turned out that it wasn't for me, it was for my dads birthday, darn! Well my dad is a busy man, he used it once or twice out in the yard and found a couple odds and ends then it just sat there.

I couldn't handle watching it sit there and it drove me nuts so finally I asked dad if I could use it, well I got the OK and it became mine.

I used it for awhile, and then I got in a club, then I started trying to get more involved with my club, and now that dad see's that I am involved and not going to drop this hobby I think he is looking at it as a way for us to enjoy doing something together and as I have more experience using the machine than he does I can help him out.


So now I am looking to get a new machine, I am eyeballing a Fisher ID Excel but am worried that I wont be happy with it after using the CZ-7. I have also thought about going with a CZ-5, I don't have the money to buy another CZ-7.

So I guess what I am wondering, since I haven't ever used another machine except a very old Bounty Hunter, what else out there is comparable with the machine i have been using?

The ID Excel looks like a good machine for the coin and relic shooting that I am into at this time, gold is not a huge deal here an Iowa but some rings would be nice still!

 

[ALOW1]

I have also been looking at the Edge, I dont really know the difference between the two of them the one thing I noticed however about the Edge is that it does not have a backlit display, something that bothers me alittle since I do hunt alot at night. I am assuming the Excel does not have on either?

 

[Bill Ladd]

Yea, I would look at the Edge over the Excel because it has more power/depth, and would be closer to your CZ's power.
The Excel/Edge does not have a backlight light your used to. I wish they did, but if a light is really important for you, you may want to look into a Coinstrike. It will be more of a learning curve, but has the light + all kinds of other great features. May appear out of your price range, but I have been seeing used ones selling for under $500 which is a steal.......
HH, Bill

 

[ALOW1]

Bill Ladd 525 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yea, I would look at the Edge over the Excel
> because it has more power/depth, and would be
> closer to your CZ's power.
> The Excel/Edge does not have a backlight light
> your used to. I wish they did, but if a light is
> really important for you, you may want to look
> into a Coinstrike. It will be more of a learning
> curve, but has the light + all kinds of other
> great features. May appear out of your price
> range, but I have been seeing used ones selling
> for under $500 which is a steal.......
> HH, Bill



Thank you for the response Bill. I am leaning torwards a Edge right now. A light is important to me, but the more I think about it the more I think, do I really need a light? I do hunt right now alot at night because of strange hours that I work. But even if I am hunting without a light, a tone is a tone once you learn how they sound. It would be harder to use a pin pointing mode though.

If in the futrue, if Fisher offers the Edge with a light, could I send my machine in and get it modded?

 

[Alabama Jim]

Theres nothing wrong with a cz-5.I wanted an excel,but not one available when I was ready to buy.So I purchased a cz-5 that was new and under warranty.

 

[Anonymous]

Get an L.E.D., or a small book reading light for use after dark.

 

[Bill Ladd]

yes, but I wouldn't count on that happening. If I know I'm going to be night hunting, I just take my CZ-70 or C$. Or, like Vlad mentioned, some folks get the little stick-on reading lights for night hunts. Maybe you can get creative with the Edge & one of those? I'm a keep my eye out for one myself.......
HH, Bill

 

[ALOW1]

Bill Ladd 525 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> yes, but I wouldn't count on that happening. If I
> know I'm going to be night hunting, I just take my
> CZ-70 or C$. Or, like Vlad mentioned, some folks
> get the little stick-on reading lights for night
> hunts. Maybe you can get creative with the Edge &
> one of those? I'm a keep my eye out for one
> myself.......
> HH, Bill


I work a couple of jobs, one of them happens to be a auto parts store. I am good with tools and building things. After looking at my CZ-7 case and knowing the Edge will be pretty much the same housing, I have some good idea's on how to use some of these l.e.d.'s that I sell Thanks for the thoughts Bill.

 

[Anonymous]

Another thing to consider is that a light is a big drain on your detectors batters. Your L.E.D.s will have a separate power source, which will last forever.

 

[OldeTymer]

n/t

 

[ALOW1]

vlad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Another thing to consider is that a light is a big
> drain on your detectors batters. Your L.E.D.s will
> have a separate power source, which will last
> forever.


I agree, a light does drain the batteries, but the difference it makes on my CZ-7 while using it at night is well worth it. I find enough in clad coins on a regular basis to pay for the batteries in the detector.

For most people a light does not seem like a huge deal, but at 2am with a flashlight in one hand and a detector in another it does help. Theres nothing better than being out in the middle of the night on a nice night, the moon above you, the nice cool air and nobody to bother you. I would like to get out and detect during the day more as its easier to see, and I dont care for the woods at night, I have heard some wierd sounds... lol... but I dont always get the chance to do so.

L.E.D.'s are a good idea instead of the back lit electroluminescence display that I assume is my CZ, the electroluminescence display probley has a transformer with a transistor that has to switch on and off to get the secondary coil to 100 to 200 volts to get the electroluminescence panel to glow.

L.E.D.'s have a low current draw, they are bright and are nearly indestructable, plus they are small and have many ways to mount them. I am going to have to look more into them. A small waterproof battery pack would also be easy to mount not adding alot of extra weight to the unit.






Still, am undecided on what detector I shall buy. Still would like to hear the pro's and cons between the CZ-7 pro that I have and the Edge. Havent looked at a C.S. maybe I should look at more of them?

 

[ALOW1]

OldeTymer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> n/t


Sorry, I should of stated it alittle better, the case size does not matter on what I was thinking of doing. The lip of the case around the face of the machine is what would matter.

I was thinking of drilling like 3 holes through that lip and mounting L.E.D.'s pointing down torwards the face. I dont like the idea of running the wires around the outside o the machine but with some epoxy and being the wires wouldnt have to be very big it wouldnt be a bad deal.

It doesnt have to be pretty, just needs to work and be able to hold up

 

[OldeTymer]

How about a small plastic housing to hold the LED's that you could Velcro to the top lip of the case, and let the "housing" hang over the top edge. Still run the wiring on the outside, over the top to your battery source. That way you don't deface the detector in case you want to sell it some day, and you don't blow the warranty.

You could pick up some small square plastic tubing from a model airplane/railroad shop along with some 1/16" flat stock to make the mount. Sounds fairly simple. I don't know how big the LED's are though. I would probably have a small project box to hold the batteries, and a small on-off switch for the lights. I'd sketch something up, if you like. Just need to know the size of the LED's, and how you wire them up. I could scan the sketch and post it tomorrow, unless you've already figured out your design. Let me know.

OldeTymer

 

[Anonymous]

Pray it never burns out, because it requires a new meter.

 

[Anonymous]

n/t