I'm quite pleased I have my Tesoro's, and Guvner's name

[Sven]

LOL ya I have been trying to pry that 9.9 out of 10 Silver Sabra microMax away from Monte. Its come to the point when i stop by to visit he hides it from me............Hell, he won't even let me play with it in the living room with the Nail board test.

Yeah, I sold one to a friend, he's attached to it, doubt if I can get it back, think I'll check anyways.

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

,,,My Bandido had the shiny poles but no cam locks. Wobbly as all heck...

Stoof, are you tightening the upper pole nut down into the threads, or backing it out so that it pushes against the flat of the S-pole?
I thought those pre-cam lock poles were wobbly too, until I realized I needed to back that nut out, rather than tighten it...
On the lower pole, I added a small piece of electrical tape in two places, so it fit the middle pole snugly.
Worked fine for me on my µMAX Cutlass poles like those. Feels as tight as the cam-lock poles now. ^_^

Not sure what you mean.
But I do have a brand new pole set on it now, so I'll just be saving the originals in case I ever sell it (I'll probably be buried with it).

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

,,,My Bandido had the shiny poles but no cam locks. Wobbly as all heck...

Stoof, are you tightening the upper pole nut down into the threads, or backing it out so that it pushes against the flat of the S-pole?
I thought those pre-cam lock poles were wobbly too, until I realized I needed to back that nut out, rather than tighten it...
On the lower pole, I added a small piece of electrical tape in two places, so it fit the middle pole snugly.
Worked fine for me on my µMAX Cutlass poles like those. Feels as tight as the cam-lock poles now. ^_^

I'll shoot a pic of mine. If I don't fully tighten the "nut" it's worse. And the nut srews directly onto the middles pole. It's threaded

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

,,,My Bandido had the shiny poles but no cam locks. Wobbly as all heck...

Stoof, are you tightening the upper pole nut down into the threads, or backing it out so that it pushes against the flat of the S-pole?
I thought those pre-cam lock poles were wobbly too, until I realized I needed to back that nut out, rather than tighten it...
On the lower pole, I added a small piece of electrical tape in two places, so it fit the middle pole snugly.
Worked fine for me on my µMAX Cutlass poles like those. Feels as tight as the cam-lock poles now.

pinenut, it might be that Stefan has either the 'original' Bandido [size=small](released in 3/'90)[/size] or a Bandido II [size=small](released in 1/'93)[/size], and those models used a 2-piece rod system. The upper 'S' rod was a longer length, and there was no rod lock. The lower rod just fit inside and, at times, they could get a little wobbly or loose, depending upon the rod diameters and how secure the snap-lock system was.

I have a choice condition Bandido II I am going to sell and it feels quite secure. Not a bunch of slop or wiggle, just a nice lower-rod/upper-rod fit.

Rod locks were on the 3-rod designs of the [size=small]micro[/size]MAX Bandido's with a metal nut & spacer on the µMAX Bandido [size=small](released in 3/'96)[/size], and then they went to the larger dark brown plastic nuts on some of those and the Bandido II µMAX [size=small](released in 10/'97)[/size].

Monte

I'm not sure if they are the set that the unit came with but it's a Bandido II umax and was originally sold in 94 according to tesoro (I call and run the numbers with them on all my used detectors.
It is a 3 piece I believe but the lower rod is 1/3 metal and 2/3 plastic. I'll have to post a pic today when I get home.
But the upper s rod has the nut and the middle rod is threaded. When fully tightened it's still wobbly

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

I can pleasantly report that the most rings and quality jewelry I have found [size=small](the gold and silver kind, be them rings, bracelets, chains, pendants, etc.)[/size] was when I was using one of the cou8ntless Tesoro models I have favored. Matter-of-fact, by 'most' I am not referring to the amount of quality jewelry found with a Tesoro compared with another brand, I am referring to more good jewelry found using a Tesoro than ALL OTHER BRANDS of detectors I have owned and used.

On all the Tesoro models with an ED-120 or earlier, more limited adjustment range, I ALWAYS keep the Discriminate control at the absolute minimum setting, ... all-the-time.

Larger-sized women's gold rings, and most men's gold rings, fall in a conductivity range somewhere from slightly below US 5¢ [size=small](nickel)[/size] coil conductivity to a higher rejection point that can be a lot like the old ring-pull type tabs or even up to the screw cap range. The bulk of the gold rings I have found through these past decades have been smaller-size, and thinner, women's rings as well as children's rings, or gold pendants and chains of various sizes, and their conductivity is well below the 5¢ coin, reading down into the larger foil to smaller foil or even into the upper-end of the iron range.

Monte

That's how I run my Bandido II because at minimum nails either don't beep or crackle which is where I set my 180 machines. I still thumb the disc to try and guess before I dig (getting really good with my compadre) and for learning purposes. They are all a bit different though. So on my cibola and Vaquero (different from each other too a bit) I'm not as spot on with my guesses as I am with let's say my compadre. But my 120 machines (outlaw and Bandido II) I'm a lot closer but the difference is the numbers on the Bandido and words on the outlaw. But once I figured out what numbers correlated with which targets I was in track.

I'm putting my time in with my racer 2 now to learn it. That machine is something else.
Haha funny story, when I started with my tesoro I was digging tons of trash, but only ~6" deep. With the racer I'm back to digging trash, but now going down 12+" haha. Have same issue with my relic. Gotta learn them

But what I love about my tesoros is that anytime I can just grab and go and find the goods. But that came from using them for hours and hours.

What I need to do now is only bring my relic and/or my racer 2 and force myself to use them. Sounds stupid considering what I paid for them, but tesoro is so easy to use and I'm so comfortable with them that I always wanna use them. Even funnier is 8/10 time it's one of my compadre I reach for. Go figure... Cheapest machine.

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

Hey Stefan, you can try the technique that Monte and I use. We will hunt together and sometimes he uses his Tesoro machine. Being diff. freq. we can hunt close together. So when his little machine beeps, I just step over with the Makro Racer 2 and swing my coil over the target....and I'm like , naw not a good target. A bit later another beep will come out of his little machine so I'll just step over and swing my coil over it...Hey, ya got a coin this time, better dig it. lol

It's more like I call him over to make sure he slows down and doesn't go wandering, rapidly, all over the place. If he looks bored, it just gives him something to do. He needs to get out and actually use his Tesoro and learn just how much fun they can be, and how good the results might turn out.

Monte

I told him the same thing Monte. It's definitely a different "style" compared to his current units, but man is it fun.
See, now I wanna use my tesoros again today, Monte...
And you were the one that said to leave my tesoros and use my relic haha.
But next time you and Gregg go for a hunt you should both use tesoros and show him some if the fine art that is the single time beep and dig machine.

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

It's more like I call him over to make sure he slows down and doesn't go wandering, rapidly, all over the place.
Monte

LOL how funny, when we are out detecting together it reminds me of that ol' Rocky movie from the mid 70's. Imagine that Monte is Burgess Meredith, the trainer, and i am the poor Rocky character.

We will be out detecting and 10 minutes later Monte will look up and I'm 450' off in another direction and he will holler over at me,

" What the ya doing over there ???? We are detecting, not running a marathon !!!!!! "

Of all the things to learn about detecting,patience, is the hardest. But he is right. Pick an area, go slow and methodical and it is amazing the stuff that can be found, especially in those old iron filled ghost towns.

Yeah unless I'm just scouting a new park, I have to force myself to stick to a grid search path. I always end up off track though. You find a target to the right, set your unit down, retrieve said target, get up and go, only to realize you didn't sidestep back left after getting the target. So you missed a 3' wide section and have to go back.

I always imaging that that one are is where that big gold ring is so I just have to go and check it.

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

Quote Stefan:

"And good luck in the silver sabre umax. Been looking for a while for one. Just grab any one with GB. Or better yet, try Monte so yours doesn't get dirty.
Haha"

LOL ya I have been trying to pry that 9.9 out of 10 Silver Sabra microMax away from Monte. Its come to the point when i stop by to visit he hides it from me............Hell, he won't even let me play with it in the living room with the Nail board test.

Lol.
Well he did say above he has a Bandido II he's gonna be selling, so just buy that, keep your new one on the wall. And get out there!!
I'm sure since he's selling it he will let you use it next time you guys hunt together.

 

[Monte]

Well he did say above he has a Bandido II he's gonna be selling, so just buy that, keep your new one on the wall. And get out there!!
I'm sure since he's selling it he will let you use it next time you guys hunt together.

I have a choice condition Bandido II I am planning on selling, and I told Gregg yesterday that he's welcome to take it with him on a jaunt to Nevada this coming week. It's in probably 9.[size=small]5[/size] out of 10 condition, works fine, and has the stock brown 8" coil. Gregg has a thin 6" Concentric coil he could use, plus I have a 6" Concentric coil I also plan to sell and he's welcome to take it along to use, if he'd like.

But this is the 2nd version in the Bandido series, the Bandido II, and not the Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX. I hunt with, but as typical of my I also pamper, my Silver sabre [size=small]micro[/size]MAX and Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX. These two choice-condition specimens I was able to acquire from a fellow last year for $400 ... for the pair of them!

They stay with me but Gregg can borrow [size=small](or buy)[/size] my Bandido II, if he doesn't want to use his pristine, new-in-the-box Bandido II µMAX. Either way he needs to really put in a little time at the old sites to learn and appreciate just why I have enjoyed and relied on my favorite Tesoro models since July of '83.

Monte

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

Well he did say above he has a Bandido II he's gonna be selling, so just buy that, keep your new one on the wall. And get out there!!
I'm sure since he's selling it he will let you use it next time you guys hunt together.

I have a choice condition Bandido II I am planning on selling, and I told Gregg yesterday that he's welcome to take it with him on a jaunt to Nevada this coming week. It's in probably 9.[size=small]5[/size] out of 10 condition, works fine, and has the stock brown 8" coil. Gregg has a thin 6" Concentric coil he could use, plus I have a 6" Concentric coil I also plan to sell and he's welcome to take it along to use, if he'd like.

But this is the 2nd version in the Bandido series, the Bandido II, and not the Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX. I hunt with, but as typical of my I also pamper, my Silver sabre [size=small]micro[/size]MAX and Bandido II [size=small]micro[/size]MAX. These two choice-condition specimens I was able to acquire from a fellow last year for $400 ... for the pair of them!

They stay with me but Gregg can borrow [size=small](or buy)[/size] my Bandido II, if he doesn't want to use his pristine, new-in-the-box Bandido II µMAX. Either way he needs to really put in a little time at the old sites to learn and appreciate just why I have enjoyed and relied on my favorite Tesoro models since July of '83.

Monte

Ahh OK my mistake.
I'd say he would get along with his Micromax more then the one you're selling. I think he should just use it.
Mine looked brand new too when I bought it. And still does. I just clean it after use. I don't think any detector should sit unless you have a duplicate you use for hunting lol.
I think he would really like that one he has. Since he isn't used to the modern ones with the words instead of the numbers on the one he has, should be no problem learning it. Never though you could get so much info out of a one frequency tone. But when you learn it's language, you can put other detectorists to shame. But that's with any machine. But people with newer machines look at tesoro like toys or retro. Fine with me. I'll gladly follow behind them and get all they misses or passed up thinking it was garbage lol

 

[Sven]

Some detectors like older Fishers used an upper section with threaded end that a locking collar is screwed onto.
Works great as long as the nylon insert that clamps down onto the middle shaft when the collar is tightened is not worn or lost.

 

[amberjack]

like a hose fitting with the plastic clamp down inside ?

AJ

 

[Sven]

I used to grid with two screw drivers as end markers, helpful if I couldn't see the stepped grass trail during the grid.
When I got to the end of the grid line, pulled the driver, moved it over about 2 feet............................
Works as long as some kid doesn't swipe your driver or some funny honey doesn't move it over...........

 

[Sven]

I have a choice condition Bandido II I am planning on selling,

Monte

Actually, I like that version, I'd take just the control box, you keep the coil and handle set-up.
The Super 7 coil I just got would look good with it.............hmmmmm

 

[Monte]

I'm not sure if they are the set that the unit came with but it's a Bandido II umax and was originally sold in 94 according to tesoro (I call and run the numbers with them on all my used detectors.

Well, somebody in AZ has their paperwork out-of-order to give you that date. I have, hear at my desk, a two-page printout of the Tesoro Models, Years Built and Price [size=small](MSRP at the time)[/size] that came from Tesoro back when Jack was still around and running things.

Here are the Bandido series models, production dates and MSRP's:

Bandido ................ 3/'90 - 6/'93 ..... $359
Bandido II ............. 1/'93 - 9/'97 ..... $389
µBandido .............. 3/'96 - 3/'98 ..... $439
Bandido II µMAX . 10/'97 - 1/'01 .... $469

I can tell you there have been some issues with models and serial numbers with some Tesoro models. They used stickers that were sometimes easy to peel off. Matter of fact, some were loose due to an oily surface on the plastics and they came loose and even fell off. I found one that fell off of a unit I was using in one of my ghost town hunts back in the mid-to-late '90s when I was circling around an area to hunt and re-hunt around the brush and debris. Oregon Gregg's brand new, in-the-box Bandido II µMAX had the original serial number sticker all curled up from both ends and only stuck on the housing in the middle.

I have also seen how some people switch decals from one Tesoro model to another just to have a decal on one they were going to sell or trade because it had lost the original decal. So either your number was switched from another unit, or somebody's finger didn't follow across the line on the dates down at Tesoro because there was no Bandido II µMAX made in '94.

It is a 3 piece I believe but the lower rod is 1/3 metal and 2/3 plastic. I'll have to post a pic today when I get home.
But the upper s rod has the nut and the middle rod is threaded. When fully tightened it's still wobbly

Does the upper rod have the brown plastic lock-nut as seen on the more current Tesoro models?

If the middle rod is threaded and uses the metal nut and split washer, then it might need to have the split washer replaced in order to snug up tightly. They used those on the middle and upper rod pieces before going to the plastic rod locks on the early Sidewinder, µMAX Bandido and µMAX Diablo, but later switched to the plastic rod-lock designs.

Monte

 

[pinenut]

...But the upper s rod has the nut and the middle rod is threaded. When fully tightened it's still wobbly

Don't tighten that nut. Instead, with the middle pole snapped onto the upper s-pole, UNSCREW that nut, so that it backs into the upper s-pole. That will lock them solidly,
Take another look at it, and see if that doesn't work. ^_^

 

[pinenut]

If your poles are like this:

 

[BarberBill]

I''ve met this decision with a lot of disappointment, as I did when the official Tesoro Forum disappeared several years ago. I've emailed them with my thoughts, mentioning in my opinion it is a poor move on their part, but what else can one do? I'm thinking the less exposure they get, the fewer sales.
BB

 

[pinenut]

....I'm thinking the less exposure they get, the fewer sales.
BB

Depends on the type of exposure they're getting; right?
If they're reading forum posts bashing their company and crabbing about their product line, they won't pay to sponsor there. Period.

 

[Stoof-tabsallday]

If your poles are like this:

Yes they are