WaterWalker
Well-known member
- for loosening camlocks
Now that I have several hunts with the ATX in silty salt water I will share what I have learned.
Before the Garrett training videos were published I use two rubber strap Grip Wrenches to loosen the camlocks on my ATX.
Watching the training videos was a great help as was talking to the techs at Garrett. The best idea from the video was to work the camlocks before leaving the fresh or saltwater. Then to rinse ASAP, not an easy thing to do at location that does not have an outside running water spigot. That is something you just can not find mid winter in New England.
I tried a manual pump-up garden sprayer. It DID NOT WORK! The spray was not strong enough to wash out the camlocks.
The suggestion of electrical tape was OK, but the tape can be messy and get expensive and is labor intensive even with the widest easily available tape. I was give a roll of 2 inch wide tape...and it worked well...but replacement rolls were not readily available.
I then tried covering the camlocks with therapy tape. Not bad and took less time in wrapping each of the three camlocks before the hunt and unwrapping after each hunt than the electrical tape.
After I returned home from detecting I blew out the water and silt with compressed air. This worked the best UNTIL...
I bought a 12Vdc power sprayer. FANTASTIC, not only for flushing out the camlocks but also rinsing off the waders, gloves, and neoprene jacket. The only drawback was the sprayer will not go on a vacation that involves an airplane flight. It is just too big.
I still loosen the camlocks before leaving the water and the compressed air when I get home. No more tape!
As for the wrench Garrett sells...I bought one but have been unsuccessful in having it turn the nut in the camlocks. I have not forced it as I do not want to strip out the small holes in the nuts. Another call to Garrett may be in order to ask if there is a top secret trip for using the wrench.
The pictures are worth a thousand words. I hope this may help some one with loosening tight camlocks.
[attachment 291301 Agrips.jpg][attachment 291302 Atape.jpg][attachment 291303 Aair.jpg][attachment 291304 Asprayer.jpg][attachment 291305 Aspray.jpg]
Now that I have several hunts with the ATX in silty salt water I will share what I have learned.
Before the Garrett training videos were published I use two rubber strap Grip Wrenches to loosen the camlocks on my ATX.
Watching the training videos was a great help as was talking to the techs at Garrett. The best idea from the video was to work the camlocks before leaving the fresh or saltwater. Then to rinse ASAP, not an easy thing to do at location that does not have an outside running water spigot. That is something you just can not find mid winter in New England.
I tried a manual pump-up garden sprayer. It DID NOT WORK! The spray was not strong enough to wash out the camlocks.
The suggestion of electrical tape was OK, but the tape can be messy and get expensive and is labor intensive even with the widest easily available tape. I was give a roll of 2 inch wide tape...and it worked well...but replacement rolls were not readily available.
I then tried covering the camlocks with therapy tape. Not bad and took less time in wrapping each of the three camlocks before the hunt and unwrapping after each hunt than the electrical tape.
After I returned home from detecting I blew out the water and silt with compressed air. This worked the best UNTIL...
I bought a 12Vdc power sprayer. FANTASTIC, not only for flushing out the camlocks but also rinsing off the waders, gloves, and neoprene jacket. The only drawback was the sprayer will not go on a vacation that involves an airplane flight. It is just too big.
I still loosen the camlocks before leaving the water and the compressed air when I get home. No more tape!
As for the wrench Garrett sells...I bought one but have been unsuccessful in having it turn the nut in the camlocks. I have not forced it as I do not want to strip out the small holes in the nuts. Another call to Garrett may be in order to ask if there is a top secret trip for using the wrench.
The pictures are worth a thousand words. I hope this may help some one with loosening tight camlocks.
[attachment 291301 Agrips.jpg][attachment 291302 Atape.jpg][attachment 291303 Aair.jpg][attachment 291304 Asprayer.jpg][attachment 291305 Aspray.jpg]