Question for anyone who has converted over to a full nonmetalic shaft

[Neil]

Do you see any improvements in sensitivity or anything at all performance wise?

Ive read a few times where a carbon shaft "improves sensitivity, especially with larger coils". The reason given is that the coil "picks up" an aluminum shaft and the detector compensates somehow.

With larger coils picking up targets so far off the coil I know they are indeed picking up the aluminum shafts, but I dont have a carbon fiber (or other non metallic material) shaft for comparison. If youve switched over to a carbon shaft or similiar I would imagine your finds would tell you if youve made an improvement perfomance wise(not just weight savings).

Thank you,
Neil

 

[dewcon4414]

Neil.... im not sure it picks up the aluminum shaft. Back in the day they used to use SS bolts to hold the coil to the lower rod. SS is a low conductor.... but it moves with the coil unlike say the coil wire if you dont tie it down. The SS bolts however may cause dead spots in the coil footprint unnoticed. I have to drag my scoop way behind me when using the Exp on the beach..... yet it doesnt pick up the shaft which is much closer to the coil.

Let me add to this Neil. I put a quarter on the ground and got a good hit at its limit based on my setting. The i took my scoop, which is a 12"X10" SS, and put it on my shaft just about the lock.... it made no difference as to the depth i hit the quarter. Yet if i took the scoop off and swung the coil it picked it up a good 2 FT away.

Dew

 

[Neil]

Hey Dew,
I know about those coil bolts, saw that on both Tesoros and Whites(but some of those where brass bolts). I cant remember ever seeing any minelabs using the metal bolts and nowadays Im not sure if anyone uses those metal coil bolts.

I extended out my existing rod to where I hunt with and passed another rod I have over the coil(same distance from where my rod ends) and it picked it up so Im pretty sure they are within range of the coil but not sure if there is any effect.

I set up a plugger rod that I had for an excal I had for the Sov and when I read the post by Joe about his carbon shafts it got me wondering and since then from different forums have run across this claim about the aluminum rods.

 

[OldBeechnut]

I have used my carbons on the excalibur over the past 3 years, along with shielding on the pods....My theory, just like shortening the coil wire, the difference is very little if any at all...Now what I like the most about it, the lower shafts never gets stuck...from the salt water. And they look Kewl...

 

[dewcon4414]

Yaaaa got to look kewl out there...... I cant find nuffen... but i look kewl with all my stuff and sun glasses. Neil, i have a friend that i hunt with he broke the plastic coil bolt and put on a SS one..... it made no difference. Partically because they arent magnetic im sure. he hunted for a couple weeks before i convinced him that i may cause a blank area in the coil..... not to mention he could tighten them down and crack the ears. If i had the cash id have one of the Andersons or make me one because like Joe said, i hate it when the shafts lock up. They are a pain to get apart.

Dew

 

[deepdiger60]

Neil last year i read about metal shafts and problems with sensitivity i just cant remember where it was ? anyway it said there is really no need for all that coil wire to be rapped around a metallic shaft either shorten your wire or mid-way up hip mount , like the GT the lower rod is fiberglass and the upper is aluminum why Minelab did that ? what i did was get 2 pieces of carbon rod same size as what Minelab uses it has no holes in it anywhere i glued the ISO rod in and 2 nylon screws the arm cuff is plastic nylon wing nut tightened around the shaft and a stock hand grip no holes anywhere for water to get into the shaft lock is that new hard plastic . I hip mount or chest mount . I noticed that i get a good threshold not any unnecessary noise or chatter . I really do not think a coil could be affected 34 inches away from the aluminum shaft but now i don't have to worry about it . By the way that carbon fiber is very tough to drill or cut .I can swing that 12x10 all day. Jim

 

[mudpuppy]

n/t

 

[Critterhunter]

Here's some "build" pics of somebody who made a carbon fiber shaft for their GT. They also used my remote PP switch setup for it...

http://www.findmall.com/read.php?22,1141218,page=7

On the next page after that in that thread they posted more pics.

Here's a pictorial I did on mods for my light weight land rig and remote PP switch setup...

http://youtu.be/vvkeNKPYsgA

I'm using the Whites tall man carbon fiber lower rod. Very long lower shaft so gives me extra confidence of not having any potential dead spots in the detection field. Not sure it's true but vaguely I remember reading a long time ago that the detection field above and below the coil is a mirror image of it's self, and that if any metal is in the field above it it would warp dead spots into the mirror image of it in the field below the coil as well. Whether that's true or not been years since I read up on that aspect of detection fields so don't know off hand if my memory is correct, but I'd probably lay money down on it being true since the field is a sort of "bubble" in a sense that emits out in all directions above and below the coil.

The metal adjustment snap pin on shafts that mate the upper/lower rods, I flip upside down so the bottom of the "V" is pointing away from the coil. I also run my coil cable straight up the shaft to get it as far away from the coil as fast as possible, and only wrap it around the shaft once it's past the grip and in my forearm area. The upper shaft I used a much lighter grade aluminum for which is the inner telescoping pole from an Unger window cleaning pole (this is a professional window cleaning pole which can be found at some chain home improvement stores). Since the tall man rod is so long, I was able to cut down the length of the upper aluminum pole to only what was needed to overlap it with the lower Whites rod by about an inch and a half or so. Just enough to insure no slop. I don't use a camlock and no need for one. If the snap pin holes are drilled just big enough for the heads to pop out it'll make a very snug connection. Never found camlocks to do much anyway in terms of slop.

I'm planning to pick up a carbon tube for my upper shaft some day down the road here, just to shave a few more tenths of an ounce off my machine, put it'll also be nice to know just a bit more metal is now out of any possible view of the coil. In reality though the meter on top of my grip is right there, so I'm only getting rid of that last few inches of upper shaft metal below it on the shaft in terms of what the coil might see. When I do the carbon upper shaft thing I'm going to use a carbon fiber bike end bar to replace the aluminum one. These last few little things should push the weight of my GT well past the 1.5 pound mark in total weight savings. It's very near that point right now for the most part. My GT, using DIgisearch meter (Rons is lighter by 2.2 ounces) is within a few ounces right now of dipping into the 3 pound+ range. Fatigue is never a problem for me with it. Even though well balanced in the stock straight shaft configuration, after a long day's hunt that thing would wear me out.

 

[don tyler]

I have been out to the beach with excal 1000 a few times, I seem to be able to bring sensitivity to around 9 o clock position and not getting a lot of falsing. Made a longer lower rod also. will be out again soon to do more testing. mass salt waters Don Tyler Merrmack,NH

 

[midalake]

I have been running a Doc's Place carbon upper and lower for years. I never did much testing but wanted the weight reduction and I hunt in the Pacific and you never know when the next wave is going to smash into you and the rod. I was going to put a link but I do not see it in their catalog any more. Might be worth a call. They are tough as nails!!!!

Dave

 

[deepdiger60]

n/t

You gotta love my Vietnam camo Minelab hat keeps the Sun off . This set-up is very lite to swing in fields and beach , plus Rons meter and OBN,s Scullies it,s a awesome hunting machine . GL Jim