[size=x-large]Product Report The Anderson Detector Shafts CTX 3030 Travel Shaft
By: Andy Sabisch[/size]
Over the past 12 years, Anderson Detector Shafts has grown from a small company producing just a few products to one known worldwide as the premier source for high quality detector shafts made from aluminum and carbon fiber, hip mount kits, replacement knobs, arm cuffs and more. Their products work with detectors from virtually every major manufacturer to make them more “user-friendly” in the field which equates to a more enjoyable hunt, longer search time and in the end, more finds in your collection. Pete Anderson and his team are always looking for the opportunity to design products that can make top-notch equipment even better and listening to treasure hunters has been proven to be the best source of ideas for new projects. The latest innovation from Anderson Detector Shafts solves a challenge Minelab CTX 3030 users have had since the detector was first introduced in 2012 and that involves travelling with it.
The CTX 3030 makes an ideal detector for those travelling to exotic destinations such as the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Central America and other ocean-front resorts due its ability to go into the water recovering gold and other valuables from even heavily-hunted beaches. It has also become a favorite for North American hunters travelling to the United Kingdom or Europe searching for coins and relics spanning more than 2,000 years of history. The one drawback in taking a CTX 3030 on a trip involving a flight is the length of the lower shaft. The Minelab lower shaft is 32” long and unfortunately, the size of a standard checked suitcase is about 30” on a diagonal which makes packing it difficult at best.
One option is to use an oversized suitcase but that requires paying a hefty surcharge when you arrive at the airport. In fact a quick check of the Delta Airlines website revealed that the cost for an oversized bag that could accommodate the lower shaft is $150 for travel between the U.S. or Canada and Mexico, the Caribbean or Central / South America and $200 for travel within the U.S.; i.e., from the mainland to Hawaii. So unless you plan on spending a small fortune on oversize bag fees, what other option is out there? Well, this is where Anderson Detector Shafts listened to end-users and went to work to design a replacement lower shaft that eliminated the oversized baggage fees while not sacrificing the quality they have become known for.
I have had the opportunity to test many of their products over the years and in fact I use his straight rod packages on several of my detectors as they make them more comfortable to use on both land and in the water. When Pete contacted me and asked if I would be interested in checking out the CTX 3030 Travel Shaft, I told him the timing was perfect as my wife and I were getting ready to fly to Nevada and I had been wondering if I would be able to take my CTX 3030 with us due to the lower shaft issue. Pete mentioned that after trying out several ideas, they settled on a unique design of a two-piece lower shaft that is actually stronger than the stock shaft that comes with the CTX 3030. When it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to see just how small the two sections were – one was 17” and the other 16.5”. Another feature that they carried over from the one-piece replacement CTX 3030 shaft they introduced in 2016 was the location of the coil wire opening. The opening on the stock shaft is a mere 2 inches from the mounting point which applies a good deal of stress to the coil cable as it enters the shaft. Over time, this often results in a noisy coil due to the breakdown of the cable shielding or in some cases, a complete failure of the coil. By moving the opening 4 inches higher, this stress is eliminated and the life of the coil cable extended. In addition to this improvement, Anderson Detector Shafts also includes a cover which slides over the coil cable and provides additional protection to the coil cable without adding any noticeable weight to the CTX 3030.
So after unpacking the Travel Shaft, I was impressed to see that not only would it fit in a checke d bag with ease but it also in a carry-on bag with room to spare. As far as travelling with the CTX 3030, it was now simply a matter of removing the battery pack, padding the control housing in a checked suitcase and putting the coil, headphones and Travel Shaft alongside it. Arriving at our destination, reassembling the detector was a snap as the two sections screwed together securely and even when fully extended, there was no flexing of the lower shaft at the joint. Now I no longer have to leave my CTX 3030 at home because I can’t pack it in a suitcase without paying the airline’s ransom demands!
A word of warning when taking the Travel Shaft to a beach destination . . . make sure you remove the lower shaft, unscrew the two sections and rinse them with fresh water before the sand / salt water mixture dries. You would be surprised at just how hard it is to separate any shaft assembly if you do not do this religiously and the last thing you want is to be unable to break the shaft down when it comes time to fly home. I know I have lent equipment out over the years that required soaking the shafts with WD-40 and gripping the assembly in a vise to separate them after a week or two of not cleaning it after coming out of the water. Pete said that this direction has been added to the instructions that come with the Travel Shaft as well as a container of thread lubricant to help ensure that the two sections come apart easily.
Like all of their products, Anderson Detector Shafts has focused on building a quality product; i.e., the CTX 3030 Travel Shaft, without tacking a premium price on it. In fact, the price for the carbon-fiber, two-piece shaft with the cable protector is the same as what the stock Minelab lower shaft sells for. So, even if you do not have a trip planned in the near future, the Travel Shaft will provide you with a spare shaft that will stand up to even the most strenuous demands and be ready to be packed into a suitcase when you head to a destination that requires boarding a plane.
For more information on the entire line of products from Anderson Detector Shafts including the new CTX 3030 Travel Shaft, be sure to visit their website. The quality of the Travel Shaft speaks for itself and saving the oversize baggage fee will pay for it the first time you travel.
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Photo Captions:
CTX Travel Shaft – 1: Key features of the Anderson Detector Shaft’s new CTX 3030 Travel Shaft
CTX Travel Shaft – 2: The stock shaft will not fit in a standard-sized checked bag but as you can see, the new CTX 3030 Travel Shaft from Anderson breaks down small enough to fit into a carry-on bag
CTX Travel Shaft – 3: By moving the point where the cable enters the shaft, Anderson Detector Shafts has virtually eliminated any stress on the cable that can cause insulation breakdown or cable failure.
CTX Travel Shaft – 5: Anderson’s CTX 3030 comes complete with everything you need including the hardware to mount the coil and a cover for your cable to add an additional layer of protection
