Machine Mods. Upgrades to a machine.

[MangoAve]

Each machine leaves just that little extra to be desired. Through the late nights detecting and almost not making it out of the woods before I couldn't see any tree or obstacle in front of me gave me a clue what was needed. Always catching the cord on my pinpointer or the arm rest or almost chopping the cord with my serrated trowel gave me another idea to help a bit with the difficulties faced during detecting. I chosea way to do upgrades that wouldn't void the warranty.

First I was getting annoyed with the obstreperous cord for the headphones. I first tried to run the volume control cord down the arm cuff which leaves a plug at the end for headphones. It helped but I still had issues. I no longer caught the cord with the trowel nor did it catch on the brush or branches, but now it caught on the pinpointer and the lack of length made it hard with digging. The machine had to be placed a certain way on the ground to give me the most length to kneel and dig, but standing up was almost forbidden. And we all know when digging on a hill and the machine wants to roll away even though it seemed to be placed in a stable manner. Now the machine wants to tug on your head as you are digging. The simple upgrade was to just go bluetooth. I had all sorts of 1/4" jacks or a coversion to 3.5mm jacks but I didn't own one that converted size and was a right angle. I wanted to have the transmitter protrude as little as possible, and I wanted length to be minimal as anything in the jack can spin. I also decided based upon how items can be charged with similar connectors. I got a 1/4" right angle to 3.5mm female jack. A receiver, which I have as a back up to be used with any headphone, came with a 3.5mm male-male so it worked perfect. Then I got the transmitter. I bought a set of bluetooth headphones and a set of bluetooth earphones. The earphones are more confortable and block noise, but the headphones allow you to hear anything around you so I carry both. Headphones were only $20, transmitter $30, receiver $15, and earphones $35. Yesterday just the transmitter and headphones lasted something like 7 hours no problem. The pic is only headphones and transmitter/jacks.
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The other aspect apparent that needed to be done was adding light. I saw another add a light to the shaft for the search coil. One night around 8p it's barely light outside and I had to try to use the light from the moon to try and see the display. It was time to finish up that night anyway, but to be limited like that and to only search in one direction.... I ordered the flashlight holder and a CREE LED mini flashlight for the shaft. The holder was onl $2 and the flashlight $15. I was toying with the idea about adding a light to the display. A thought to add something internal did cross my mind. A resistor and switch and LED could be added somewhere near the front, balanced across both batteries. I didn't bother trying to check if an LED near the front pointed toward the side of the LCD glass would be suitable because I didn't want to cut into the housing to mount a switch. It could be done, but the other option was more apposite. I just ordered a book light. Searching through a ton of possibilities with bulky 3-AAA compartments with a clip, yet the machine has a small lip too small for anything to securely mount to, I could foresee hitting it on anything and it falling off all the time. I finally found a flat one. It was much bigger when I finally got it making me wonder which size books people be reading with this monster. The light is flexible so it can be pointed toward display when I need it on, but moved up when I don't need it to see the possible target indicator better. I found something similar to velcro so the light can be deteached. I added a velcro strip for computer cables to the search coil wire near the housing as well. The light was only $3. Here is what it looks like.
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[Trooper Bri]

Wondering why you've been a bit quiet lately Jim. Nice little pile of mods to your rig. That book light is slick. She looks good all lit up. Nice job with the wireless solution as well. No more leash!
Like those slim headphones. The White's headphones are bulkier and heavier than I expected, so for the coinshooting in the parks and fields I've been doing lately, I've been using my Garrett headphones. When I wander back into the woods I'll switch back to wireless, and no doubt they'll be warm when it gets cold.

[del]

very nice and practical mods Jim :thumbsup02::thumbsup02:

[lee]

loving the light jimbo !!!! ....wonder where that idea came from hmmmmm? lol.
i have to say my detector with the built in down light opens up many more possibilitys , me and kris now go out at night and hunt the town swalls along the road , digging with skunks next to you......ohhhh joy.

[Ronandari]

Nice work on the mods Jim. Do you notice any lag with the Bluetooth signal.

[MangoAve]

Thanks Dan. I know how it's a concensus that sometimes even a cheapo detector can find you a ton (if you know how to use it and where to stick the coil) so just short of getting a new machine and learning all over again, you can still make mods to make things just a bit easier. Plus I like the way it looks and not much weight has been added.


Wondering why you've been a bit quiet lately Jim. Like those slim headphones.

The slim headphones were the least expensive I found but they do look nice. They aren't as comfortable as I would like but if my head was bigger, it would be a better fit. And wait?? I'm only on here to Troll? Lol Jk. I have been getting out still but at work when I have more free time to be checking here, like you I have been busy. I don't do the OT, tho. Military is a hurry-up-and-wait thing so its like feast or famine and sometimes I get inundated with stuff keeping me busy.


....wonder where that idea came from hmmmmm?

Umm, u were around during the time of the idea's conception. lol. But it was that same night when I was struggling with the display when it's dark out. The coil light is less necessary to swing, I feel, unlesss you are deep in the woods with brush. It's good too that flashlight will help you get out of the woods when it does get too dark. I didn't have it one time and boy I was *explicative*-bricks that I would make it out on time.


Nice work on the mods Jim. Do you notice any lag with the Bluetooth signal.

Thanks Ron. There is some lag, but with the normal swinging mode it doesn't really affect it much. We all tend to dig the repeatable signals, and you will hear a real signal or a false signal once at least and you always check it again. Since the machine in normal mode needs the coil to move over the object to beep it will beep even if a lag. The time when it becomes hard is while pinpointing. Swinging too fast in the smaller area in pinpoint mode you can miss it. Normal mode it will always beep, but pinpoint will only last for as long as you have the coil over the object. You can't rush at that point, but we all tend to want to check quickly and then move on if not worth the effort.

[OxShoeDrew]

Very helpful, I used to hunt with Merc who had an f75 with a back light....at twilight I was always the one who had to call the hunt off.

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Nice Mod!