Equinox lower rod project -- PROTOTYPE ROD SUCCESSFUL!

[sgoss66]

Hi all;

As some of you may know, I've been producing lower rods for the CTX 3030 for about 8 months now, selling them through the forums and my website (Deleted by mod) to a number of satisfied customers. Along the way, I've had several inquiries regarding whether I could build Equinox rods. My answer was always "no," as a major stumbling block was that piece that fits onto the "coil end" of the rod, i.e. the piece to which the coil attaches -- the "yoke," or "clevis," as I call it.

Well, with requests for me to build Equinox lower rods so frequent that eventually I couldn't ignore it any longer, I set my mind on working on a design for that clevis/yoke piece. Once I came up with a working design idea, I submitted engineering drawings of my design to the machining/fabrication company that supplies my CTX rod parts, and asked if they could build me a prototype. Meanwhile, I ordered a carbon-fiber tube from my tube supplier, in the precise diameter to fit inside the Minelab Equinox middle rod, and also some washers specific to my yoke/clevis design. The tube and washers arrived recently, and just today, the yoke/clevis was delivered. I'm pleased to say that it turned out perfectly! All the dimensions are correct/exacting, and I "test fit" the parts with success -- please see the pictures below. The only parts I'm still waiting on are the push-button "spring clip" for the upper end of the rod, and a specialized drill bit for drilling the hole for the spring clip. Those will be here soon -- and at that point my "proof-of-concept" prototype rod will be ready for me to use!

MEANWHILE, given the successful prototype, I am ordering parts tomorrow to make a first batch of 20 Equinox lower rods. As I said above, these rods are designed to fit seamlessly into the Minelab EQX middle rod -- exactly as the Minelab stock lower rod does. I plan to build them the same length as the Minelab lower rod as "standard practice," but can also build them to whatever length desired. I expect to have the first batch of rods available for sale in roughly 4 weeks. Tentatively, I expect pricing to be roughly $60 plus shipping -- but will know for sure once I place that first "bulk" order of carbon fiber tubes and yoke/clevis pieces.

If you have any interest one of these lower rods, please let me know, and I'll be sure to have one available for you.

THANKS!

Steve

 

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[Ogre1190]

Put me on your list, Steve. I'll take one for my 800 and one for my 600. 🙌

 

[sgoss66]

Thanks, Ogre! You got it -- two for you!

Steve

 

[Quisp]

Steve,

I'll take one as well, as I have a 6 inch coil on order.

Thanks,
Dan

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice piece of engineering!

 

[Rookster]

I like that.

 

[gadabout]

Hi all;

As some of you may know, I've been producing lower rods for the CTX 3030 for about 8 months now, selling them through the forums and my website (Deleted by mod) to a number of satisfied customers. Along the way, I've had several inquiries regarding whether I could build Equinox rods. My answer was always "no," as a major stumbling block was that piece that fits onto the "coil end" of the rod, i.e. the piece to which the coil attaches -- the "yoke," or "clevis," as I call it.

Well, with requests for me to build Equinox lower rods so frequent that eventually I couldn't ignore it any longer, I set my mind on working on a design for that clevis/yoke piece. Once I came up with a working design idea, I submitted engineering drawings of my design to the machining/fabrication company that supplies my CTX rod parts, and asked if they could build me a prototype. Meanwhile, I ordered a carbon-fiber tube from my tube supplier, in the precise diameter to fit inside the Minelab Equinox middle rod, and also some washers specific to my yoke/clevis design. The tube and washers arrived recently, and just today, the yoke/clevis was delivered. I'm pleased to say that it turned out perfectly! All the dimensions are correct/exacting, and I "test fit" the parts with success -- please see the pictures below. The only parts I'm still waiting on are the push-button "spring clip" for the upper end of the rod, and a specialized drill bit for drilling the hole for the spring clip. Those will be here soon -- and at that point my "proof-of-concept" prototype rod will be ready for me to use!

MEANWHILE, given the successful prototype, I am ordering parts tomorrow to make a first batch of 20 Equinox lower rods. As I said above, these rods are designed to fit seamlessly into the Minelab EQX middle rod -- exactly as the Minelab stock lower rod does. I plan to build them the same length as the Minelab lower rod as "standard practice," but can also build them to whatever length desired. I expect to have the first batch of rods available for sale in roughly 4 weeks. Tentatively, I expect pricing to be roughly $60 plus shipping -- but will know for sure once I place that first "bulk" order of carbon fiber tubes and yoke/clevis pieces.

If you have any interest one of these lower rods, please let me know, and I'll be sure to have one available for you.

THANKS!

Steve

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Save Two for me also

 

[sgoss66]

Quisp and gadabout --

Thanks! I have noted your interest!

Professor, and Rook --

Thanks for the kind words!

Steve

 

[Ozarkshunter]

Forgive my ignorance, but what's better about this custom rod vs stock? Lighter? Stronger? I'm wondering.

 

[sgoss66]

Ozarkshunter --

The lower rod (the first batch of which will be ready for sale by the middle of October) is not designed to be a major "improvement," per se, over the stock lower rod. Not yet. The primary issues that I see which need to be improved, with respect to the Minelab shaft system, are wobble, and balance/ergonomics. And neither of these issues can be fully resolved through just a redesign of the lower rod. HOWEVER, these improvements (eliminating shaft wobble, and solving the EQX balance issues) will be resolved by, and incorporated into, the full shaft system I'm working on -- and this lower rod will be utilized as a part of that "full shaft system." The full shaft system is not quite ready for production just yet; I'm still working with the engineers, to finalize the design for the clamping/cam lock system I plan to use -- that clamp/cam lock being the key component of the full shaft system design.

Anyway, until the full shaft system is complete, "improvement" is not the primary focus, with respect to this initial offering of just the lower rods for sale. For now, the primary "purpose" of the lower rod will mainly be one of "convenience," i.e. for those folks who have, or will have, a second coil and would like that coil to remain pre-attached to a second, spare rod. (Of course, there is the minor advantage of the "aesthetic" factor also -- for those who prefer the look of carbon fiber).

Anyway, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I will note that there is one very small, minor "improvement" with respect to the "wobble issue" I am incorporating into just the lower rod itself. While, as I said, the wobble issue can't be SOLVED with simply the addition of a new lower rod, it CAN be mitigated a bit -- by using a longer lower rod. As such, I will be making these rods about 3" longer than the "stock" Minelab lower, but will be keeping the spring clip in the same position (i.e. the same distance from the coil end of the rod). What that will therefore accomplish, is this -- when you extend my rod out to your preferred length, i.e. the same length that you extend your Minelab lower rod to, there would therefore be about 3" more of the top end of my lower rod remaining inserted in the middle rod, as compared to when using the Minelab lower. While, again, this will not yet SOLVE the wobble issue (for anyone who happens to be dealing with wobble), it SHOULD reduce it some, because of course the more length of lower shaft that remains inserted in the middle rod, the less wobble that can occur. Again, the complete solution to the wobble issue requires a much stronger, more secure locking system, anywhere two rods connect -- and that is why I'm spending so much effort working to design a proper, secure, sturdy clamping/cam lock system to be incorporated into my full shaft system, which will thus clamp the lower rod far more securely than what the current Minelab clamping system does. It is THEN, once the full shaft system is complete, that the wobble issues will be resolved (along with a solution to the ergonomic/balance issues, I might add, but that's another story that I won't get into just yet! )

Thanks for your inquiry, Ozarkshunter; hopefully I've answered your questions. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask!

Steve

 

[CygnusX1]

What will the final cost be? Looking to get one for my Equinox 600.

 

[sgoss66]

CygnusX1 --

My preliminary thoughts at this point are that introductory pricing for forum members, for the lower rod, will probably be $59 plus shipping.

I am not sure yet, about pricing on the full shaft system -- though, good news, the engineers have just completed my design for the clamping/cam lock, and it looks GREAT. So, progress is being rapidly made there.

Steve

 

[Possum]

Ozarkshunter --

The lower rod (the first batch of which will be ready for sale by the middle of October) is not designed to be a major "improvement," per se, over the stock lower rod. Not yet. The primary issues that I see which need to be improved, with respect to the Minelab shaft system, are wobble, and balance/ergonomics. And neither of these issues can be fully resolved through just a redesign of the lower rod. HOWEVER, these improvements (eliminating shaft wobble, and solving the EQX balance issues) will be resolved by, and incorporated into, the full shaft system I'm working on -- and this lower rod will be utilized as a part of that "full shaft system." The full shaft system is not quite ready for production just yet; I'm still working with the engineers, to finalize the design for the clamping/cam lock system I plan to use -- that clamp/cam lock being the key component of the full shaft system design.

Anyway, until the full shaft system is complete, "improvement" is not the primary focus, with respect to this initial offering of just the lower rods for sale. For now, the primary "purpose" of the lower rod will mainly be one of "convenience," i.e. for those folks who have, or will have, a second coil and would like that coil to remain pre-attached to a second, spare rod. (Of course, there is the minor advantage of the "aesthetic" factor also -- for those who prefer the look of carbon fiber).

Anyway, WITH ALL THAT SAID, I will note that there is one very small, minor "improvement" with respect to the "wobble issue" I am incorporating into just the lower rod itself. While, as I said, the wobble issue can't be SOLVED with simply the addition of a new lower rod, it CAN be mitigated a bit -- by using a longer lower rod. As such, I will be making these rods about 3" longer than the "stock" Minelab lower, but will be keeping the spring clip in the same position (i.e. the same distance from the coil end of the rod). What that will therefore accomplish, is this -- when you extend my rod out to your preferred length, i.e. the same length that you extend your Minelab lower rod to, there would therefore be about 3" more of the top end of my lower rod remaining inserted in the middle rod, as compared to when using the Minelab lower. While, again, this will not yet SOLVE the wobble issue (for anyone who happens to be dealing with wobble), it SHOULD reduce it some, because of course the more length of lower shaft that remains inserted in the middle rod, the less wobble that can occur. Again, the complete solution to the wobble issue requires a much stronger, more secure locking system, anywhere two rods connect -- and that is why I'm spending so much effort working to design a proper, secure, sturdy clamping/cam lock system to be incorporated into my full shaft system, which will thus clamp the lower rod far more securely than what the current Minelab clamping system does. It is THEN, once the full shaft system is complete, that the wobble issues will be resolved (along with a solution to the ergonomic/balance issues, I might add, but that's another story that I won't get into just yet! )

Thanks for your inquiry, Ozarkshunter; hopefully I've answered your questions. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask!

Steve

That's what I was hoping to hear brother Steve!!! Took one of the rod's you built for my CTX out this morning with "Truth" and we hunted some tough stuff today, an as expected the CTX rod you made held up perfectly!!! Great job brother, looking forward to the new design!!! "D"

 

[sgoss66]

D --

THANKS for the kind words! I think you may have the distinction of being the very first one to push me toward making rods for the Equinox! You pressed me, early on, and obviously I wasn't ignoring you; it stuck with me, LOL!

Thanks, brother! The project is moving along nicely; lower rods will be ready for sale in about 2 weeks, and the full shaft system within a short time thereafter. A few minor tweaks/improvements to the clamp/cam lock are being made by the engineers right now, per my conversation with them yesterday, and then it should be ready to roll. I hope to have a prototype of the clamp (and thus everything necessary to build a prototype, complete shaft) in hand, within a few weeks...

I am supremely confident that wobble issues will be a thing of the past, with this shaft, and I'll be addressing the ergonomic/balance issues as well, in a unique, effective way...I can't wait to have these available for sale. I think folks will really like them, and I'll have some demo/info videos (describing the features/benefits of the shaft system) ready to go as well!


​

THANKS , D!

Steve​

 

[angelito1]

its so purty , I think i'll get one and I don't even own an equinox!!……….yet...……….

 

[sgoss66]

angelito -- LOL!

That's funny!

Thank you for the kind words; maybe if you buy one of the rods, it will FORCE you to have to get an Equinox! LOL!

Steve

 

[sgoss66]

Quick update, to anyone interested...

I am expecting 7-10 days for the first batch of lower rods to be ready for sale...

Thanks for your patience!

Steve