Best way to modify Explorer II Pro for nugget searching? What is your opinion?

[ScottNewMexico]

Want to know what everybody thinks the best modifications are to an Explorer II to search for gold nuggets, small to large?

 

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[ScottNewMexico]

Did some research and found out that it is the Platypus coil made for the Explorer II. It's kind of rare though, but still they are out there.

Any others anyone?

 

[ScottNewMexico]

Neilo found a tiny (fraction of a U.S. Quarter) 1g nugget in salty wet sand at 5 inches with this coil! Not BAD for a non-gold finding detector!

 

[BudP]

Scott,

I have the Explorer XS and XT17000. If I'm in clear areas with no trash I use the 17000 (all metal) exclusively. Areas previously mined have nails, nuts, bolts, wire mesh, burned tinfoil.....ETC., bigtime. I don't have the patience for this so I then use my Explorer.

Get access (borrow, whatever) nuggets from 15 grains (not grams) to as big as you can. My machine will read a 12 grain rice on the surface. In the 'Advanced Learn' mode, turn the sensitivity down to 1 and turn the threshold down to where it is inaudible. Pick the cursor size you want (I use med.) and then press the square on the screen to turn the screen black, which rejects all items. Using the medium cursor, go in and out from the center of the coil until the machine makes a 'beep' sound. DO NOT SWEEP THE ITEM ACROSS THE COIL AS THIS MAY GIVE A MULTIPLE RESPONSE. Do this as many times as you have nuggets, from smallest to largest. When you have completed this, press the button next to the checkmark again to turn off the learning proccess.

To save this program press the 'menu' button, then press the 'save' button. When the S1 and S6 screen appears put a check mark next to the S program where you wish to save this custom 'NUGGET' program for future use.

The screen will now be all black except for a pattern that looks a whole lot like a metal detector. You'll see a wide, shallow bottom left of center that looks like a coil, then the 'shaft' will go diagonally up and right to what looks somewhat like a handle. This pattern will be white in a black field.

Now....how I use it. I have found that I get truer cursor readings and sound if I use my Explorer in 'ALL METAL' (all white screen). I get clear film(sheets used for 'overhead' printing) and cutout a piece that wil cover the screen with a bit left over. I them make two positioning 'dots' at top left and right corners, outside the screen. This is so I can remove and replace the overlay in the same exact spot. Then with clear tape I attach it over the screen. Now...With my 'NUGGET' screen showing, I trace the pattern on the overlay with a fine-tip magic marker. Then I go back to smart screen and open up the whole screen(no disc.)with ferrous audio. Now I can hunt by sound and when (not if) I hear a good tone, a glance at the screen will show if the crosshair is inside my pattern. About the only items that give trouble with this pattern are pieces of foil and pulltabs. If these are a problem, disc out with the SMALL cursor and you'll lose very little pattern.

All U.S. gold coins will hit inside this pattern; small denominations,bottom left. double eagles, high right (if you used a 1.5oz nugget in 'learn'). The Explorer will not 'see' those super-tiny.....nuggets that a dedicated gold machine will but.....I don't want to get on my knees for something I can put in my eye and not feel it. But...that's just me

Bud

 

[Functional]

Re: Best way to modify Explorer II Pro for nugget searching? What is your opinio

Thanks for that Bud. I was just passing through and I caught your description for setting up the Explorer XT for nugget hunting. Makes me wish I owned one.

I'm looking around for a used MD, mainly for use in nugget hunting, but I'm on a tight budget so I'm taking my time and shopping around. Being in Canada means that unless I can get one rediculously cheap from the U.S., (then pay taxes, duty and brokerage fee's), I'll have to see what I can find in Canada. Fortunately I'm not far from a place that has a weekend flea market, so I'll keep an eye open there also. Now, I think I'll add the Explorer as an option for the types of MD's I'll consider buying, if one can be had cheap enough.

F.

 

[BudP]

Hey Scott and Functional,

Be advised My settings with an open screen (-16) are; Ferrous sound mode, fast setting, sensitivity 24auto with a Sunray 5" coil or Joey(these coils seem to recover faster in trash than the 10.4" stock coil and is nearly as deep). In this setting you get no null but a constant 'whoof' sound from all the iron. There ain't a whole lot of coins on an old placer claim so any higher, clear sounds are going to be tabs, foil or gold. Reject the aluminum with the small cursor after you dig a handful. The foil and/or tabs will probably be all the same type on any one claim and are easy to block . Any gold or alum. will be in the 'overlay pattern'. Any lead(bullets/sinkers) , which sounds similar to gold, will be at the far right side of the screen way out of the pattern.

Bud