Need Some Advice on Anderson Rod

[Rockin Chairs Gold]

Not to long ago I purchased a new Minelab Excalibur ll with the 10" loop.

I also own a Tesoro Sting Ray ll water detector and find the Minelab to be some what heavier and more out of balance then the Sting Ray. I like the Minelabs function and Audio Target ID, it's even a little easier to use then the Sting Ray. I don't have to ground ballance the Minelab, set the sweep speed, and the EMI doesn't seem to bother the Minelab as much as my Sting Ray.

Problem is I'm 65 years old and I need to get the balance a little better on the Minelab, just wares me out to quickly to swing it. I am looking at purchasing a Anderson Rod to help with this problem but can't decide whether to purchase the Long Mount with the electronics behind the arm rest, or the Under Mount with the electronics under the arm rest would work best to solve my problem.

Could sure use some input from you guys & gals out there using these rods.

Thanks: Rick

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[Les West Central Fl]

Long shaft takes a lot of weight off your arm and is better balanced. There are other long shafts available, check around.

 

[cntrydncr1]

get the long one. I can swing that for along time as it is so nicely balanced. Or hip mount it.

 

[Probed]

I have the standard Anderson in carbon fibre. To me its a big improvement over the stock shaft. Im always in lake water but if I were swinging over beach I'd try the longshaft for the balance advantage.

 

[Rockin Chairs Gold]

Thanks everyone for your input. The long shaft like you folks makes good since. I hunt mostly in the water, and as long as I don't disturb beach bathers I'll hunt the sand also.

This is why I belong to these forums is to learn. I have been in this hobby for 42 years and have hunted in the water since 1976. It is a always changing and advancing (like my age) hobby. When you quit learning and asking questions it is time to get out, and as long as this body will keep going I'll keep hunting and learning.

Thanks again everyone. Rick

 

[Can Slaw]

I have been using a straight shaft for years, but it is not the solution to lighten up the Excalibur. I wound up making a neck mount (chest mount) for the controls and battery pod. It took about 10 minutes to make, and all but the one 99 cent clip, from scrap material in the garage. It's a lot cheaper and much more efficient than an Anderson shaft.

Material needed
14 inch piece of 1/2 inch PVC or electrical conduit
3, 1.5 or 2 inch 1/4 20 nylon nuts and bolts
1-neck strap with plastic clips from digital camera that I never used. I bought a spare at Goodwill for 50 cents with a padded strap
1-3 inch aluminum spring clip, 99 cent at home depot.

1. 14 inch piece of 1/2 inch PVC pipe, I used electrical conduit because it is thicker. 4 inches from the top mark and drill the 3 holes for your battery and control housing.

2. drill 2 holes at the top of the pipe large enough for your neck strap hooks, one on each side of the pipe. I staggered the hole (one higher that the other) so not to weaken the pipe.

3. drill a 3/8 in hole on what will be your belt side of the pipe for the spring clip to hook through then attach to your waste belt.

4- paint pipe black, so it doesn't look home made.

5 - bolt battery and control housing to pipe using 3 nylon bolts and nuts. I faced mine left as I swing right handed and didn't want to be hitting the knobs.

6- attach neck strap and adjust for comfort, mine is 30 in before clipping to pipe.

7- Put 3 inch spring clip through 3/8 in hole in bottom and run your waist belt through this clip. I use a 2 inch web belt from a dive shop that my finds bag is attached to.

That's it, no more weight swinging through the water and you can use your stock shaft and save a $100.

Hope this helps, it sure did for me.

 

[Les West Central Fl]

My problem having the controls around the neck is that I use a long handled scoop and have to lean forward a lot but it may work real good with other hunters.

 

[Can Slaw]

Les,

With the controls clipped to the belt and the neck strap firm around the neck, I have not had a flopping issue, the controls stay tight against my chest. I also use a long handle scoop. But as you said, it may not be for everyone.

 

[Sandman]

I am older than you and have used the neck mount for years to take the weight off the arm. I use a long handled scoop like everyone else but the controls are bungeed about my chest to restrict flopping. I found that the silly arm cuff bothered me the most where I had to pull the arm out of the cuff and insert it again to start searching.

 

[Dano Sverige]

Ebay...rods_from_plugger great shafts (get the 3 piece then you can have behind the elbow or below it using just 2 pieces.) and cheaper than Anderson.

 

[TexasRT]

Ebay...rods_from_plugger great shafts (get the 3 piece then you can have behind the elbow or below it using just 2 pieces.) and cheaper than Anderson.

I agree with Dano, I have a Rods by Plugger straight shaft rear mount (behind elbow mount) on one of my Excal II's. The balance is unreal and the fatigue from weight is gone.
I also took the extra S shaft I had left over and modified it to convert my other S shaft into a rear mount (behind the elbow) mount, worked great. If you can came across a used S shaft you could do that for little or nothing.

 

[Rockin Chairs Gold]

Sorry to be so long replying but I have checked out the rods from plugger, and have decided that's they way I want to go. Definitely cheaper.

Thanks again everyone for your input, you have all been a great help. Rick

 

[OBN]

Idea I got from the King Of Swing....VB Max

Threw together for a test run this past weekend in Oc...A water proof sovereign in a backpack. Super lite on the swingarm and once you get it set you can swing all day. Going to change a few things around before the next trip to the beach in May. This setup has remote PP/discrimination on the handle, straight Alum shaft, 8 inch excal II coil, hidden coil wires, Sovereign Coil Amp, and the heart, a Old Sovereign Xs2 in a water proof bag. After using it for a few hours, then going back to the regular excal on a straight shaft, like the anderson, the excal was heavy......

 

[stitchlips]

Don't hip mount it. It will eventually break the wires inside. Make your own long shaft. I got a piece of aluminum boat tubing from the local shop for around 10 bucks and It is like a new machine.