Advice on a pinpointer

[Ridge Runner]

The TRX doesn't cause any of my VLF or multi-frequency detectors to false, only an issue with PI detectors, much like many others on the market. The Profind and Makro are the only others on the market that disconnect the coil circuit when not in use to prevent detector falsing.

The TRX will pick up a small mount of gold flakes in a jar from 5mm, and I believe I may have been mistaken on the sensitivity setting for that last nugget test (may have been on setting 3 vs 4), as the TRX will actually get 30mm on the 0.35gm nugget. Though in reality these pinpointers weren't made for the purpose of finding nuggets, and the use of them on highly mineralised ground may require backing off on the sensitivity a fair bit to prevent falsing (hence make a lot of these "air tests" null & void")

The Pro-find and x-pointer simply do not have the required sensitivity for the goldfields, but then again they are marketed and built to satisfy the coin/relic hunters, both of which do a good job for their intended purpose. Chances are that it will be quicker to locate small targets using a plastic scoop and detector coil vs rummaging around with a pinpointer. Just my view anyway, if it works for you, then no reason to change.

Yep, They are all good at their original Job but when you Add the Human to the Mix it goes a little off track,

I Prefer the Older one because it can see tiny things but the new ones are a better shape,

John

 

[Goldpick]

Thanks for the feedback...

I tested a number of items with 4 diferent pin pointers.

ML profind, garrett , xpointer and nokia rs.

All had issues with small gold and small lead shot...

Tested 3 xpointers and all about the same but one was .maybe a bit better. They all got a tiny SS ballbearing, but not lead of the same size.

Have to do some more testing out in the field and ground balance...

I can make adjustments, but that would take them out of manufacturing specs. However I will look at one of my test units, and see if I can tweak. But it may then work on tiny stuff but loose on the other items....

AM from the field, vis slow data connectuon.

G'day AM

If a tweak is possible to achieve small gold / lead detection I would be over the moon and very
appreciative , if not no stress, as I have decided to head to the beach sometime and try my hand at a little
detecting and I will have it in the holster ready to go

I am sure there is a technical reason , but to a newbie like myself I just can't get my head around its
ability to pick up a minute bit of wire but not lead shot or gold of that size.

Please keep me in the loop re tweak if it works out

Cheers

Probably because the wire higher conductivity in comparison to lead and gold. Same reason why my infinium will struggle to pick up a small gold, but manages to pick up every little bit of wire from a mile around, and at a decent depth.

 

[PhaseTech]

Yep, iron is picked up by a magnet, gold and lead are not. This is why Iron is much more easily picked up by a detector.

 

[AngerManagement]

Have a look at this table as linked below, and then look at the Atomic number and the Density etc. There are significant and obvious differences...

Further more there are 101 other physical properties that become involved...

Thus for small items, the way metal detectors work by interfering with a magnetic field; the ability to identify/detect some items is not so easy.

NOTE: If it was east to detect small gold pieces, the industry would be all over it at a commercial level; let alone the ML 4500 or 5000 or SDC2300 for hobby use.

So if a $3000 EDC2300 is able to find small gold, don't think a $150 - $250 pin-pointer is going to out perform an SDC2300.

If it did, no one would be buying the SDC2300 :lol:

http://www.ptable.com/

 

[Bacchus]

I had not planned to contribute to this thread again however in view of your post AM , and in the spirit of
fair comparison I will. I met a fellow forum member yesterday morning for a swing , lending me his Minelab Pro Find
we tested the same gold ( being my test piece ) with it , it chirped like a bloody Canary at 15mm !
We then conducted tests in ground for side detection as if scraping the small bit from a hole , once again the Pro Find found the bit with ease , obviously my colleague is wrapped with his unit.
NOTE : So whilst I would not in any way ,shape ,or form , expect a $150 to $250 pinpointer to perform like an SDC , one Pin Pointer
in that price range did work as I had expected , and one did not !
Whether intentional or not , you did make me feel like a bit of a Dill when you informed me that " I don't know
many hard core gold people that use pinpointers " and " I am unaware of any pinpointers that will work with sub gram nuggets"
now the only thing I feel silly about is choosing the wrong Pin pointer for my requirements as one clearly does

Once again I hope this information helps those looking for a pinpointer as a gold detection aid

comment made without Prejudice just disappointment

 

[AngerManagement]

Beacchus..

Was never intentional to make you feel in any way offended. But called a spade as I have seen and experienced first hand as to pin-pointers and sub gram nuggets.

It may well be that your unit is not performing at its best... But to save any further issues...

If you are as dis satisfied as you sound, then PM me and I may be more than happy to have the unit and accessories sent back to me and I will refund the purchase price; should the unit be in a fair condition.

AM

 

[Bacchus]

As the unit was sold and purchased in good faith and it operates as intended for use without defect
I have no recourse nor do I intend to claim any.
If I am one thing it is fair , and like to see all things represented with Full transparency , that , I defend , and thus my comments for the benefit of others. I will attempt to sell the unit and hope it serves it's new relic hunter well , the loss I will cop, as a reminder of my decision without full investigation and as it allows me a clear conscience when reporting the superiority of the Minelab unit in this type of gold recovery over the Detenix

 

[PhaseTech]

Bacchus, did you check what Sensitivity both units were set to? And did you see at what level the units began to false signal on the ground?
I have found that the Xpointer has quite a wide range, even though it only has 4 settings.

With small gold, a plastic scoop is fast and effective. A pin-pointer comes into use when recovering larger targets at depth. The deeper the hole, the harder is it to make bigger, and if you're not exactly sure where the target is, only makes matters worse. Now even if the pin-pointer only goes 2 inches on the particular target, knowing its location at the bottom of a deep hole can save you a lot of time and sweat. So this is my main use for a pin-pointer when it comes to gold detecting.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Bacchus, did you check what Sensitivity both units were set to? And did you see at what level the units began to false signal on the ground?
I have found that the Xpointer has quite a wide range, even though it only has 4 settings.

With small gold, a plastic scoop is fast and effective. A pin-pointer comes into use when recovering larger targets at depth. The deeper the hole, the harder is it to make bigger, and if you're not exactly sure where the target is, only makes matters worse. Now even if the pin-pointer only goes 2 inches on the particular target, knowing its location at the bottom of a deep hole can save you a lot of time and sweat. So this is my main use for a pin-pointer when it comes to gold detecting.

We leave the big nuggets behind for you, So you Only need A Kmart special.

 

[Bacchus]

G'day Nenad

First test was an air test , then we tested the Minelab unit in a hole approx 4 inches deep with 3 inches of loose soil for side detection ,location just past the old sluice dam loose gravel and broken clay , he first tried his minelab unit on the highest level which falsed, he dropped it back one setting whicheliminayed any falsing and proved the best setting for finding the gold , I then tried the minelab on an even smaller piece of gold in an air test and was amazed as it also picked it up. The Detenix unit would not pick up the gold on any setting in my testing of it , I previously used a plastic scoop and will continue to do so particularly at Jupiter Creek , I agree with your comment on deeper holes and look forward to having such a problem.

Dumbing the whole thing down,for the novice in detecting like myself, the Minelab did register on small gold , and I was thankful for the opportunity , by chance , in being able to test it, because the opinion I was forming in reading this thread and correspondence with AM as quoted , was that no unit would pick up small gold. The information provided by RR is interesting and perhaps Whites are missing an opportunity in not being aggressive enough in marketing their product as I had not been aware of it.

Finally as I am sure you would own a Pro Find as well as a Detenix, would you be good enough at some point to run a test on small gold and post the results on here for my benefit in making sure my Detenix does not have an issue , and for others like myself spending money developing their detecting arsenal and may wish to pinpoint small bits ?

Cheers

 

[Ridge Runner]

G'day Nenad

because the opinion I was forming in reading this thread and correspondence with AM was that no unit would pick up small gold. The information provided by RR is interesting and perhaps Whites are missing
an opportunity in not being as aggressive enough in marketing their product as I had not been aware of it.

Finally as I am sure you would own a Pro Find as well as a Detenix, would you be good enough to run a test on small
gold and post the results on here for my benefit in making sure my Detenix does not have an issue , and for others like myself spending money developing their detecting arsenal ?

Cheers

Here's the Crazy bit about my Test of the Whites Bullseye II, My Detector can and will pick up Targets as small as 1.5 grains But My Test piece weighs 2.2 but because of the shape of it my detector can't see it yet My Probe/ pinpointer does and on the Newer Bullseye IIs they have put a Thick Cap covering the end of the probe and I think it would be even more sensitive with out It.

John

 

[Goldtarget]

Ml will pick up sub gram. I'm not saying definitively, but regularly depending on orientation, size, mineralization and depth. I would think it was pointless having a pi pinpointer if it didn't.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Ml will pick up sub gram. I'm not saying definitively, but regularly depending on orientation, size, mineralization and depth. I would think it was pointless having a pi pinpointer if it didn't.

Yes so does this one and the Test Piece weighs 0.13grams = 2.2 grains,

I found the piece with a Normal VLF but it took me 20 minates to find it with A pinpointer.

 

[Ivo]

Finally back in Sydney 8.( after 2 weeks away in paradise, aka the farm the neighbor came over with the mail and a package and i was like a kid at crissie again lol opened it and got my pinpointer now have to download a manual for it and I'm ready to go

 

[Cheese]

A pin pointer there a must.
I spent years, hand job. lol.
But the pin pointer you can loosen the ground and find that sucker,
and be like a gardner that helps the vegetation grow better, nice.
Some 1 could earn a packet if they invented a claw that has a pointer.
This would be good for the detecting image and
great for the fossickers.

 

[wombat]

Ivo could you give us a report on the Whites pin pointer after you have tried it out a few times as I'm thinking of getting one. I have heard that they are better than the Minelab pin pointer. And they can be used with the Minelab GPX machines, not like the Garrett pin pointers.
wombat

 

[treasure seeker]

I'm going to go with the "Whites"

 

[Fortune Seeker]

Keep me posted on what you think. I'm in the market for one too

 

[rocketaroo]

Had high regard for the Xpointer, until it started to intefere with ramjets AT pro. The at pro could be 3 metres away, from the xpointer, and still chirp madly. The xpointer doesnt effect my ace350, until it is within 40cms or so. I will prob sell the pointer, and ace350 together when/if I upgrade. Pointer works very well otherwise.

 

[AngerManagement]

At Pro, change the frequency....