Homemade skid plates

[travelergold]

Just spent an hour making a skid plate for SDC2300 after minlab ones seem to be pathetic.
Purchased plastic sheet, called HIPS from menzel plastics.
Cut a mould from scrap chip board sheet by tracing around coil.
Cut some sheet and clamped to mould then heated edges with heat gun and used a block of wood to form edges up on mould while keeping it flat on other chipboard.
Slowly worked around mould and then used screw driver to get of mould.
It fitted nice and firm on coil so very impressed, just needs a tidy up now.
I left extra where knuckle is to protect knuckle, but next one will leave even more.
Here is some pictures. Gotta be better than p!s weak minelab ones.

 

[Jaros]

Very innovative traveler gold. erfect:

 

[Manpa]

Just spent an hour making a skid plate for SDC2300 after minlab ones seem to be pathetic.
Purchased plastic sheet, called HIPS from menzel plastics.
Cut a mould from scrap chip board sheet by tracing around coil.
Cut some sheet and clamped to mould then heated edges with heat gun and used a block of wood to form edges up on mould while keeping it flat on other chipboard.
Slowly worked around mould and then used screw driver to get of mould.
It fitted nice and firm on coil so very impressed, just needs a tidy up now.
I left extra where knuckle is to protect knuckle, but next one will leave even more.
Here is some pictures. Gotta be better than p!s weak minelab ones.

TG, look at a product called Kydex for future use, this product is used for making knife sheaths, gun holsters etc.

Google and you tube it for some vids.

 

[travelergold]

Thanks manpa, will have a look. Just interested how this plastic will go. Seems flexible but hard enough to take a bashing.
Just thought that if this worked they will cost less than $5 bucks each.

 

[Peko]

Thanks manpa, will have a look. Just interested how this plastic will go. Seems flexible but hard enough to take a bashing.
Just thought that if this worked they will cost less than $5 bucks each.

I have been making my own out of polycarb for years,minimum 12 months out of each skid plate,

 

[savage bitter]

their is a member here who makes them cheap as chips and go better than the minilab skid plate I have one and it works well

 

[Booney]

Well done, great idea :idea: Travelergold pls keep us updated on how your skid plate preforms and wears . Im looking for a new idea as I go through a few . Seems Im a bit of a scrubber. :Y:
Also interested to hear if anyone is making them available for sale I did see a heavy duty version advertised once but cant remember where .Cheers Booney

 

[MikeB05]

their is a member here who makes them cheap as chips and go better than the minilab skid plate I have one and it works well

Can you direct me to this member please. I am willing to pay for a good quality skid plate. Thanks in advance
Mike

 

[steve f]

me too

 

[travelergold]

I will see how these go when in Tibooburra. If ok will make some more and a few for the 7000 14" coil.

 

[DanielMaranello]

What thickness plastic did you settle on Travelergold?

 

[travelergold]

Hi, we used 1.5 mm thick as they had no 1mm in at the time. The wife give it a good bashing when we was in tibuburra and am very impressed. Then a mate used same skid plate for a week in victoria and loved it. It shows no wear.
Some people never tojch the ground but we are both scrapers, and in tibuburra the quartz chews the edges to bits in no time.
That particular plastic I used seem the ducks nuts.
For those that are interested, I could make a few and post. I would leave the longer knuckle protector on plate as that works well. But I have not tried to fold up the detector, we store on open position. Cheers

 

[G0lddigg@]

very similar to the nugget finder heavy duty skid plates mate

 

[Moneybox]

If you're serious about making skid plates then I suggest you setup for vacuum forming. You need an oven with sufficient size to house the sheet you intend to use which is quite small for the average skidplate. Then setup our vacuum. This can be done using an air compressor by changing the compressor plumbing so that it draws its air from the tank instead of exhausting into the tank. You need a frame around a porous board, perhaps pegboard. On the underside you'll draw the vacuum, on top side you'll place your mould with your heated plastic clamped around the edges (sealed) then when you apply the vacuum it will wrap your mould in plastic. Horizontal sections of your plastic will remain about the original thickness but all vertical areas will be much thinner as the sheet will stretch down. I suggest you form them from HDPE. It's tough and very long wearing. You need high airflow when applying the vacuum.

 

[G0lddigg@]

vacuum forming can be good fun I've built a few tables over the years.

 

[Moneybox]

vacuum forming can be good fun I've built a few tables over the years.

I was setting up to make them but then I bought the GPX6000 and those original skidplates are nearly bulletproof so I gave up on making them.

 

[G0lddigg@]

I was setting up to make them but then I bought the GPX6000 and those original skidplates are nearly bulletproof so I gave up on making them.

we sell quite a few skid lpates for the 6000s mate both standard and nugget finders heavy duty plates. mostly for miners in qld scrubbing bedrock

 

[wiley coyote]

This can be done using an air compressor by changing the compressor plumbing so that it draws its air from the tank instead of exhausting into the tank.

Hi Moneybox. That conversion from compressor to vacuum is very interesting. Could you give me some info on how to do it, so I can make one? Cheers.

 

[Moneybox]

Hi Moneybox. That conversion from compressor to vacuum is very interesting. Could you give me some info on how to do it, so I can make one? Cheers.

wiley, it's a very simple process of removing the aircompressor output pipe from the compressor itself. Remove the aircleaner and using plumbing that will not suck flat, eg; copper pipe, connect this suction port to the aircompressor tank. You will only pull one atmosphere but that is sufficient for vacuum forming.

 

[wiley coyote]

Thanks for that Moneybox. Does this trick also work on a direct drive compressor? I've got a couple of those that I don't use anymore. wiley.