Minelab Excalibur series tips, settings, questions

[Goldtarget]

Great story. Two things shine through.... Firstly you sound like a reasonable guy who had a genuine complaint and handled it in a calm and concise manner. Secondly once the right person within the process got a hold of the information they appear to have done what they could to make things right even after the process initially turned pear shape.

That right there is a good news story. To be fair and not bashing minelab they should have made good and I'm glad they did. The fact they went over and above is the point that really matters. Just fixing up an initial mistake just doesn't cut it. I hope you are back finding bigger and better treasures in no time. Thumbs up minelab.

 

[Robert Le Mal]

thanks Redfin & Goldtarget.... it was well resolved. I am happy with the outcome.
Now waiting for the detector

 

[Robert Le Mal]

went for a dive at Mornington today... was supposed to yesterday as a fun birthday thing but a bad migraine screwed me over for most of the day.
So I went today. Dived under the pier and just took video.

Then took the new Excalibur II to the beach round the point. Not much to find at all. Number of ring pulls = number of decent finds. Don't normally get that with the CTX but it's a totally different machine. Need to get the hours up on the Excal so I'm familiar with it... at the moment I'm pretty much a total noob.

Under water the Excal is fine to handle, wading it's a heavy unbalanced beast. Which means I'll have to modify the shaft if I'm going to use it wading.
Anyway the junk...
these came from a cut close to the beach in front of some of the bathing boxes. Shouldn't be iron but no idea yet. I suspect they're brass hinges or similar from a wrecked box. Will take them to the local dive shop tomorrow and use the sonic cleaner thingy while my tank is being filled up.

All of this came from one spot which was only about 5 x 5 meters. The scoop came up with clay on the nose and I knew the sand was thin. Bam ...good looking ring... then straight after that the cheapie ring... Spent 2 hours at the beach and what you see I got in 15 minutes once I found that spot.

Will have to get something better to magnify with- can't make out the mark

Again a bad foto but looks gold & silver

Cheapie ring - which has marks in it too but can't read them. Just looks like brass though

 

[k man]

Good finds there me harty

 

[Goldpick]

Been a long time coming, but good to see you picking up some jewellery at last. What do the rings come up as on the CTX, might give a better indication as to what they are?

 

[Robert Le Mal]

I might try passing the brass looking one over the CTX's coil but the shiny one looks to be made up of silver and maybe (fingers crossed gold). The foto I took is rubbish and doesn't show the difference in colours.

 

[the duck]

this may help you just move left and right and all will be revealed
http://1945.melbourne/

 

[Robert Le Mal]

Hey Duck that's like magic..... thanks so much.
I have been getting old photos from Melb Uni (I think) and overlaying them on google maps but this rocks big time.
Supposed to be doing office work but....

 

[Sandta]

Hey Duck that's like magic..... thanks so much.
I have been getting old photos from Melb Uni (I think) and overlaying them on google maps but this rocks big time.
Supposed to be doing office work but....

Priorities ... Right

That is an awesome app/site
Wish there was one for all areas

 

[silver]

I totally agree Sandta.

 

[Robert Le Mal]

so I worked on the 3 mystery lumps of concreted smeg ... and it turns out they were all mineralized padlocks.

Suspect they were thrown from the beach bathing boxes ....

 

[Golddiga]

I brought a Minelab Excalibur 2 a few weeks ago (with a great cash back offer deposited directly into my bank account from Minelab) for the beach around the gold coast and maybe use while scuba diving. It turns out it's not only great for diving and the beach but it's the best thing for making your grandsons (5 and 7) think they are real pirates. After getting the head phones on them and getting the sound of a target in there mind, away we went. The look on their face when they find a $2 coin (planted by Pop), PRICELESS. Digging the target the 5 year old looks at me and says Pop I feel like a REAL PIRATE. The BEST thing I have ever brought for getting the family out and about and having fun. The Minelab Excalibur is worth the price ten times over. Just as good is the cash back reward from Minelab

 

[Goldpick]

Better start saving for two more detectors for the grandkids, sounds like they are already hooked.

 

[Sandta]

Priceless

 

[Bretto0o]

Hi all
I have a option to go on some private property which has old gold mines.
Thinking about the excalibur and what it may find.
Found all sorts of finds on the beach.
Will it find a small say 1 gram nugget?
Thanks in advanced for your thoughts.

 

[Ben berrell]

Hi I am seeking anybodys feedback regarding the Minelab Excalibur 2. Would be great if anybody can give me feedback on the following issues:
- Control box leaking
- Knobs breaking
- Poor quality headphones.

Regards

Ben

 

[Lancelot]

I personally haven't used one myself but have read every review known to man - in terms of the good, it's the highest rated machine against it's 4-5 competitors - It's a true blue water submersible machine and Minelab appears to take better care of their Aussie customers than they do in the USA.

In terms of the bad, well, I've heard of new units that failed to function out of the box and understand that some have stated that the control knobs can spin around on their shafts rendering the controls useless. Aside from this, I've heard of them flooding internally which would leave the device destroyed.

A couple of reasons stop me from purchasing an Excal, it shocked me that a sub 2K factory detector may not be tested before it's sold, and the second is that this unit most likely needs an update/upgrade yet this 1980's looking spear gun remains the same as it was so many years ago.

I'll stick with a Garrett for now.

 

[7.62marksman]

 

[grubstake]

Hi I am seeking anybodys feedback regarding the Minelab Excalibur 2. Would be great if anybody can give me feedback on the following issues:
- Control box leaking
- Knobs breaking
- Poor quality headphones.

I know that PA member AngerManagement (https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/profile.php?id=3760) has had plenty of experience repairing and modifying Excals. If he doesn't notice this thread and respond here (quite likely at this time of year, I'd imagine ), I'd suggest you email him about your concerns - he's a knowledgeable and helpful bloke who could speak from experience on this topic.

 

[AngerManagement]

USER, did I really say that: SALTS.

Ask any one about any machine and you will get Pros and Cons.

You mentioned 3 items; and I will address from a Technical / End view point. Ever user will have their own bias and take.

A: Control tube leaking ? Never seen one do this from NEW; except where they has been user action/interference OR due to some mechanical bump/knock a crack has developed.

After years of use, lack of OR incorrect maintenance or Modifications = Always on the cards.

B: Knobs breaking ? USER involvement here and a knock when transporting or dropping / banging any Detector on the KNOBS is not a good activity. When diving etc, it can get a bit interesting.

After Market Knob guards are available or you make your own.

WARNING. The ML ones are all plastic/moulded for a good reason. Most After Market ones have Brass or Ally or SS collets and this can/will generate problems with RFI AND OR maintenance and also another cause of USERS breaking knobs/Control Tube.

C: Poor quality headphones ? ROFLMFAO... Ask any one about any set of headphones and you will get Pros and Cons / Love Hate.

I like the standard Koss as they come with the machine and work well as a standard item. Once you start modding cables and endcaps etc etc your putting the Excal at risk of the USER and their skills OR lack of.

1: Technically little difference between GG and Koss and Others. The Excal is set to drive into Pizeo disks. It is more often than not the External covers / Ear Pads and the way the Pizeo's are held to the vibration plate; that give subtle differences in performance.

2: Every user has different hearing / just like sight. My glasses will not be ideal for others AND there is Daylight Vs Night time and if you have night blindness you will understand......

Same for Headphones as Waterproof are usually set to work at their best under water at a depth between 3M and 10 M. So when using them when wading or on the beach out of the water; they are not running as designed. Not the Headphone problem = USER once again.

When diving you also have to look at your breathing rate and when you are swinging/pinpointing as there is a lot of noise... Snorkling is so quite...

Simple mods for Dry land for Koss: Gel pads = softer and better fitting on your ears and better at keeping external noise out.

Take the outer covers off and give a couple of coats of a quality rubber type spray. Helps to add to stopping external wind noise etc. You can pack them with a sound proofing compound; but then you should never dive or use in the water...

GG are expensive and I find they are too heavy and still need Gel pads to be functional for my hearing...

PS. The Excal would be the worlds most common and best respected beach and salt water machine that has the ability to discriminate...

But you could go to FB and get all the feedback you want from many that have never used but like to quote what others say... Both Good and Bad.

Like Grubstake - He has read a bit and been around a while; but may not have as much hands on in some aspects. Thus he points the finger for feedback at some one with first hand experience and not gossip... LOL.

Others here will be able to comment even more when it comes to Diving with the Excal as I do not; I just get to mod or fix as and if required... And that often means I have to ask a lot of questions to understand if it was a USER or Machine fault... So I get second hand info as to some user issues or findings (I do use as well) but the technical side is from direct HANDS ON.