Extended Carbon Fiber Shafts


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Hi all... I'm prepping for my yearly trip down to the Australian gold fields and am thinking of taking down some extended carbon fiber shafts with me for my GPX and those of a couple friends....

I'm familiar with Doc's shafts (never owned but have seen the video etc)... I'm seeking input on those who have purchased these or others and the best prices you've found..

Thanks all
Jennifer

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Hi Ridge Runner.... yes sir I believe I'll get a chance to at least see how one works.

I'll be spending time with my "Aussie Nugget Finding Mentor" Greckie from Golden Triangle Tours, (see my review located on this forum, of my last time with him and the tours he offers in gold rich Bendigo) and he keeps telling me how much he loves the 2300 so I'm looking forward to seeing one in a master's hands.

Here's a link to his site: http://www.goldentriangletours.com.au

My review: http://forums.nuggethunting.com/index.php?/topic/10956-review-golden-triangle-tours-bendigo-australia

PS: Anyone wanna meet up in LA and fly over together? I'll be down there for a while so you may fly home alone (other than the pockets full of gold you'll find I mean). I'm hoping to possibly bring Greckie here to do some seminars on some of my claims in the Canadian gold fields..... stay tuned.

If anyone is serious about wanting to meet up and go down together..... let me know..... I'm sure Greckie would love to have another foreign accent on board to make fun of..... :)

In all seriousness, it's an experience you'll not soon forget.

Cheers

Jennifer

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Hi Jennifer,

I have a few of Doc's shafts, and on every one the plastic pins that hold the coil connector on the end to the shaft itself, the pins want to work out. After the first one I just wrapped them all with electrical tape before using, no issues since. These are several years old, new ones may be improved. Good otherwise and not really complaining, just something to be aware of.

For some off reason the aftermarket guys make stuff slightly off of Minelab standard so some coil and rod combinations are too tight, some too sloppy. The end on Docs rod is larger than some and so a snug fit with some coils, too big for others.

Have a great trip - hope you score a monster nugget!

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Thanks Steve, always value your opinion... sounds like as long as you're aware of it going in, they're ok... maybe I'll see if the Coiltek ones are still available.

Does anyone on the board have any experience with the Coiltek shafts/have a source?

Cheers

Jen

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Check w/ Herb; he's made shafts for a few years. I have factory long shafts on all my coils (for easy switch). I try to follow Doc's 'Detecting naked' but still noisy. Herb was selling upper shafts and I talked him into making me a 36-38?" custom upper shaft. Excellent, Love it! Have had no issues with it

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I have coiltec shafts, minelab stock shafts and Doc's...as Steve said the pin wants to back out of Doc's and they are a little large for NF mounts....

The minelab shaft is new, the coiltec is pretty old now and Docs were bought when he first made them ...I just use Doc's shafts on any other coil than NF...

fred

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I got one of Doc's longest shafts, forget the measure, but the longest ...I figured I could put either my CT 6" M Round or my Joey m on it and get way back into the catsclaw without getting snake bit ... Well, it turns out that only the shortest hole will accommodate my ML upper shaft because the coils have limited cable lengths ... I like the idea, but it didn't work out for me very well ... I did get a little extra length but not what I hoped ... The shorter lengths are great, just don't bother with the really long one ... Cheers, Unc

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Ron, kind of was in same situation. As said, have long shafts on all coils and have custom long shaft on upper. Crazy thing found, seems like larger coils have less cable length. I just extend as long as cable allows.

Don't know why the discussion on others; Herbs shafts don't fail!

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  • 7 years later...

IMO, Doc's carbon fiber shaft for the Gold monster 1000 is not worth the $. It weighs 11oz when the original shaft weighs 12.2oz, you can't notice any weight difference. The lower half is not carbon fiber, it's thick walled fiberglass, much heavier than carbon fiber and the plastic ends that fit onto the coil are thick heavy plastic. The original lower shaft is lighter than the upgrade due to the plastic end. Had they used carbon fiber for the lower shaft, it would be lighter and worth the upgrade. There's a reason why they never disclose the weight of the shaft. I feel like I wasted $100. 

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  • 1 month later...
  • Admin

Hey Steve,

  Doc's Essential Shaft Kit was designed for the user to have the ability to at least adjust the length.  I  don't think Doc or anyone has claimed it's lighter, just the fact the upper is Carbon Fiber and the Lowers are Fiberglass.  The lowers are the same shafts that Doc's designs for the SD/GP or GPX series.  

The only other option is the Detect Ed shafts, which are designed for the Minelab Equinox series, but do fit on the GM 1000.  I'm trying to get more in, but they are very hard to get right now.  They are a bit pricey at $129 - 169 range depending on the color and style.  

Minelab states their lower shaft is "Collapsible," but it IS NOT.  It's really a 3 piece shaft that you have to unscrew, so Doc's Essential Rod Kit that we sell is the next best option.  

Hope this helps a bit,

Rob

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  • 1 month later...

Rob I don't know if you remember this but back around 2008  when I lived on ghost town you stopped by to deliver a new coil on your way out hunting. Do you remember we discussed the carbon fiber coil shafts and upper handles I was building. I was doing alot of experimenting with them and discovered that not all metal detectors work well with carbon fiber lower shafts. Upper shafts are ok but not always lower. as I recall It seems that on some detectors primarily VLF’s it dumbs down the coils. So this may be why Doc is not using carbon fiber on his lower shafts.

AzNuggetBob

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Rob 

When I first built the carbon fiber detector handles it wasn't to lighten them up, it had nothing to do with weight. It was to get rid of the upper metal mass (aluminum) in the older Minelab detector handles.

I also made them longer to get the coil out further away from my body. I made jokes in the past about carrying to much metal on my body while nugget hunting, you know guns, knives, big belt buckels, to many gold fillings etc. 🤣

AzNuggetBob

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