DOC Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 Here are pictures of the first prototype of Doc's Gold Screamer® Brand GPZ7000 cover.Looks pretty good, the cover is well fitted and cushioned inside with neoprene. The bottom has conveyor belt material stitched on for durability and to protect the detector.Probably looking at 30 days.Looking good!Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 Looks like a good update to the Thesaurus Detecting cover which fit really baggy and didn't have the sturdy material on the bottom.The screen over the speaker on the wireless receiver is a nice feature too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasong Posted June 27, 2015 Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 That looks like the best cover out of any I've seen, nice. Is it quick and easy to remove the battery? Looks like a flap or removable panel back there?Do you have a price for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted June 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 That looks like the best cover out of any I've seen, nice. Is it quick and easy to remove the battery? Looks like a flap or removable panel back there?Do you have a price for them?Yes the back opens up to allow you to remove or install the battery. No price yet. Soon though. Couple of tweaks that need to be made that they have to figure in. I have looked at all the covers available and they were a disappointment. They seem to have been made by someone who makes covers, but doesn't own a detector or understands the rigors of detecting.It is a long process of getting a prototype and then getting into production. First you have to get it to look good. Then you take it out in the field and use it and decide how to make it WORK good. First prototype of the SDC2300 cover just had a 2 inch piece of webbing on the bottom to increase the durability. At the end of the day it was filthy. So I decided we needed to use something better, like single ply conveyor belt material. I think the rubber material on the bottom is important for two reasons, protects the cover and machine from wear, and unlike fabric, you can wipe it off with a damp cloth instead of having a fabric bottom cover which is sitting on the ground accumulating dirt all day long.The one company that makes a cover said they made them from measurements provided to them by Minelab. WHAT? That means they didn't even have a detector to make sure they got the fit correct? The end result is a baggy poorly fitting cover.I make products to last. I put my name on them, it's my reputation that is at stake.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredm Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Doc, you are always thinking!May I suggest a couple of pointed feet on the bottom to keep the detector from sliding around and to raise it just a little above the dirt...just a freely given thought.fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted June 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Doc, you are always thinking!May I suggest a couple of pointed feet on the bottom to keep the detector from sliding around and to raise it just a little above the dirt...just a freely given thought.fredHi Fred,I like that idea, however, I see some challenges. First I don't know what material we would use for pointed feet. I would imagine it would have to be something that we would attach to the bottom of the conveyer belt material. If we used something hard for the feet, I am not clear on how we would attach it? Then there is the issue of breakage. Feet would me more easily damaged. I have seen that on my GPZ7000 when I was not using a cover.I would be on my knees digging a hole and pull my detector coil up next to me, the movement of dragging those little plastic feet on the bottom of the GPZ7000 across the desert gravel broke them clean off. So for me, being able to freely move the machine is a plus.We may have to think about this for the second production run. I am thinking that this might have to be something that was a custom manufactured foot. Maybe something made of hard rubber with a flange so it could be stitched to the bottom. ___[ ]___ Something like this.I do appreciate any and all suggestions. I had considered using a rough conveyor belt bottom, but it picked up so much dirt that I decided to use thesmooth belting instead. Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredm Posted June 29, 2015 Report Share Posted June 29, 2015 I understand the problem. I was thinking of a foot similar to what you might find on luggage or those pop-up shade-cover cases...then bolted or screwed and glued. Of course the assembly and construction has to be cost-effective and Gorrilla Proof...that is a real challenge...for you!!!fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I understand the problem. I was thinking of a foot similar to what you might find on luggage or those pop-up shade-cover cases...then bolted or screwed and glued. Of course the assembly and construction has to be cost-effective and Gorrilla Proof...that is a real challenge...for you!!!fredIf you had a hard foot that screwed on, then my fear would be you drop the detector, and the screwed on foot does damage to the detector. Fred designing stuff you always have to think 12 steps ahead. Well what if this happens? Well what if they do this? Well what about that.And then even after your best efforts, you have to take the final prototype out and use it. The SDC2300 cover was perfect (or so I thought.) I took it out and used it and one of the loops that holds the arm cuff open fell off, because they forgot to double stitch the end of the webbing and the belt buckle was able to slide right off instead of being stopped by the double stitched end.Thankfully I discovered it and got it fixed before we did the production run of 500 pieces.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tortuga Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 My only comment is on the hood on the screen. My Thesaurus Detecting cover came with one and I didn't think it made the screen clearer or shaded it much. But good thing it's removable.Doc you should also come up with a better velcro strap for the armrest. The one that comes with the GPZ just seems cheap. But it works I guess.I've always been really impressed with the beefy armrest covers and straps Eureka Worx makes for the GPX's. Something padded like that for the GPZ would be nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted June 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 Eureka Worx makes really nice stuff.I have been thinking about and arm cuff cover. I have to chew on it a bit more.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredm Posted June 30, 2015 Report Share Posted June 30, 2015 I know and understand Doc;conceiving and then producing a useable product requires considerable effort and patience; I admire anyone with the skills to do that. Often times people will say they could build a certain product themselves for a lot less. Sure it is possible. But they are usually borrowing the design and concept from someone like you or Chris Porter of Hipstick fame...If it is a product I want or need i always support the inventor. If i don't want or need it I still admire the work!And, I expect the vendor to make money on the deal, why else be in business?fred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOC Posted July 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Dear Fred,I appreciate your comments.The biggest deal is to order in large enough quantities to keep the price really reasonable. If I were to only order 50 of these, the price would be around $250 each.So I have to order at least 500 to get the price down to a reasonable retail. Each prototype costs me $150 and $75 shipping to get it to me to make corrections, and $75 to send it back. So you figure on the average each new cover takes about three revisions, so I have $900 invested before I even have 1 cover to sell.Not a cheap proposition. If I air freight them I can figure on a $10 per cover charge. If I sea freight them, it takes longer but it only runs about $2 a cover.Everything is a calculation to make sure I get the best product to you guys at the lowest price while still making some kind of reasonable profit.Thank you for your kind words.Doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin nuggethunting Posted July 1, 2015 Admin Report Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hey Doc, All of your products have been top notch, so I'm sure the new covers will be right there with the rest of the stuff. Let me know when you get both covers available for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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