How much would a homemade pi detector cost me?

[joejoe]

Title says it all. Maybe have a smaller coil and a larger one.
I know there are many that have the ability to make one and I've had people tell me I should look into it, so now I am looking into it. There are europan/eastern manufacturers that make them, but if someone can make on for a better price it might be an option.
I am sure that others may have similar questions. What is a GENERAL price? Mas o menos. What can one expect to pay? Thanks.

[Qiaozhi]

Title says it all. Maybe have a smaller coil and a larger one.
I know there are many that have the ability to make one and I've had people tell me I should look into it, so now I am looking into it. There are europan/eastern manufacturers that make them, but if someone can make on for a better price it might be an option.
I am sure that others may have similar questions. What is a GENERAL price? Mas o menos. What can one expect to pay? Thanks.

What is your budget and whereabouts in the world do you live? These are two important questions we should know first. Then, what type of detector are you after ... VLF or PI?
I'm sure someone will be willing to build you one. Have you looked at Silverdog's website to see what kits are available?

[joejoe]

Ok, It would go to a states address. I would be interested in a PI, I figure I might be able to get a used vlf for relatively cheap. I will hold off on telling my budget just because if I say I have a million to spend, the quote may come to 900,000 or so!
Something that can check out 3-4 meters well I suppose, nothing too grand. No need to accidently find the devil.
I haven't seen his website, I will go check to find it somehow.

[joejoe]

I took a look at silvedogs. Wow, those things are not very expensive. I wonder how much to glue them together? I see they have surf pi also? An underwater and a land would be good, even a vlf at those prices would be good. I suppose if the prices were very reasonable I could get a couple different type for the price of a standard unit.
What do the builders say? Is that possible?
I'm SURE I'm not the only one with these questions.

[Qiaozhi]

I took a look at silvedogs. Wow, those things are not very expensive. I wonder how much to glue them together? I see they have surf pi also? An underwater and a land would be good, even a vlf at those prices would be good. I suppose if the prices were very reasonable I could get a couple different type for the price of a standard unit.
What do the builders say? Is that possible?
I'm SURE I'm not the only one with these questions.

Yes, the kits are not expensive, but you will need to get one of the U.S. guys to build them. Otherwise the postage may be a problem for a complete detector or two. You might be better off looking on eBay for a secondhand machine, or going to a metal detector dealer to see what they have in their pre-loved collection. At least that could help you to get an idea of what you really want, and you get a chance to handle the machines before making a decision.

[chemelec]

Something that can check out 3-4 meters well I suppose, nothing too grand. No need to accidently find the devil.

3 to 4 METERS?
NOT VERY LIKELY!

[joejoe]

I only said 3-4 meters if it was a pi- I see a lorenze or something claims to go about a million meters. I am really only looking for 3-6 feet. Only a two boxer can do reasonably close, but according to some tests even they can be limited by red clay and hotrox.
Though there are people claiming that their jeotechs can find cables at nearly feet during testing, and voids which is useful. There seems to be strong opinions on them, I've never had one in my hands so I can't say.
Of course, their listed price is $2 k, and for a little more I could get a deepers that does both vlf or pi. Or other pi units.
But 2k is 2 k and if I could get good quality for less sounds good to me. That's why I would like to know a ballpark figure, but as of yet no one says. How much is a homemade vlf and how much is a homemade pi?

[bernte_one]

Title says it all. Maybe have a smaller coil and a larger one.
What is a GENERAL price? Mas o menos. What can one expect to pay? Thanks.

You have to pay some hours of pricious concentrated hard work (i call it hobby, freetime)
some money but not much more than 50 Euro for the popular projects here in forum (stem, coil,machine and power supply)
some minutes for discussion with your wife- for that you don´t go with her in bed
(i love to solder in the night - it´s so quiet overall- no calls, no postmen... and the next morning you wake up it is like birthday or christmas)

p.s. thats a serious answer

[Qiaozhi]

I only said 3-4 meters if it was a pi- I see a lorenze or something claims to go about a million meters. I am really only looking for 3-6 feet. Only a two boxer can do reasonably close, but according to some tests even they can be limited by red clay and hotrox.

As a sort of guide, the maximum theoretical depth for a given size coil is 5x the diameter, and the minimum theoretical target size is 5% of the diameter. Of course, the maximum depth size refers to something the size of a Chieftain tank.

[joejoe]

Ok, thanks bernte. How much do people charge by the hour, and how many hours does it generally take, all goes well?
I know the happiness of doing projects when all is quiet. It's too bad I am usually so worn out by late evening. Running a business and all that, including other projects that keep the boredom away. I would like to learn soldeing and electronics, I ordered a radio kit once, but my friend still has it at his girlfriends mothers house and they are now broken up. Who knows if I will ever see it to learn to build it. They still have the eye gear, gun and everything.
Since I don't know about the electronics of a detector and why something may not work well, it may behoove me to find an electrician that has experience. Do these kits rival the quality of the manufactured ones?
Ok, thanks Qiazhi. What I am looking for are valubles buried in clay pots, boxes (would be great), etc.etc. I figure buried within a few feet, not more. Cache hunting for the most part, small stuff on the side.

[Qiaozhi]

What I am looking for are valubles buried in clay pots, boxes (would be great), etc.etc. I figure buried within a few feet, not more. Cache hunting for the most part, small stuff on the side.

In that case you will probably find it interesting to read this thread ->
http://www.geotech1.com/forums/showt...ght=cache+test
and also the cache test on Gary's site, which sparked off the above thread ->
http://www.garysdetecting.co.uk/hoard_test.htm

[bernte_one]

Ok, thanks bernte. How much do people charge by the hour, and how many hours does it generally take, all goes well?...

hello joejoe
the baracuda legend project seems actually the easiest pi machine
the main components are ready in lets say 6 hours the rest is sawing and drilling some minutes
if you are not so experienced in soldering you can learn the most by yourself in some minutes take some electronic parts a middle class solder iron and a copper strip board and try it

if you had no time maybe a forum member can help you
if you were from europe i would offer you the main coponents for example from surf pi for a fair price (my building costs plus delivery) you have only to build your own stem (shipping it is to expensive for stem)

[joejoe]

Well, lets see. Do you think that the barracuda can handle my condition well enough? How does it work with coils? Do they come with the kit or is that something seperat? I'm looking for 3-5 feet or so (a couple feet more for the pirates that were xtra careful wouldn't be bad). !/2 meter or meter coil I was thinking. I don't imagine postage being too bad. If it could be done quickly, you could mail it to spanish address, OR if there is an already made one that works well.
I suppose those types of details could be PM'd to me, BUT I was wondering if anyone else would go on the record about how much everything would cost, just so others that have a similar situation (looking for a budget route without warranties) could get a general idea of what they are looking at, then they can go the way they think best.
I will go do a search about the barra.

[joejoe]

Qiaozhi- I looked at the thead you gave me and I looked at the gary's test, but all of them were vlf's. Did I miss the pi tests? I don't think I saw any anywhere. I would like to see some testing that people have done with pi's since none of the vlf can register at 2 feet. People always say "pi pi" but so far I haven't found any tests on them.

[Qiaozhi]

Qiaozhi- I looked at the thead you gave me and I looked at the gary's test, but all of them were vlf's. Did I miss the pi tests? I don't think I saw any anywhere. I would like to see some testing that people have done with pi's since none of the vlf can register at 2 feet. People always say "pi pi" but so far I haven't found any tests on them.

From your previous posts it appeared your initial interest was in a PI, but you also mentioned VLF, as if you weren't sure which to get. I pointed you at the cache test for that very reason.