Which project for a newcomer?

[Lefizz]

Hi,
My name Lefizz , I'm English and I am completely new to metal detecting however i would love to build a one. My interest got started when my brother suggested buying my Dad a MD for his xmas present. My brother was going to buy him a basic Viking but after doing a lot of research I suggested getting a Tesoro Compadre.

Anyway after doing the donkey working on choosing the MD i couldnt stop however i cant really justify spending money on one myself. I am totally new of this type of thing however i have built many many audio amps, it used to be a sort of mental disease for me. Some of then were tiny Surface Mount class D amp so my soldering skills are pretty damn good.

Anyway the point of all this is that i would really like to build something and i would like some suggestions. Really the best that can be made without a huge amount of knowledge on the subject however i am very willing to put plenty of time into it.

I was thinking of one of silver dogs kits and would like some thing with a rejection circuit, however i live in Spain so it if could also be used on the beach it would be great.

The IDX-pro sounds very interesting and the TGSL too. I dont have access to a photocopier anymore so i would have to buy the board rather than etch as i used to in my amp days. Which would be the best project to start on.

I think the hardest thing for me would be the coil side of things since i dont have an osciliscope. Could I use either of the project i mentioned with prebuilt coils or should i bite the bullet and build.

Any advice very greatfull recieved.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post but i cant find a general or intro page.

Regards,

Lefizz

[silverdog]

Hello Lefizz, welcome

If you can find a Tesoro coil within your budget then TGSL-EDU would be a good start
IGSL is excellent but more complicated to setup
I have boards arriving next week and also the 2 tone audio mod board

If you can't find a coil you may be better off building a suf pi or baracuda for the beaches, coils are easy to make although there is no rejection on these

regards and good luck

Silverdog

[golfnut]

Andy pretty much got it right there.

If you need something quick - for just to have a go - got to be surf pi. good on wet sand. Or submersed in water.


The igsl is an induction balance machine and you get false signals with this type on wet sand. The coil has 2 separate loops and requires critical mechanical permanent alignment. ok but not a quick do, something to savour!

good luck with any of the kits.

There is a wealth of info on here,

Steve

[6666]

I am completely new to metal detecting

= Silver dog Surfpi kit

I think the hardest thing for me would be the coil side of things since i dont have an osciliscope.

= Surfpi

no disc, just beep and dig , but you can "tune" your ears to some responses,
but very easy cheap beginner project, top quality pcb, works well
the coil is simple wind, try this first and get a working project so you dont get frustrated
then try something more difficult.

[homefire]

Surf PI !

[Lefizz]

First. Of all thanks very nuch for all the advice. I'm totally new the the forum and to get a good selection ofanswers to a boring question for most of you I am very grateful.

Ok I think I am going to do something in the middle of what you all suggested.

I think I will buy two kits, a Surf Pi to learn and use on the beach. I would also like to get something more complicated as a challenge. Having read the coil build guide for the TGSL I don't think its beyond me. Is the coil on the IDX-PRO similar? If so the Lcd screen on that looks really fun. Do the pics come ready programmed?

Really cant wait to start.

Thanks for all the help

[Lefizz]

Just out of interest would any of these do for the TGSL?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?LH_...c0.m1539&gbr=1

[homefire]

Any of the Vaquero Coils should work.

[Qiaozhi]

Just out of interest would any of these do for the TGSL?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?LH_...c0.m1539&gbr=1

Make sure you buy one with a 5-pin connector. The ones with 4-pins have the wrong inductance values for the TGSL.

[smity]

For the beginner.

I started here ... http://fandy.vov.ru/ ClonePI-AVR,ClonePI-W,"Шанс" (Chance) This is an excellent choice to begin with.

[golfnut]

some good info there. My Greeks a non starter tho

Proper busy looking kit!

[Lefizz]

It's Russian actually and if you use Chrome as a browser you can get an automatic translation.

It of course isn't 100% but you can get the gist of it. Looks like a pretty interesting machine
but quite complicated as a first build

[silverdog]

CHANCE is fun on the bench but nowhere near as good a detector in the field

Surf pi would be a good starter

TGSL requires a 5 pin Tesoro coil

[Lefizz]

Hi Silverdog,

I have ordered a Surf Pi of the website and when it arrives (maybe a while with christmas) i will have a go.

If all goes well with that what would you suggest as a second general purpose descriminating detector for the field? I see the TGSL are out of stock at the moment but they do seem to be the best . Just ideas i am lining up, i know I am getting ahead of myself but when i get into something i usually go for it.

Thanks

[smity]

I did not mean just "chance" to do. Make a "ClonePI-W". An excellent tool! Not find better! http://forum.cxem.net/index.php?showtopic=47662

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJALn...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC7xd...eature=related