Modify or customize???

[Jack D]

I've been searching TQ to see if anyone has modified or customized a detector to do a specific job. Nothing found, so far.

I have this old Famous Trails detector that has some very nice features, but doesn't seem to go as deep as the Tesoro Silver uMax. The Famous Trails is not a motion detector, but has three tones that get higher as you get closer to the target. This makes pin pointing very easy. You can stop right over a target and it screams. It also has manual ground balance. My thoughts are to shorten the shaft to make it easy to use in the kneeling position for use while digging to locate those elusive targets. Not sure I really want to do this, but thinking about it. I'd have to experiment to see if/how moving the coil (antenna) closer to the electronics would effect its operation.

If you have modified or customized one to suit a specific purpose, let's see it. How did you modify it and for what purpose? Did it work?

As you can tell, I'm a tinkerer. Any other tinkerers out there?

[The TINMAN]

Hi Jack, I haven't myself but I remember a few members have modified their detectors. I know a few have put straight shafts on compared to the S shaft on there Water detectors and if I remember right I know some folks would change the shaft on there Nautilus to the Whites Shafts. Not familiar with the Famous Trails but I don't think a shorter shaft would effect it in a negative way. I'm sure someone a little more knowledgable will chime in. Hope this helps a little.

Th:christmastree1: TINM:christmastree1:N

:christmaswreath: :merrychristmas: :christmaswreath:

[smartfox]

What I do with my whites dfx is when I go detecting and I go over something, it beeps. Then once I hear the beep I pull a depth switch and it gives me the depth but it changes around from hogher to lower. Finally once I get the lowest depth that's when I know exactly how deep it is and it's smack in the middle of the coil. Sometimes the dept says .5 inches or 1 inch and I barely scoop any dirt or sand and it is right there. I know my detector so well in that area that I do not need a pinpointer. Hope this helps.:merrychristmas:

[Jack D]

Thanks, Tinman and Smartfox. I'm not sure what to think of the Famous Trails machine. The Tesoro finds targets that the Famous Trails passed over, but the Famous Trails has found deep objects. The deepest I've found a target with it (prior to getting the Tesoro) is 10" in clay soil and that was a 2.5"x3.5" flat piece of steel laying flat (horizontal). I don't have a manual for it, so I may not have it adjusted correctly. It has more knobs than I have fingers on one hand; Tune, Ground, Mode, Discriminate, Sensitivity and Volume as well as an Auto Tune button on the grip.

I found a Bounty Hunter machine that had the very same electronics case and grip, but with fewer controls and a slightly different arm rest that makes me wonder if Famous Trails is not made by Bounty Hunter. Maybe someone will recognize the photos. I'm sure it is a discontinued model. Also pictured is a current Bounty Hunter that looks mighty similar.

Anyway, I've been playing with the controls this morning and found I may not have Tuned it quite right. By playing with "Tune", I can increase its depth (air test) considerably.

Interesting.

[pris]

Hey Jack! I totally think you should try to do something with the Famous Trails machine. My question would be, does it pick up all metals, if they're shallow enough?

[Jack D]

Originally Posted by pris

Hey Jack! I totally think you should try to do something with the Famous Trails machine. My question would be, does it pick up all metals, if they're shallow enough?

Yes, Pris, it does very well on all metals down to about 6" and deeper if it is a large target. Maybe if I get it adjusted correctly, it will do better. Too nasty outside to try it now. I really like the Tesoro, but the Famous Trails is much different in the way it operates and I can see some advantages, especially in the way it "pinpoints" targets. In reading about other detectors, I've found that many "gold" detectors operate much like the Famous Trails does, in that it doesn't require "motion" to operate.

If it does turn out to be made by Bounty Hunter, I may be able to find a manual for it and maybe even fit it with a smaller coil. That might be very desireable.

[The TINMAN]

Hey Jack,
It looks like the Famous Trails model CM572 from what I could find. They still make detectors from what I can tell and Binoculars & military stuff.
Maybe this will help in getting a manual...
Famous Trails
1580 N. Harmony Circle
Anaheim Calif. 92807
PH. 714-701-9671
Fax 714-701-9672

Will see if theres anywhere to download a manual for ya.
Hope this may help

The :santahat: TINM:santahat:N

[Jack D]

Originally Posted by The TINMAN

Hey Jack,
It looks like the Famous Trails model CM572 from what I could find. They still make detectors from what I can tell and Binoculars & military stuff.
Maybe this will help in getting a manual...
Famous Trails
1580 N. Harmony Circle
Anaheim Calif. 92807
PH. 714-701-9671
Fax 714-701-9672

Will see if theres anywhere to download a manual for ya.
Hope this may help

The :santahat: TINM:santahat:N

That's what I found, too, Tinman. I downloaded a manual for one similar that they still sell, but it's written by someone that can't speak english very well. Very poorly written and vague, too. I'm not sure Famous Trails makes their own stuff and it's so similar in appearance to the Bounty Hunter that I was wondering if Bounty Hunter makes them for Famous Trails. The one Bounty Hunter manual I have (you know the one) is much better written so that leads me to think maybe BH doesn't make them for FT. Maybe it's a Chinese copy.

It also matches the MD7012 in appearance and description.....MD7012 Discriminator Gold Series Metal Detector from Famous Trails

Thanks for the help.

[The TINMAN]

Very possible jack. I'll keep searchin around and see if I can find out anything more for ya. I like the way that looks and if it hits deep then ya got a special detector for certain area's like red clay & such. That Red button on the handle makes me think of an ejection seat for some reason. It's amazing how each detector is a creature all in itself. Theres got to be a manual out there some place so sooner or later we'll find it.

Th:santa2: TINM:santa2:N

[abmm]

Originally Posted by Jack D

My thoughts are to shorten the shaft to make it easy to use in the kneeling position for use while digging to locate those elusive targets. Not sure I really want to do this, but thinking about it. I'd have to experiment to see if/how moving the coil (antenna) closer to the electronics would effect its operation.

I've been thinking of making the same mod, but in order to fit the detector into a backpack. So has anyone had a problems with shortening the shaft?

My old Famous Trails MD7012 has just come out of a 10 year retirement, and without the manuals, I didn't have a clue how to work the thing. I'm not sure if you still need the info, but I found some quick start sheets here:

MD3006 and MD 7012 Discriminator Metal Detector

Cheers