Goldpick
Chris Johnson
Hi guys, there hasn't been much talk on skid plates or coil covers as of late, but generally I am a fan of using them on my coils, to protect them from the odd knock, and general wear on most of my detectors. Some people don't like them under the theory that they reduce sensitivity, but in my view, it shouldn't really affect the detector's operation, and has far more value in protecting your gear.
In saying that, I have coil covers for most of my Ace coils, bar the large 8.5 x 11" DD coil, which I have simply not gotten around to purchasing (came with the detector in a worn state). As a result, and just to show you what happens when significant wear occurs to coils (especially for scrubbers), the epoxy has started to break up, with cracking and portions of epoxy missing - see photo.
The layer covering the coil windings has also been breached, so no more detecting for this coil, until I get around to re-sealing the coil with marine epoxy, and a new coil cover to extend its life.
I still think coil covers, or skid plates should come with every coil sold, whether it be a seperately bought coil, or included with a detector purchase. In my opinion, they really are sold at over-inflated prices as an accessory, obviously a money maker for manufacturers, but bit like selling a shoe with no sole.
Another cheap option that has been documented on other forums, is to use a spray pack of rubberised undercoating to form a protective layer over the epoxy. From all reports, this seems to last a fair while and is reasonably hardy, of course longevity will come down to what surfaces are detected on. Another advantage is no more sand, soil, or metallic fragments getting caught in the coil cover.
In saying that, I have coil covers for most of my Ace coils, bar the large 8.5 x 11" DD coil, which I have simply not gotten around to purchasing (came with the detector in a worn state). As a result, and just to show you what happens when significant wear occurs to coils (especially for scrubbers), the epoxy has started to break up, with cracking and portions of epoxy missing - see photo.
The layer covering the coil windings has also been breached, so no more detecting for this coil, until I get around to re-sealing the coil with marine epoxy, and a new coil cover to extend its life.
I still think coil covers, or skid plates should come with every coil sold, whether it be a seperately bought coil, or included with a detector purchase. In my opinion, they really are sold at over-inflated prices as an accessory, obviously a money maker for manufacturers, but bit like selling a shoe with no sole.
Another cheap option that has been documented on other forums, is to use a spray pack of rubberised undercoating to form a protective layer over the epoxy. From all reports, this seems to last a fair while and is reasonably hardy, of course longevity will come down to what surfaces are detected on. Another advantage is no more sand, soil, or metallic fragments getting caught in the coil cover.
