Today I BOUGHT

Prospecting Australia

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Finally pulled the trigger on a Nokta Legend. I've come full circle from nearly wearing out an Equinox 600, picking up an E-TRAC and enjoying the extra target ID for cherry picking, now chasing something more customisable and with a bit more 'spark' (and less weight!). Good timing with the 1.08 firmware just coming out too, iron bias control was kind of the only thing that I would miss from the Equinox.
 
Cheap enough Simmo 👍 Probably be a bit to prone to damage on the SxS ............................ not a lot of pressure to play with and hence the bead lock rims to stop rolling the tyres off. Biggest issue I have is that the terrain varies so much from one extreme to the other, 100 k dirt to walking pace scaly rock climbs then when the grass is long ya just guess what's under you. :oops: You know it's steep when the front wheels start lifting o_O 🤣 🤣 Not so bad in the SxS but on the quad I have a 30 litre water tank on front rack just to try and keep the front down.

Cow Hill.jpg
 
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I really hate going through long grass....guessing games!
Was in long grass on a steep and I mean steep enough to have a foot up on the front rack to stop from sliding forward on seat of quad, something made me stop and get off and take a look. Found front wheels just about to drop over a 500mm ledge .......................... would have been interesting result to say the least. Full credit to the King Quad which has low ratio as well as low low ratio with front diff lock it just crawled it's way back off the ledge . Long grass = always very slowly. o_O 🤣
 
I bought a new prospecting scoop, a 914.4mm one to be exact..... LOL

I have a Kubota M62 TLB (tractor loader backhoe) that I use for doing pushes and digging settling ponds on a 65 acre property that I have in Arizona. I have a caliche (hard packed false bedrock) ripper tooth for it, a 12" trenching bucket which is great for loading the hight banker and a 24" main bucket but I've been digging a settling pond this week and realized how much I needed something a bit larger, a 36"/914.4mm bucket... so yes, this is gold related... pushes and ponds.... PS: Prior to this, was my Garrett Axiom purchase a week or so ago (still waiting on ship date, none confirmed).

Link where I purchased it (local Kubota dealer here in Arizona wanted $2,600 for the EXACT same bucket, even with shipping, it was $600.00 less ordering it from the east coast):

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144660447847


Pic of the bucket.... whoops, I mean SCOOP, front view:

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The ones I have already:

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Loading the high banker:

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Ripping up caliche:

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After checking out the Pirate Pete treasure picks, I was keen to try one in the field and dig a hole.

Where I go hunting there is a lot of manicured grass, but some scrubby area's around gum trees which occasionally hide old treasures.
I also had to start working with a Nox so it was going to be an all new adventure.

Getting out of the car, grabbed the gear and walked about 12 meters into the gums and started detecting, on the second swing I got a nice tone
and pulled out the pinpointer.. too deep.
Luckily a had a 'pick' at hand to poke a hole into the dirt and scrape some away, pin pointer into the game and found......

20220402 7.png 20220402 8.png




The half penny was only about 3 inches done amongst some gravelly dry dirt, no challenge for this pick, my new 'lucky pick' 🤣

20220402 9.png


First target for both the pick and the detector, I was pleased.

So now I have experienced the pick at home and Maryborough, they are light weight and made from bisloy type of steel,
the point of the pick is very sharp, the scraper blade is wide and edged.
On my first outing and target the point hit a stone and has blunted a little but not enough to be concerned.
Maryborough was a different ball game, the ground was hard and the pick being light weight with short-ish handle (for me)
just did not get penetration for me.
I will be the first to admit that I am not used to swinging a pick like this, and that could be why.
The scraper blade held up well and pick tip did not deform any further.
Carrying it was easy, they are light.
I can say that because I also have a pick purchased from Blue Jeans Ronald which I took to Maryborough, that thing is a brute,
plenty of mass to break up tough soils, but it is a heavy carry and I found myself wanting a blend of the two. ;)

Overall, a pleasant purchase and transaction, quality tool, light weight, the head is reasonably balanced, the handle a good length,
great for my average hunt in soils and area's I can use this sort of pick.
I can recommend the purchase, if you need a capable lighter pick, PM "Pirate pete."
I need to add some grip to the handle or just wear gloves when working it.

I did do a report on Blue Jeans Ronalds pick a few years ago, I still think it is a machine ! But you have to carry it.
But that is why we have different tools for different places, like a bag of golf clubs I reckon, Par 3 is hard work with just a 'putter'.

Both picks will be coming with me when I go to Coober Pedy next month to meet XCVATOR (shhh.. he does not know yet)
 
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got the stand built so out of the crate it came, a size six fly press20220924_153653.jpg

that is a 1" fuller die in the press and on the anvil L to R are a butcher, fuller and a ball die i have made for it so far ,many more dies to make as i need them
 

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After checking out the Pirate Pete treasure picks, I was keen to try one in the field and dig a hole.

Where I go hunting there is a lot of manicured grass, but some scrubby area's around gum trees which occasionally hide old treasures.
I also had to start working with a Nox so it was going to be an all new adventure.

Getting out of the car, grabbed the gear and walked about 12 meters into the gums and started detecting, on the second swing I got a nice tone
and pulled out the pinpointer.. too deep.
Luckily a had a 'pick' at hand to poke a hole into the dirt and scrape some away, pin pointer into the game and found......

View attachment 4473 View attachment 4474




The half penny was only about 3 inches done amongst some gravelly dry dirt, no challenge for this pick, my new 'lucky pick' 🤣

View attachment 4475


First target for both the pick and the detector, I was pleased.

So now I have experienced the pick at home and Maryborough, they are light weight and made from bisloy type of steel,
the point of the pick is very sharp, the scraper blade is wide and edged.
On my first outing and target the point hit a stone and has blunted a little but not enough to be concerned.
Maryborough was a different ball game, the ground was hard and the pick being light weight with short-ish handle (for me)
just did not get penetration for me.
I will be the first to admit that I am not used to swinging a pick like this, and that could be why.
The scraper blade held up well and pick tip did not deform any further.
Carrying it was easy, they are light.
I can say that because I also have a pick purchased from Blue Jeans Ronald which I took to Maryborough, that thing is a brute,
plenty of mass to break up tough soils, but it is a heavy carry and I found myself wanting a blend of the two. ;)

Overall, a pleasant purchase and transaction, quality tool, light weight, the head is reasonably balanced, the handle a good length,
great for my average hunt in soils and area's I can use this sort of pick.
I can recommend the purchase, if you need a capable lighter pick, PM "Pirate pete."
I need to add some grip to the handle or just wear gloves when working it.

I did do a report on Blue Jeans Ronalds pick a few years ago, I still think it is a machine ! But you have to carry it.
But that is why we have different tools for different places, like a bag of golf clubs I reckon, Par 3 is hard work with just a 'putter'.

Both picks will be coming with me when I go to Coober Pedy next month to meet XCVATOR (shhh.. he does not know yet)
Awesome find! The pick looks like it has a pretty steep angle on it. Do you find that to be better/worse than the others on the market?
 

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