TDI SL


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The TDI SL scores again! This time, it's a really nice one.

Here's the story. Working a hydraulic pit in the Sierras, I was working slowly up along a stacked pile of tailings. It was a narrow, flat "trail" where in the old days, they had placed either the sluice or the hydraulic pipes. It was a flat area of decomposed bedrock, filled in with rubble to make it smooth. Right at the edge of the rock pile, I got a very weak "woo" signal. It took a bit to break up and get down into the decomposing bedrock. The signal remained weak, since the hole was small and I could barely get the point of the loop into the hole. Once the target was out, it was a booming signal.

Now, the reason why such a big nugget gave such a weak response is simple; it was on edge, wedged into the bedrock sideways. It was only about 6 inches deep and I couldn't get enough room to sweep from all sides. But, I heard it and dug it as you must do with all weak signals. Especially in an area like this. The conditions were ideal; bedrock, old tailings, mild ground. I was using the 10x6 Jimmy loop with the settings at the standard for nugget hunting. Wt of the nugget; 5.6 dwt.

Also is a pic of the two largest nuggets I've gotten this month with this machine.

Digger Bob

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The TDI SL scores again! This time, it's a really nice one.

Here's the story. Working a hydraulic pit in the Sierras, I was working slowly up along a stacked pile of tailings. It was a narrow, flat "trail" where in the old days, they had placed either the sluice or the hydraulic pipes. It was a flat area of decomposed bedrock, filled in with rubble to make it smooth. Right at the edge of the rock pile, I got a very weak "woo" signal. It took a bit to break up and get down into the decomposing bedrock. The signal remained weak, since the hole was small and I could barely get the point of the loop into the hole. Once the target was out, it was a booming signal.

Now, the reason why such a big nugget gave such a weak response is simple; it was on edge, wedged into the bedrock sideways. It was only about 6 inches deep and I couldn't get enough room to sweep from all sides. But, I heard it and dug it as you must do with all weak signals. Especially in an area like this. The conditions were ideal; bedrock, old tailings, mild ground. I was using the 10x6 Jimmy loop with the settings at the standard for nugget hunting. Wt of the nugget; 5.6 dwt.

Also is a pic of the two largest nuggets I've gotten this month with this machine.

Digger Bob

Wow Bob!

Nice find. Glad you dug it :)

Hopefully I will find some of that yellow

stuff at GB next weekend!

Tom

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  • 1 month later...

I am thinking of buying a TDI SL and I am hoping that you can give me your overall impression of this detector. Any tricks or tips you might have would be nice too. I will be hunting nuggets mostly with the possibility of some coin and relic hunting. Does this device "SEE" through highly mineralized earth well ? The are I hunt is mostly Iron laden andesite.

Thanks !

Ray

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I am thinking of buying a TDI SL and I am hoping that you can give me your overall impression of this detector. Any tricks or tips you might have would be nice too. I will be hunting nuggets mostly with the possibility of some coin and relic hunting. Does this device "SEE" through highly mineralized earth well ? The are I hunt is mostly Iron laden andesite.

Thanks !

Ray

I could write pages of information and tips on this machine, but I will try to be brief.

This has become my all around "go to" prospecting machine. I have a GP 3500 for the deep stuff and a GM3 for the little ones. But for all around grab and go for a quick check of a new area or for all day hunting in 90% of all ground, this is the way to go. Yes, the TDI standard and Pro go a little deeper, but not all that much. When combined with the lighter wt, smooth threshold, max gain, almost no hot rocks or EMI interference, wide selection of loops (any Minelab, Coiltek, or Nuggetfinder), lower price, excellent factory service,... well I could go on, it's what I use mostly now. I have yet to find any ground that could not be balanced out, even at max gain.

I cannot commment on hunting for coins and relics. There are those out there who are doing VERY well with it hunting for those, but that's not my area. I DO know that you will not hear about half the iron trash depending on how it is set. Low conductivity for most nuggets under half an oz and you will not hear most of the larger iron. High conductive for larger nuggets and you won't hear most of the smaller iron.

Now all this is an oversimplification as this is a difficult machine to master all it's capabilities. Changing a control affects the others and how it responds to different targets. I did a couple of little videos highlighting some of the features and hope to do more next year going into more detail. I recommend the Finds TDI forum as there are some very knowledgeable people there, especially Reg Sniff. Some of the other forums have amateurs and those promoting an agenda, in addition to having some rude people so be aware.

Digger Bob

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