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I think I’ve only used the ga-52. My current one is only a few years old I think and it says ga-52cx as the model number.
It works but for nails you have to be right on top of it, I’d like to think there is something better out there but I’m not going to ask the boss to spend money on it.
We did have one of the telescopic pistol shaped one (same brand schonstedt) and it failed in less than a year (maybe a few months). Other than that all our crews have the same one I have.
They do fail quite frequently (mine quits working and needs a wack to fix it sometimes) but I wonder if it’s using them in the rain? They don’t appear too water resistant. This weekend I’ll be looking into seeing if I can fix mine. Maybe a corroded connection or something.
Poor Battery connection can cause intermittent performance.
I’ve used the Dunham and Morrow DML2000xr and the Schonstedt GA-52Cx which both seems similar to each other for finding rebar or pipes. I’m guessing they were separate companies at one point but seems Schonstedt owns Dunham and Morrow now??
I currently use a CST/Berger magna-trac mt100 and it’s not anywhere near as good as the other two!
- Posted by: @nate-the-surveyor
My old, old GA-52 got so I had to hold it a certain way for it to work. On opening it I found the battery holder plastic had cracked and a contact moved out so there was no pressure on it from the battery. I was able to make a piece of metal to fit in there and connect the wire to that, and it is still going.
. Anyone ever used an Aqua Magnetic Locater a.k.a. “dip meter”? I have and they do work, although they have to be factory calibrated for your “geographic location”. I suspect the location range is 10-20?ø of latitude at a minimum. They’re still in business and retail for about 300 bucks. The first practical one was invented in 1581.
- Posted by: @mike-marks
I’m still kicking myself for passing up one of those in a secondhand shop for $15 many years ago.
Note that they are also polarity sensitive for use near fences.
. they are all over eBay for 15-40 bucks.
I bought one. It has a worn fulcrum. I??ve used one in field application. In Chicago land area.
They are the original ??magnetic locator?.
A cool Piece of equipment.
thank you,Nate
- Posted by: @nate-the-surveyor
they are all over eBay for 15-40 bucks.
I bought one. It has a worn fulcrum. I??ve used one in field application. In Chicago land area.
They are the original ??magnetic locator?.
A cool Piece of equipment.
thank you,Nate
They’ll repair ’em and/or change the geographic location calibration for $65.
- Posted by: @mike-marks
Anyone ever used an Aqua Magnetic Locater a.k.a. “dip meter”? I have and they do work, although they have to be factory calibrated for your “geographic location”. I suspect the location range is 10-20?ø of latitude at a minimum. They’re still in business and retail for about 300 bucks. The first practical one was invented in 1581.
Yup, but it was 50 years ago. They DO “work” (and DON’T need batteries), but I would rather have a modern passive gradiometer (Sub-Surface or Schonstedt) for ferrous metals, or an active “metal detector” (many options) for non-ferrous metals.
Too bad the USC&GS/NGS and USGS didn’t use nickel or cobalt disks, is which case the passive units would do the job on Tri-Stations and Bench Marks.
????
Loyal
I’ve used the Aqua dip needles, circa 1967. They do work but you have to move them in 1-inch or 2-inch increments, so they don’t cover the ground very fast.
My personal locator is a GA-22, probably very similar to Dave Tlusty’s GA-32. I bought it around 1980, used of course. The only maintenance it needs is a shake or tap to wake it up, and now and then a spray of contact cleaner. It’s all hand wired; no integrated circuits.
It’s possible to use this one for tracing energized electric cables. You turn the volume down very low and listen for the 60 Hz buzz. I discovered that one time when I noticed the buzz, just in time to avoid jabbing my shovel into a 110v line that someone had only buried a couple of inches deep.
Yes, they do work. I still have a couple of them but haven’t had them outdoors in years.
Their use did required some patience. We used to joke that the leather strap was placed there so one could (in a fit of frustration) sling the unit around overhead and let ‘er fly.
One of mine has a cracked glass…I have no idea how that happened. 😉
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