Gauntlet
Forum Supporter
Been wanting to see how using a straight shaft detector felt, being as I'm a bit taller, and sometimes actually kick the coil..... plus I was bored this AM.
I had been considering trying this, especially every time I ran across a couple extra extendable aluminum paint poles out in the shed, or seen someone make mention of it here.
I used the inner piece, since it was a pretty close fit to the lower shaft fitting into it. I drilled for both lock buttons (instead of the one on the factory shaft), and drilled both sides of the shaft, so 4 buttons instead of 2. I did that because there's no twist lock on it, and this virtually eliminated 95% of any play. I did add a couple wraps of black tape on the lower shaft, just inside the new straight shaft to eliminate the rest of any play.
I still need to clean-up the holes to allow the other button to pop the rest of the way out.
I was going to go buy a clamp-on handle, but since I wasn't sure I would even like this set-up, I opted to use what I had. I cut another piece from the left-over of the shaft, and slipped a tight fitting piece of wooden dowel inside, then drilled and countersunk a couple stainless screws into the side of it so the aluminum would stay in place in relationship to the dowel. Then I just put a 2" stainless screw through the bottom of the straight shaft, up into the center of the wooden dowel. This was after filing the bottom of the handle to fit the radius of the shaft.
I also let the lower shaft slip up into the new straight shaft more than "normal" as an additional way to eliminate play. I'm not concerned about any adjustment, because I fit it to suit me, so it won't need changed.
I forgot to put the black plastic plug back into the end, and I flipped the arm cuff over since my arm doesn't fit into it as is, and come colder weather, my arm (jacket) would just be resting on the top edges of the cuff.
I had been considering trying this, especially every time I ran across a couple extra extendable aluminum paint poles out in the shed, or seen someone make mention of it here.
I used the inner piece, since it was a pretty close fit to the lower shaft fitting into it. I drilled for both lock buttons (instead of the one on the factory shaft), and drilled both sides of the shaft, so 4 buttons instead of 2. I did that because there's no twist lock on it, and this virtually eliminated 95% of any play. I did add a couple wraps of black tape on the lower shaft, just inside the new straight shaft to eliminate the rest of any play.
I still need to clean-up the holes to allow the other button to pop the rest of the way out.
I was going to go buy a clamp-on handle, but since I wasn't sure I would even like this set-up, I opted to use what I had. I cut another piece from the left-over of the shaft, and slipped a tight fitting piece of wooden dowel inside, then drilled and countersunk a couple stainless screws into the side of it so the aluminum would stay in place in relationship to the dowel. Then I just put a 2" stainless screw through the bottom of the straight shaft, up into the center of the wooden dowel. This was after filing the bottom of the handle to fit the radius of the shaft.
I also let the lower shaft slip up into the new straight shaft more than "normal" as an additional way to eliminate play. I'm not concerned about any adjustment, because I fit it to suit me, so it won't need changed.
I forgot to put the black plastic plug back into the end, and I flipped the arm cuff over since my arm doesn't fit into it as is, and come colder weather, my arm (jacket) would just be resting on the top edges of the cuff.