Big Boys Hobbies

Easy Coin Probe

Silversmith45

Silversmith45

Elite Member
Joined
May 15, 2009
Messages
10,730
Location
Wichita, Kansas
Here is an easy to make coin probe. I have been making them for almost thirty years. I gave them to friends and away as door prizes at our local detecting club. It is made from a drawer pull and a piece of brazing rod (5/32 I believe). Simply thread one end and screw it on. File or sand the other end to a tapered, rounded point. It can be polished with finer grades of sandpaper.
 

Attachments

  • MD4.gif
    MD4.gif
    68 KB · Views: 4,849
  • MD5.gif
    MD5.gif
    54.8 KB · Views: 3,328
Nice probe.I've been using a brass .22 caliber cleaning rod.I was tearing the house apart one day to try and find something to use as a probe and just happend to look at my gun cabinet and it hit me that i had two cleaning kits.I like it because the rod swivels inside the handle,it seems to let it go in the ground easier.Just a quick filing for a point and i had a 10" probe thats finer than frog hair.Thanks for sharing Silversmith...HH
 
Silversmith45 said:
Here is an easy to make coin probe. I have been making them for almost thirty years. I gave them to friends and away as door prizes at our local detecting club. It is made from a drawer pull and a piece of brazing rod (5/32 I believe). Simply thread one end and screw it on. File or sand the other end to a tapered, rounded point. It can be polished with finer grades of sandpaper.
Click to expand...

Lately I have had trouble finding 5/32 brazing rod. i was able to get 3/16 but I had to take a drill bit in a pair of vice grips and ream out the hole in the pull so I could tap it for the 3/16 rod. i put a dab of Gorilla glue on the threads before putting it together. you may have to experiment to find what works for you.
 
Thanks for the tip. I will get a hold of some brazing rod tomorrow :)
 
In Wichita, back when Boeing/Spirit Surplus was open, I would buy 12 inch #40 (3/32) and #30 (1/8) drill bits then look for broken screwdrivers at garage sales and make my own probes. The drill bits are hard to break or bend. The smaller diameter makes them easier to push into hard soil.

I like to tinker with this kind of stuff!
 

Attachments

  • Probes.jpg
    Probes.jpg
    46.2 KB · Views: 1,998
I just took a 6" long screw driver with a smaller shaft, a cheapie, and filed down the blade into a rounder point and used that. Get them most anywhere for a couple bucks, and it has lasted 32 years. Minimal labor involved.
 
I have one made from the OP that was gifted to me and i'll tell you what,that probe has come in handy on more than one occasion and i use it all the time.That probe never leaves my pouch.
 
I also have one given to me by Richard. Works great and I can also use it as a back scratcher.:laughing:
 
I still have my 20+ year old brass probe in the garage somewhere. I haven't used it since I bought my first electronic pinpointer in 2009.
 
I made my probe with 1/8" brass rod marked it every inch with a pipe cutter and used a wood file handle.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1384.jpg
    IMG_1384.jpg
    87.5 KB · Views: 1,204
Just use a cheap screwdriver here, don't even mod it. The ground is so black and damp here, if it's silver, it's generally beyond what I'm using a probe for. But that is cool, thanks for the tip.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Hound46
ETrac headphone plug repair-sponsors?
Replies
4
Views
154
Ken Clad
Ken Clad
W
D-Tex Coil Cable ?
Replies
0
Views
106
west40texas
W
S
xp deus shaft modification
Replies
6
Views
328
Steve
S
Hound46
Sunray Gold Pro headphone repair
Replies
15
Views
362
Laxsaltman
Laxsaltman
CountyWorker
Moved the pod on an 800.
Replies
5
Views
323
IDXMonster
I
Back
Top Bottom