To have a Series "1121" CZ3D tuned up or not

To shed a light on having Tom tune the FRL "1121 Series" CZ3D...

I have an earlier model CZ3D (serial #11210208) and I was undecided as to whether I should send it to Tom D. and have it worked on. As a result of my testing (using the procedure described in the forum) I felt as though my detector was not getting the depth that some of the other CZ3D's were achieving and my detector would not i.d. any nickel (Washington, Buffalo, V...etc) as being a nickel when set in the enhanced mode.

After reading just about -every- message in regard to the CZ3D on this forum... I emailed Tom and made arrangements to ship my detector to him so that he could work his magic on it.

Tom, upon receiving my detector on December 24th.... and being the apparent work-a-holic that he is (meant politely)... worked on my CZ3D on Christmas Eve. (To which I thank him profusely for his dedication and enthusiasm to this detector and our hobby!)

In an email to me, Tom related that his initial tests of my detector indicated that it "appeared to be extremely sensitive", but did require adjustments to the nickel window and the salt balance.

In a later email (Christmas Eve) Tom related that all adjustments were made and the unit was now back in spec. He further commented "I think you will enjoy this '1121' for years to come. It is a good unit. Glad to see another good '1121'."

So I guess the purpose of this message is to say that... those of you who have an earlier model series 1121 CZ3D and are still on the fence about having it tune should reach out to Tom and let him work his magic on your CZ3D.

Thank you Tom and Happy New Year to All.

I'm not on the fence but I'll wait until the ground freezes thick enough to end the season. I'll be sending my 1021 to him for a massage and spa day.

Thanks for sharing on your s/n 1121 unit. I also have one and have been dragging my feet on sending it in to Tom. Depth seems pretty good but it seems sometimes like my pinpoint mode could use more depth. I think when I tested it about half the nickels I tried showed nickel reading. Depth was around 10.5 inches or so.....
Let us know if you notice any differences out in the field.

Tom recaled mine earlier this year, didn't really know what to expect since It was my first CZ. I purchased it used, so I had no knowledge of the performance characteristics of a properly tuned machine. I have to say it's a better performing machine, more consistant IDs and a bit more depth.

Rick,

Thanks for the kudo's and kind words.

I have an 1121 , Los Banos unit, that Tom worked on as well, & am VERY pleased ! Techman ,,, If you think yours is not working well, I would send it to him, too.

Apparently all CZ3D's are not created equal and a tip of the hat to Tom for working his magic.

Quality control and such is becoming quite apparent with many manufacturers so if you feel your unit is not up to spec's may be time for a tuneup CZ or for that matter any brand...

I just got my CZ3D (Series 1121) back from Tom in today's mail. (Not too bad... ten days from Massachusetts to Florida and back... with Christmas falling in between!)

After inspecting the detector and coil for any damages that might have occurred during shipping (I really didn't expect to see any because Tom packaged it well.) I opened the battery compartment and let the detector aclimate from the 20+ degree outside temperature to the 68-70 degree indoor temperature. Being the impatient sort that I am, I could only wait about an hour for the detector to warm up before I put the batteries into it and fired it up in my kitchen. (I know... I should have tested it outside... but I live in New England and it's getting cold outside.)

One of the first things I noticed was a little sticker that Tom had affixed to the bottom of the control box with tape. On this sticker Tom indicated the date that he had tuned the CZ3D and signed it. It is my belief that this label will not survive the next detecting season attached to my detector... so I took a digital image of the bottom of my detector showing my CZ3D's serial number and the label with the data that Tom had written on it. (I did this in the event that I decide to sell my CZ3D sometime down the road and it will show that Tom had worked on it. Kind of like documenting the pedigree of the detector.)

After assembling my CZ3D and setting the adjustment knobs to "Tom D's CZ3D Test Settings" I proceeded to pass a clad dime by the search coil.

My first impression was... WOW... is this the same detector that I sent to Tom? When passing the clad dime in front of the search coil I found that Tom had managed to increase the distance that the dime could be detected by about an inch to an inch and a half above what I was able to before I sent it to him. I am now able to air test a clad dime to a distance of about 11 inches to 12 inches depending on my sweep speed. Not only that, but the response tones were much clearer, sharper and louder than before.

Tom also corrected the detector's "nickel response issue" which was plainly obvious to me before I sent the detector to him. The issue was that all nickels detected by this CZ3D would respond audibly with a mid tone and visibly on the round pull tab icon on the meter. After his work on the detector, the overwhelming majority of nickels respond with a high tone and in the nickel window.

I also found what I believe to be an added benefit while testing this CZ3D... I normally wear two size 10-1/2, 14k yellow gold rings and I had taken them off before I tested this unit. Before putting them back on I passed each one by the search coil and found that both rings responded with high tone and on the $$ sign icon, higher up, on the meter rather than with the normal mid tone in the foil and pull tab range.

Based on this short examination of my recently calibrated CZ3D... I would have to say that I am quite pleased with the work that Tom has done on my detector.

Thank You Tom!

-NEBeachcomber



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/30/2011 01:43AM by NEBeachcomber.

Did the adjustment to the salt setting make the difference in how the gold read? Im assuming it did. Can most detectors be tweaked for the salt setting and if tweaked to much does it swing the higher targets like quarters off at depth? Is it like going pos. or neg on GB which you can do on some machines.... like say the DFX.

Dew

Hello Dew,

I really don't know the answer to whether the "salt setting" adjustement had an effect on how the gold rings registered on my CZ3D... but I am thankful for what I feel is a change for the better.

I think the factual answer in regard to this occurrence wil have to come from Tom D.

-Rick

dewcon4414 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did the adjustment to the salt setting make the
> difference in how the gold read? Im assuming it
> did. Can most detectors be tweaked for the salt
> setting and if tweaked to much does it swing the
> higher targets like quarters off at depth? Is it
> like going pos. or neg on GB which you can do on
> some machines.... like say the DFX.
>
> Dew

Thanks for filling us in on your machine, Rick. Looks like I'm needing to work some overtime to get my series 1121 into Tom. At a minimum, I will know it will be all it can be. Really want to get a 5" coil also. Sure don't see a deal on them very often. Kudos to Tom for another job well done. I used to tune up two way radios and I bet it is somewhat similiar. Good Hunting!

Techman... email Tom.

I think you will be surprised at the fee he charges to tune the CZ3D.
(I would post the price online... but I'm sure if Tom had wanted that done he would have posted it online himself.)

Happy Hunting!
-Rick