Making a detector masking/unmasking test jig

I've been thinking about building a test jig to check and compare a detector's ability to unmask. I have never seen anyone really show one. Maybe they have them and are keeping them hush hush. Well, anyway I think I've come up with a plan. Being able to see inside of the jig would be most helpful. So why not build it out of thick plexiglass or some other from of plastic . One could cut sections and glue them together to come up with some kind of hollow shaped object. Next one could drill holes and maybe tap them so nylon bolts and screws could be used to insert various items. The ferrous and nonferrous items could be glued to the nylon bolts and screws. The threads would allow for small movements of the targets and the maskers. I figure something around 8 inches around roughly, maybe a little bigger. One may have to do the drilling and tapping first before assembly. A few prototypes may be needed in order to accomplish. Any thoughts??

Could be done.
Plexiglass cubes that you can put the target in fill with dirt 2x2x4, 2x2x2"
2-3 Round plates to create depth layers. 4 Place dirt cubes at corners for initial support.
Target cubes could be moved from layer to layer and moved around the round plate......
Now if the round plates also have 2" sides, once the target cubes are placed inside, you can fill the remaining
void in the plate with dirt.

Just something that quickly popped into my head.

DeepTech Vista X with 3 search coils.
Works for me

Now that you mention it, I saw someone on a youtube that used something like you are referring to. I going to try and stay away from the dirt. Just air for now. May approach the dirt idea later. I'm thinking if I could build a shape sorta like those funny shaped rubix cubes. That way I would have more avenues open for the different masking scenarios. I just need to make sure the adhesive I use is very strong and doesn't possess any metallic qualities. I'm still pondering some other ideas as well.

I often thought of dowels through a wood base that's adjustable. Nails and coins would be glued or velcro-ed to the tops of the adjustable dowels. It could also be placed in dirt, if needed....never built one, only in the mind.

Whatever the system, the maskers and the target need be have the ability to be moved ever so slight in their position(s). I believe some large nylon bolts/screws might work. I would like to be able to at least get a nickel sized coin into the fixture. The fixture needs to emulate a good 3d scenario with multiple planes.

How about a base holding nylon alligator clips that are attached to a bendable non-metallic type wire. What could you use for the bendable non-metallic wire? You could position them in any fashion ya like..... Just brainstorming here.

I agree on the brainstorming. Would be nice to maybe develop one that's standardized. I can't believe someone hasn't already made one. Wonder what kind of fixtures the detector manufacturers have??? I know their using something for a standard, otherwise how would they know they have in fact progressed with their engineering and design. I would think the aftermarket coil makers have something too. Maybe Tom D will shed some light.

There is more also you have to add what the sun does to the dirt what the moisture does...you would have to keep this outside all year long I would think to even come close to what mother nature does

LowBoy

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Somewhere on this forum........ years ago.............. I reported my 3-Dimensional "poured acrylic" (clear/transparent) masking test-samples.((( This concept/platform removes most 'variables' ))) Most individual test-samples had 2 rusty square-nails....... and a silver dime at 1" or 1.5" or 2.0" deeper than the 2 nails (which were inches off-center to either side of the silver dime.......... dime being in the center of the acrylic sample). These were my 'standardized test-samples'...... for the longest of time. They were confiscated from me........ by a major metal detector Mfr. It paid off!...... for whom/where we are (currently/technologically) today. I can also (now) say....... that my standardized test-samples would be easy targets...... by todays standards. Since then.......... I have not made any more poured acrylic/clear-plastic test samples........... yet, intend to. Parameters will need to be 'tightened-up'.......... for current technological stance.

Tom was making them very time consuming and costly?? Do you have any pics of your confiscated units???

Not difficult to make at all. 2-lbs fishing monofil.... to suspend the nails whilst pouring. The clear plastic made for..... infinitely 'telling' scenario.
Never thought to take photo's. This was pre-forum days! (Approx. Thanksgiving of 1996).

Toms idea sounds good.
You could also make a slotted fixture that held plastic plexi sheets. Like a drawer system, the sheets would be permanent.
In between these sheets another plastic strip with a nail etc can be adhered to. This strip can be put into any slotted level position
and moved about anywhere on the plastic sheet.

So the fixture could be made 12" high, 12" square. Every 1/2" corner spacer blocks glued in place. On top another sheet...and so on until you reach 12".
No metal plastic screws needed. Just plastic sheets, plexi squares and plexi glue. In other words acrylic plastic.

If you have a surplus store around or a plastics company, you might find scrap cut off sheets in the bargain bin. We used to buy all sorts of sheets, tubes, rods, etc.
at 50 cents a pound. These were all scraps from jobs they finished up in the shop.

You can cut plexi on a table saw with out chipping and melting. You need a special saw blade, worth it. You can flame polish the sawn edges with a propane torch.

DeepTech Vista X with 3 search coils.
Works for me

Ive thought of a solid clear acrylic cube maybe 3"

with nickle in the dead center....

then drill holes in to it to slide nails in at different angles...

first set your machine up to reject the nail then slide nail in for the testing...

6 sides 6 different test in one cube...

Keith



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/29/2014 04:38AM by Keith Southern.

Well,,,I've made up my mind,,,this needs to be done.

Will try to make,,,may be asking some folks here a few questions as far as ferrous/nonferrous setup,,orientation wise.

Maybe better I've waited to make,,,I know more than I did when I started this thread.

If anyone has already made,,,and cares to share,,,feel free.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/23/2017 04:12AM by tnsharpshooter.

Scraps of plexiglass would probably be most economical, but another alternative
would be resin. You could cast a solid resin block with a coin and, optionally, a nail or
another junk signal in another position, like Keith describes. Then you could rotate
the solid resin block to have any of the six sides upward to alter the target positions
relative to each other.

I wish my father were still here. He used to do lots of resin casting, mostly in
the mid 1960's for the original Star Trek TV series. By adding some dyes, he
created the colored lights on the bridge of the Enterprise. I should have paid more
attention. It would be interesting to try to make a resin block or two for testing
metal detectors.

But a quick Google search shows that resin costs about $65-90 per gallon, so using scrap
plexiglass and drilling holes would save a lot of money.

There is a very simple options
Plastic rectangular containers filled with soil and are laid out test cube for a 3D test as close to real conditions.
Photo of the container for a sample:
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I saw this a while back. Definitely not target in acrylic though.
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Kenny
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I saw this a while back. Definitely not target in acrylic though.
[www.youtube.com]
[www.youtube.com]

Kenny
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