Tesoro Compadre Assembly instructions

COMPADRE OPERATOR INSTRUCTION MANUAL
Thank you for purchasing a Compadre metal detector. Your Compadre detector is a single knob
VLF Discriminator. It is simple enough for the beginner, yet powerful enough for the
experienced detectorist. With proper care and use, your detector should give you years of
enjoyment.
Please check in the box and make sure that you have the following items:
1. Upper Pole Assembly with Control Housing, pole lock and attached Coil.
2. Metal Middle Pole with Pole Lock.
3. ABS Lower Pole with Metal hardware and rubber washers.
4. Literature: this manual, a detector protection checklist and a warranty card.
If any of these items are missing, contact the dealer where you purchased your detector from
immediately.
First, we will assemble your detector. Start by sliding the metal middle pole into the upper pole
and allowing the spring clips to seat. Turn the pole lock on the upper pole assembly in the
direction of the arrow to remove any excess play between the two poles. Next, remove the
hardware from the ABS lower pole and place pole tip with rubber friction washers between the
coil ears. The fit should be snug due to the washers. Reinsert the hardware so that it passes
through the coil ears, rubber washers and pole tip and tighten the hardware finger tight. Insert the
ABS lower pole into the middle and upper pole assembly, sliding the pole in but not seating the
spring clips. Twist the lower pole and coil assembly together to wind the coil cable around the
pole. The cable should be loosely wrapped around the pole to keep it from flopping over the coil.
Once you have wrapped the coil cable, slide the lower pole spring clips into the set of holes on
the middle pole that is best suited to your height and turn the pole lock in the direction of the
arrow. Slide the battery door off and drop in a 9volt battery as shown on the diagram inside the
battery box. Replace the battery door and your unit is now ready to use.
Take your detector and a few targets (a screw or small nail, a nickel and a quarter will do nicely)
outside to a spot that is clear of other metal items and set your targets on the ground at least 12
inches away from each other. Then adjust the coil so that it is about one inch above the ground
and even with it. When you swing your detector while searching, keep your arm relaxed and
swing mainly from the shoulder. As you swing the detector, you should be making an arc of
about 3 to 5 feet in front of yourself. Try not to raise or snap your coil at the ends of the sweep or
you may cause false signals from your detector. The Compadre is a motion-based machine so
you will need to keep the coil moving as you search.
Turn the control knob clockwise just far enough to turn on your detector. When you turn your
detector on, you will hear a beep that lasts for a couple seconds. That is the battery test—a 5 to 7
second loud beep lets you know that your batteries are good. A weak and very short beep lets

you know that it is time to change your batteries. When the battery test is done, leave the knob in
the lowest position. This is the All-Metal setting. Sweep your coil about 3 inches above the
targets. You should get a positive target response from all of the targets. Try sweeping your coil
at different heights above the targets to see what kind of different responses you get. You may
also try setting some of the targets on edge to hear the different responses you will get as well.
Once you have practiced in the All-Metal Mode, try turning the knob to various discrimination
levels. The knob is clearly marked for what will be tuned out. Please remember that everything
below your discrimination setting will be tuned out as well. For example: if you tune out pull-
tabs, you will lose nickels, foil and iron. Take some time to practice with the discrimination
settings. You may notice that targets less than one inch away from the coil may sound off even
though they have been tuned out. If this occurs, lift the coil an inch or two and the detector
should stop responding to the target.
When you find a target, the next step will be to pinpoint it. Pinpointing is a process of narrowing
your search pattern so you can dig up your target making as little of a hole as possible. You can
practice by using the targets that you already have. Pick one of the targets and swing the coil
over it and notice where the beeps are occurring. Shorten and slow your swing until you are only
swinging the coil a few inches and note where the beeps are happening. Next, you will want to
get a 90° reading on your target. This can be accomplished be either turning your body to the
right or left and swinging the coil over the target or by simply pushing the coil forwards and back
over the target. Whatever methods you use, bring the swings down to only a couple of inches and
note where the beeps are. They should overlap the previous beeps and give you the best spot to
dig. You may want to bury various targets and create a test patch. This will help you practice
your detecting skills.
Congratulations, you have just learned how to operate your new Compadre metal detector, but
experience is the best teacher. I would recommend that you get out and practice what you have
learned as much as possible. Any time spent using your detector will give you valuable
experience.
WARRANTY SERVICE
Your Tesoro metal detector is covered by a Limited Lifetime Warranty, the terms of which are
listed below. If your metal detector should require service, you may return it to the Tesoro
factory at the address below.
LIMITED LIFETIME WARRANTY
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may have other rights which vary from
state to state.
This instrument is warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship as long as it is
owned by the original consumer purchaser. This warranty is not transferable and is valid only if
the warranty registration card has been completed and mailed within 10 days of purchase.

TESORO will, at its option, repair or replace any instrument covered by this warranty, without
charge, except for transportation charges, at its factory in Prescott, Arizona.
This warranty excludes batteries, damage caused by leaky batteries, cable breakage due to
flexing on body mount units, and wear of the search coil housing. Also excluded are instruments
which have been abused, altered, or repaired by an unauthorized party.