Sooo....You wannaa buy a metal detector ehh !!!!!!

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AgAuPtRh

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2007
Messages
108
Location
Deep in the Redwoods
Having had a little experience in this field of Metal Detecting and being inspired by the generosity of our hosts--I've thought it would be good for those of you that haven't yet had the pleasure of detecting to hear a little about the hobby.

It's true--you can and will find some really cool stuff with a metal detector. Bottle caps by the hundreds, flip tops by the thousands, condom wrappers, ketchup,mayo and mustard. And then they are the days when you unexpectedly pop an old coin or ring out of your basket. Your first ring will have your heart pounding and it will ease all the frustration of goody bags filled with trash. That first piece of GOLD---whatever it is will keep you hunting for more. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from the hobby with the talk about trash--only trying to relate the reality of treasure hunting with a metal detector.

There are many good manufacturers of Metal Detectors. The thing to consider is what kind of hunting you will be doing. Will you be in or near the water? Will you be submerging your detector? Will you be hunting parks and playgrounds? Will you be out in the desert looking for nuggets?
It won't be hard to find a detector for your specific need and it wont be hard to find one that can adapt to different hunting styles either. Prices range from 2 to 3 hundred all the way in to the thousands.

Deciding first what you might be willing to invest would be a wise idea. Starting out small would be a good idea too. Your first detector should be one that has a known reputation, good customer service and a warranty should anything go wrong.

Once you have decided and made your purchase-------STOP---right there---Breathe a little and get your heart rate down some--Oxygen in the brain is needed at this point. Most folks run out the door while they are still putting the batteries in place---minds filled with finding GOLD GOLD GOLD. This is where we separate "the men from the boys" It's time to do some tests and get used to the machine to see how it works.

Take a few samples of what you might expect to find. Good stuff and the trash too. I have in the past used some stir sticks for paint. They are about a foot long, not metal and easy to use. What you do is glue your samples to the end of the sticks. And no---it doesn't matter which end !!!! heh heh. A penny, a dime, a quarter, some clad, some silver, a small piece
of gold, a flip top, a bottle cap etc you get the point. Now turn your detector on-- and wave your samples---up close and then slowly work away from the detector. After a short bit of time you will start to hear different tones from different metals. Some really sharp tones--POPS-- and some more eeeeeeven tones. heh heh you'll like those.

Now you can go outside and try a "test garden". Bury a few things in your yard. And try them at different depths. For things that have any value--Like a ring it might be smart to tie or glue a bit of fishing line or string --juuuuuuust in case.

Having spent a short bit of time experimenting with your new detector is well worth the effort. And for the MEN out there----READ THE INSTRUCTIONS.

Some things to consider before you go out hunting.
1. Make sure you have permission to be detecting the property you are on.
2. Always take fresh batteries for replacements. Many have ventured in to the field-found an awesome spot--only to run out of juice and have to go home.
3. Look for a local Detector Club in your area. You may find some friends to help you and teach you how to have a better success in your area.
4. Have a goody bag, trash bag, digging and sifting tools.
5. Relax--have a good time.

That should cover some basics---give those interested an overview.

I'll try sometime during the week to add some info about hunting the beaches---at the right time---with no detector---and having success. Remember---folks were finding gold 3 thousand years ago.
 
You've got me really wanting to go buy one of those babies!

By the way I noticed your handle is Silver-Ag Gold-Au Pl-? and Rh-Rhodium.... What chemical is Pl ... Platinum is Pt, Plutonium is Pu, so what is Pl? : :p
Probably a typo... Noxx can probably fix that seein how he's the admin and all. :wink:
Steve
 
Thanks for letting me know about the typo. It is PT.

Try djsdetectors Its a great site. I haven't been there in some time now, but Doug is a great guy, sells Tesoro Detectors and has a pics feature so you can see what folks are digging up. Some cool stuff. There is also a chat room there. Great people.
 
Detecting can be an addictive hobby. It is what lead me to this hobby and this forum. AgAuPtRh is right about most of what he (she?) posted, but I need to take exception to a couple of points.
Don't waste your money on a cheap detector. It's kinda like trying to become a concert pianist by starting with a 29.95 kids toy from Toys R Us. Even the best manufacturers make low end machines and YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. I personnaly prefer White's Spectrum XLT. If you shop around you can find them new for around $600. (they retail for $900.) Now if your initial focus is water or gold nugget detecting you might not want an XLT, but for all other forms of detecting it is (in my opinion) the stealth bomber of detectors It CAN be programmed to be especially sensitive to gold nuggets, and to ingore black sand, but it's not a water machine. And yes, you can find deals on Ebay.... just make sure you know what you want before you start bidding.
Second, burying test targets in your back yard is not a good idea. That is, unless you're willing to wait several years before attempting to find them with your detector. Metal buried in dirt will, over the years, leach into the surrounding earth , producing a "halo" which ehhances the "visibility" of the target to the detector. There's a spot along a local river where the detector will locate coins, only to have them vanish as you start digging. We've found that the coins were actually there, only a lot deeper than the 11" initally indicated by the detector. Starting to dig breaks the halo and the target is suddenly out of reach to the detector's discrimination mode. In short, the only way to learn what the detector is telling you is to dig up a few hundred pull tabs. You'll eventually be able to tell the target is junk from the tone, But not always. I dug an 1851 1 dollar gold coin that the detector was saying was a pull tab.
I've been detecting quite a while now, If you can find a copy, the coins on the cover of the May, 1993 issue of TREASURE Magazine were all recovered from an old baseball field and the woods surrounding it by myself and 2 friends. At the time of publication, the coins had a Numismatic value of over $6000.00. I consider that a reasonable return on my investment. :wink:
 
Had my first metal detecting experience on the weekend. My buddy got a really cheap unit from ebay. It was very rickety but it worked. We found some coins and old padlocks. Nothing great. A 1927 penny was the oldest. The most valuable find was 40lb of old copper wire and some heavy cast aluminum. I'm saving up for a good one to check some areas where Capone, Dillinger and '30's era gangs used to hang out. There are lots of stories about buried treasure and weapons caches the old crooks left behind.
 
It's great for kids too my daughter always takes the detector into the yard at home. She must have a horseshoe up her... because she always digs up coins right in the yard, and the only thing I've ever found in our yard was a 2 ft piece of tin buried way too deep (2 ft)
 
I use an old Heathkit detector that my dad made, yikes, well over 25 years ago. My son recently got the treasure hunting bug and my Dad gave me the detector to head out to the beaches with him. My son has a toys-r-us special, which detects coins 1 inch deep, but he has fun with it (he just turned 9).
The heathkit does a great job, it has a 6 inch coil on it, but will detect those pop tabs buried about a foot deep. We've found pennies, nickles and quarters buried a good 8 inches with it so far :)

Mike B
 
Here are my 2 cents as a successful gold nugget hunter.

Get either:

1) a very high end VLF made for gold (Very Low Frequency)
Whites GMT
Fisher Gold Bug 2
Minelab Explorer
Looking at $600.00 - $800.00 new

OR

2) a good PI (Pulse Induction) detector
Minelab SD series or GP series
SD series used $800.00 - $1500.00
GP series $1,200.00 used
SD series new about $2,000.00 GP series new about $5,000.00

Garrett Infinium about $1,200.00 new

The new White's TDI and the Pulse Devil are also worth looking into.

There are new PI units in the works too, so keep your eye out and ask experienced users.

I've found a lot of gold with both types but 90 percent of the time use a PI machine, a GP Extreme or GP 3500. Also have a White's GMT.

The PI units will perform better in mineralized ground where gold is found but don't discriminate as well as VLF units.

The PI will out punch the VLF and is more sensitive most of the time depending on the VLF and the coil on small sub gram nuggets if you are hunting shallow bedrock areas.

A VLF will most likely never have the punch due to its in ability to handle mineralized ground to score an half ounce nugget at a foot deep. Even a PI might miss it depending on the operator and coil.

If you are hunting old mine tailings stick with a VLF, you'll be glad you did.
They outshine the PIs in tailings.

When it comes to finding gold if you have never prospected before and never used a gold detector you have 2 learning curves, the detector and prospecting. The detector is the easy part of the two.

Don't think that testing your detector in the air, yard or park is anything like testing it in a gold field, its not. You won't be able to properly test a PI near power lines. Some models have a mode that allows you to use them near power lines but you lose some depth and sensitivity. Real life field experience is the best teacher.

Cheap units won't cut it just take the unit to a gold bearing area and you'll find out pretty quick as it squawks and overloads.

A few key factors to consider, the mix has to be right, we could expand but this will do.

Experience
Location
Type of machine
Amount of patience

Both VLF and PI units can find gold. There is not one perfect unit and the newest is not always the best, that's a total misconception. I know guys using older SD units that find more gold than guys who use newer GP units. The detector is only part of the equation.

Often even with experience you can go months without finding a nugget, the skunk will get on you from time to time, just keep going.

Other times you just rack up the nuggets.

The real prize is virgin ground, and it not easy to find. My partners and I have found a few virgin spots and if they are good the nuggets come good. It takes experience to do this and can take months.

If you are new to detecting or prospecting find a local club in your area, ask the locals what works best for them (remember the high end VLFs and PI units) and learn all you can. Go to where gold has been found before, be patient as you will dig a lot of trash.

Don't think you'll make a living detecting gold nuggets, you won't. It can be a very lucrative hobby, just focus on having good fun with good friends. Keep your day job.

Just swing low and slooooow and happy hunting 8)
 
Rod said:
Just swing low and slooooow and happy hunting 8)

Thanks for the awesome advise Rod!

The Low and Slooooow line brought to mind one day my 9 year old and I were at the beach detecting. I'm with my old Heathkit (which does quite well enough for me for now), and my son is with his small detector. I'm finding all sorts of things, pop tabs, bits of foil buried, pennies, nickles, the occasional quarter or two. My son and I are having a blast digging up the treasure and putting it into our "loot bag".
I'm skimming the sand, slowly, methodically, almost touching it and sometimes touching it....

well, along comes this lady and I guess her hubby. she has the whole outfit. Large coil, huge headphones on, nice looking rig from what I saw. Interesting that I didn't see a little bag over her or her hubby's shoulder, nor a little shovel or anything to dig with... Maybe she's just gunna use her hands I thought...
Shes sweaping like she's sweaping with a broom, really fast. But that wasn't the thing that brought attention to her. She was sweaping about a foot or more in the air. Mumbling why we were finding lots of stuff and she wasn't finding anything..... LOL

Mike B
 
somehow metal detecting led me to this site as well. Great hobby but can be brutal in the summer.
 
Hi guys, I have been interested in Metal Detecting for many years, I finally had the oppertunity to get one.. I got it from KELLYCO. in Florida.. I looked at the many different models that they had.. I decided on a MP 3 PRO digital metal detector, with it I got a Precision V4 pinpointer,, All for under $200 , I haven't learned to use it properly yet but loooking forward to it...
Can any body tell me if this is a decent unit or did I make a bad decission..
I am wanting too find gold ( of course ) as well as coins, etc..

Mark
P.S. The coil that it came with is water resistant,,
One thing that it says in the INSTRUCTIONS , yes I have read them.. Is to opperate the detector at "2 FEET PER SECOND " This does not sound too " LOW AND SLOW " What travel pace would you suggest ---inches per second--1 foot per second,??
 
Mark,
Just throw some change down on the ground and "search" over it to see how your detector reacts. I have a Minelab Quattro, and it is a bit complicated to understand how it works. I also have a periscope
probe that is really cool, but they don't make them anymore.
Have you checked out this forum?
http://www.findmall.com/list.php?3

Jim
 
jimdoc:

That's a new forum that I hadn't seen before. Thanks for posting the link. I'll have to give a look. Thanks!

dick b
 
Here;s a fellow by the name of Gary from BC that has a metal detector kit available for $60.00 plus shipping or you can build from parts laying about your shop.

Gary is retired from a career in designing electronics, and now does this as a hobby.

On his website he has a printable layout for the printed circuit board. Lots of useful information for the DIY.

http://www3.telus.net/chemelec/Projects/Metal-2/Metal-2.htm
 
I have been detecting for almost 20 years.The vast majority of my detecting experience has been in the beach and in the gold mountains of dahlonega.If you are looking for the best "All Around" detector,my suggestion is to get a minelab explorer or excalibur.They both come in different versions and coil sizes.The explorer has a very large learning curve but has many books written about it.It is hands down the most technologically advanced and programmable detectors on the market for a consumer prospector.The excalibur which is my drug of choice has alost the same technology except it is waterproof and not programmable.My last excalibur sold for almost $1000 used.I used a WOT(coiltek) 15" coil and an aluminum straight shaft with a hip mount for the control box.I have owned several of each and you can't go wrong with either,however I live almost on the beach so the obvious choice for me is the excalibur.You can see Kellyco's website here http://www.kellycodetectors.com/indexmain.php .I have known pretty much everyone there for many years and can't say enough good things about them.You can also find the WOT and all of the other coiltek coils available here http://www.kamakazi.com/ .
Johnny
 
I have been playing around detecting with, coins - rings - gold placer nuggets - and a 1/10 oz. Gold Eagle...I seem to get a signal every time that I sweep back from forth at the direction change moment, as well as varied results when sweeping over a known item in known spot.. I'll persist..... That is with the MP3 PRO digital , From KELLYCO. It was sold as a Show Room Display model, 75% off...In perfect condition..
The AUTOMAX Precision V4 Pinpointer now this hits nicely at a very close range for gold within 1 inch hits dependably.. on ferrous metals the range extends to almost 3 inches.. they say real good for testing inside a hole " pinpoint target ".
Mark
 
You really need to get out in the field to get any kind of anyaliseable results. Waving the detector over coins laying on your living room rug only tells you the detector is running. It's been noted at least twice in this thread that long buried targets respond differently to the detector than targets laying on the surface.
Get out and dig up a few targets and you'll learn what the detector is telling you when it beeps.
 
Well I took my detector out to a local park where a yearly festival is held, tried out my detector for a little while, I did actually dig up 2 items, Both worthless outside that I did hit a target, and found it twice. 1 old rusty deck screw about 2 inches deep, Also 1-- 12 penny nail from around 4 inches deep.. My detector has a digital display that identifies what it has found with 7 different icons , as well as 7 tones ,and a depth bar graph. I have alot more practice to do,, like anything experience is a plus...
Mark
 
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