What metal detector do you have (if you have one)?

[goshengirl]

I would really appreciate learning what metal detectors folks have, and how you like them (or not) - and what sorts of things you use them for. Are there any specific brand names that are good? Are there any to stay away from?

Some of the things I would like to use a detector for: finding the septic tank for the old house we recently bought, checking trees along a fenceline for nails or wire (that tree growth has covered up) before chainsawing into them, and general cleanup in the woods (some overgrown areas used for dumps).

Much appreciated.

 

[viking]

A lot of metal detectors, especially cheap ones, don't detect all that deep. I have two detectors, a GP 3000 Minelab that can detect down to 20 feet and I've used it a few times to find septic tanks. I have a
Fisher Gold Bug II and it's only good for a few inches, but I've found a lot of gold with it. The Minelab was over $3,000 and I've yet to find enough gold with it to pay the cost, the Gold Bug II was about $800 and I'd say by what I've found, it's been paid for, I did find one septic tank with it so it's not that bad for depth. There are a lot of good detectors, check on used ones, just watch out for older ones that may have weird hard to find batteries. My Minelab runs on 6 volt gel cell batteries that can be recharged and the Gold Bug runs on two small 9 volt batteries. Tesoro and White are good detectors. I am extremely happy with the Fisher brand, the company originally started out building Radio Direction Finders for airplanes. I have found gold as small as 1/16th of an inch in a stream with the Gold Bug, so I know if there is gold around, it will find it, in fact I've seen people get a bit upset when they've worked an area and I come along and find little pieces of gold that they had been walking over with their detectors. I will say that it sometimes takes awhile for me to get tuned into the slight sound variations the detector makes, but once I do, it's amazing what it will find.

 

[Peanut]

I agree with the above (Viking). I own a Tesoro, haven’t seen it since I loaned it to a cousin but that’s another story. Main consideration… cost verses intended use.

Also, good detectors at a reasonable price, aren’t “out of the box then use it”. They aren’t like a car, turn on the ignition and drive to the store. There is a learning curve! You don’t just turn it on and it tells you everything unless you’re willing to spend several thousand. Also, you can find a septic tank with a 3ft piece of rebar and a 2lb hammer, just sayin’.

Run a search on metal detecting areas near you. Go and talk to a few people who are actually detecting there.

Chainsaws… I keep a chainsaw chain that has been run into fencing in a tree by accident. Any time I need to cut something suspicious I put that damaged chain on. $20 for the chain, rebar and hammer, maybe another $20, $40 total. A lot cheaper than a detector!

 

[ssonb]

I west to have a White and that was several years ago I used it for Civil War relic hunting, There are a lot of battle sites around here so I wanted a small collection for a display in my home for an example of the local history and it is a great conversation starter.

 

[buildit]

The ones with a disc at the bottom are useless for detecting anything that isn't on or under the ground which is mowed and easily swept over. The disc houses a coil which "balances" inside so that if it is tipped sideways the coil won't balance. If there is tall grass or weeds the housing of the coil is hitting as you sweep that can effect readings.
As long as you are not looking for non ferrous metals a surveyors metal detector is far more reliable, hardy, able to be used in any orientation and sees deeper into the ground.

https://www.allenprecision.com/supp...MI4u_Hw_v62AIVlODICh2UAQgOEAkYAiABEgLu0vD_BwE

 

[OBG 57]

I have a Garrett ace 350 have found all kinds of stuff with it and the price wasn't real high

 

[dademoss]

I have a 12ish year old Garrett Treasure Ace 300. Found dropped keys around a horse barn, enough change on the beaches to buy new batteries, a million nails, bolts, washers, etc. Still no treasures, gold rings or sunken treasures.

If you want to borrow it to play around and see if a similar one will meet your needs, send a pm.

 

[ssonb]

Once you get used to the tones your unit makes it does not take long and you can tell the diff betwixt iron, silver dime or a lead bullet.

 

[viking]

Once you get used to the tones your unit makes it does not take long and you can tell the diff betwixt iron, silver dime or a lead bullet.

'My detectors have an iron discrimination filter switch that works pretty good, however when it comes to non-ferreous metals, lead, silver, gold, platinum , copper, aluminum, etc., it doesn't know the difference. Sometimes a shape of an object can be figured. In looking for gold nuggets, it's known that there is an "Aura" that can build up around precious metals that have been buried for awhile and this aura usually disappears when it's dug up, I know this to be true because I have found small nuggets around dig holes where people have lost a signal after the nugget was moved. One of the neatest things I've found aside from gold was an Oxen shoe that was around two feet down, I never realized that oxen were shod, but it makes sense. Mineralized soil, carbon from burnt wood and some rocks with no apparent mineralization can give off signals like there is something worthwhile below, sometimes tuning the detector to those conditions can help eliminate false signals, a lot has to do with the quality of a detectors circuitry and coils.

 

[Meerkat]

Hubby has one son gave to him for BDay but I don't know what kind. Since he never gets time to use he probably doesn't know either. I plan a trip to beach once the sand settled from all the hurricanes we've had. Beach is no fun if you have to wear shoes.

 

[Peanut]

I agree with the above (Viking). I own a Tesoro, haven’t seen it since I loaned it to a cousin but that’s another story...

I finally got my metal detector back! It's only been 7 or 8 years. My cousin and his 15yr old son got into exploring old homesteads so I loaned it, no time limit. I figured his son would soon have other interests.

Tragic... a couple months after he turned 16 he had a 1 car accident a few 100 yrds from home, killed instantly. No one knows what happened, the road was straight, sun out... My cousin and his wife had already been in the process of separating, a real mess. ugly situation...

My cuz only got my detector back from his ex last year. But today it's finally home, even has a fresh battery in it.

 

[Aklogcabin]

I have a white. Can't remember the model. I need to find my corner stakes. Is there detectors that do just non ferris metal n ferris metal ? I can't seem to find them. Or maybe I don't know how to operate it correctly.

 

[SWolf]

I use a cheap "Bounty Hunter Gold Digger Metal". Used exclusively to find spent (lost) brass.
It has more than paid for itself.

 

[Peanut]

I need to find my corner stakes. Is there detectors that do just non ferris metal n ferris metal ? I can't seem to find them.

I don't understand the question, they All detect ferris and non-ferris metal. Any metal detector can detect corner stakes within 6 inches of the surface.

The more expensive the units - can see deeper, how far down depends on how much money you want to spend. They are also better able to differentiate between different metals depending on settings.

White metal detectors are a reputable brand. I'd suggest reading the manual.

Are your corner stakes metal like re-bar? or wood with a tiny nail in it? or all wood?

 

[Aklogcabin]

Well I'll try to explain. I know the rebar stake is near the surface. Wave detector over the area I know it is in. And nothing happens, no sounds of detecting metal. Someone mentioned to me that I needed one like written about for corner stakes without the dish at bottom. The fellow I got the detector from was a gold miner so I didn't know if it was for non ferris or ferris metal. Detectors made for different metals
Hey thanks for the help

 

[Peanut]

Sounds like your detector isn't working at all. Test your detector, most have basic function tests in the manual. Bury a quarter or a 20 penny nail 4 inches down... should detect it fine.

 

[Aklogcabin]

Thanks Peanut but I'm probably the biggest problem with it