Metal detectors (1 Viewer)

[Taghkanic]

I’m wondering if there are any members who own metal detectors… Looking for basic buying advice for my first purchase.

I own about 250 acres, which are crisscrossed with stone walls, as well as several abandoned house foundations. Most of these date from the 19th century, some earlier.

My understanding is that the borders of such walls are a great place to go, metal detecting, because wall makers inevitably would lose objects (such as cooks, buttons) as they worked. Old foundations of course are also considered good prospecting sites.

What type of detectors would people recommend? Much of what I would be looking for would be below the surface, due to the accumulation of dirt and leaf litter etc. over 100 to 250 years.

Given that this seems like a pretty time-consuming hobby, I’d rather err on the side of overspending than underspending, so that I’m not out there for hours missing stuff…

 

[ekricket]

These are like fishing poles. Everybody has their favorite that fits their needs or wants. They all work the same, some just handle the discrimination among metals differently.

I’d recommend you find a local club and go hang out a couple of days with them. See how it really works and if it something you want to get into. Probably be less work to just dig a two foot trench along every wall and foundation and sieve the dirt.

But I’m sure you will find many things to ask “what the hell is that?”

 

[Taghkanic]

Thanks. Though from what I’ve read they are really not all that similar — in that there are detectors which compared to the basic Big Box store models can find things at greater depths, are more accurate, find wider ranges of metals, provide more data on attached screens, etc. etc.

Hence the wide variation in prices.

My question is really where the sweet spot is. I don’t want to make a mistake equivalent to the new chipper who thinks the slugged 14g Monte Carlos are the bomb. But I also don’t (yet) need a set of custom Chickens.

 

[ekricket]

Thanks. Though from what I’ve read they are really not all that similar — in that there are detectors which compared to the basic Big Box store models can find things at greater depths, are more accurate, find wider ranges of metals, provide more data on attached screens, etc. etc.

Hence the wide variation in prices.

My question is really where the sweet spot is. I don’t want to make a mistake equivalent to the new chipper who thinks the slugged 14g Monte Carlos are the bomb. But I also don’t (yet) need a set of custom Chickens.

Get samples?
Lol that’s too much hence my suggestion to go where’s there’s a gathering so you get many viewpoints.
But it does sound like you don’t want to waste time in the field, and less time always means more money.
It’s also a practice/art thing. It looks like they are swinging randomly, but it’s really not. Those magnetic fields depend on distance to read correctly, and if the detector is moving up at the end of your arcs then you are losing field and missing/getting fakey readings.

 

[Taghkanic]

I’m out in my woods all the time. I just don’t know of any such club near me (nor am I that keen to spend weekends hanging out with the equivalent of model airplane enthusiasts). Mainly interested to know if anyone here has a model, brand or general type they like, especially based on what I’m expecting to find several inches down.

 

[BEANO52]

I used to metal detect a lot. I even made a YouTube channel. I used Friendly Metal Detector forums for a bunch of research and had a blast. Unfortunately my knees have given out (motorcycle accident) and I really have a hard time going up and down anymore so it's rare I go. It's a hobby much like poker chip collecting where you can go crazy for sure lol.
I have an: Omega 8000, Vaquero, Eurotek Pro and some misc. others machines.

I'd check out: Metaldetectingforum.com

Here is my metal detecting YouTube if you are bored lol: www.youtube.com/channel/UChXy8KsleIyv6tSNwSGangA

 

[Irishfan63]

Love my Garrett ACE 400. It's a good middle grade detector with some nice features. Amazon always has it with different options too.