Metal detector tips

OK so some here might have used one.

Circumstances change so we now have the gf's young lad with us on our Christmas break. He has managed to borrow this

formatting link

from his Grandad. No manual or helpful input from his Grandad (he has never used it).

We don't expect to find any treasure but any tips on how it works would be good for when we are messing about on the beach before the pub opens are welcome.

Reply to
ARW
Loading thread data ...

I've never done this properly, only messed around with my lad when he was young and a certain amount depends on the age of the lad but the sequence goes roughly:

1 Turn it on away from any metal as it ~may~ be one that calibrates itself and any metal around will reduce the gain. 2 Discover the new set of batteries you just put in it are already flat, so find somewhere to get some new ones. 3 Convince yourself that you have a systematic search plan that will give you some chance of finding anything that really is there. 4 If you're lucky, locate a few unrecognisable bits of rusty metal that are close to the surface. 5 Run out of either batteries or child's attention span or both. 6 Retire to the pub and make up some highly improbable but nonetheless entertaining stories about the origins of the rusty lumps you found.

Of course, that's the voice of cynicism. You may get lucky and find something worth a fortune, in which case you can substitute retiring to the pub with retiring to a Carribean island and living happily ever after (in the pub).

Reply to
GMM

Drop into Maplins with it and ask them. Google is a bit yuk. Going to warmer climates are you?

Reply to
Mr Pounder

If you have some brass and some iron or steel things lying around, it would be an idea to see what the effect of each is. Should be the opposites of each other. The old way was to simply use a couple of oscillators at zero beat and the one with the detector coil would move according to what was in its field, making the note change. Of course in both cases it would indicate, the trick was usually a meter that had a centre zero that went one way for ferrous and the other for non ferrous. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

Like Watford?

Reply to
The Medway Handyman

That's actually the one I might buy for myself. It's probably no better or worse than any of the oter cheapies but it looks to have a handle that might be comfortable for a while. ie it's an extension of your arm rather than a handle being supported by your wrist.

Have a look on amazon, you'll find the same things for sale there, that might given you better model numbers makers to feed google to track down a manual. In fact as I like to read manuals before buying (to see what things can really do rather than what the marketing department thinks it might) and I've more or less decided on that one the chances are the manual is "out there, some where" ... B-)

He he, I have a real use. To find the bolt and washers that fell off the lawn mower this summer. But combining the above with Brians suggestion of testing with odd scraps of metal there is nothing to stop you "seeding" the search area with a few coins and other metalic "trinkets" like empty food can, odd lump of rust etc. Seeding a tide swept beach might be tricky but above the tide line won't be so obvious. There may even be enough metalic bits up ther already, particulary on a popular beach.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Try it out on your own lawn or flowerbeds first. You will likely find the odd old coin or piece of cutlery buried.

First thing to check is can it truly discriminate between ferrous and non-ferrous metals. NB modern change is mostly ferrous these days so try a brass or copper pipe offcut for non-ferrous and as ferrous a rusty mild steel washer (or coins that a magnet will pick up).

If it can distinguish them OK then you can avoid digging up worthless rusting junk and if not then you will get bored pretty quickly.

It claims to discriminate between copper and silver. You might find it worthwhile checking this and figuring out with a known piece of silver and copper what they each look/sound like when detected. Also at about what range in air it can detect an object of known size (worse in soil). Saves a lot of digging if you know how deep to go.

Even with a reasonable discriminating detector you are likely to find mostly coke can pull rings and aluminium cans in profusion on a beach. Incidentally that is a tough place to use a simple metal detector as brine soaked sand is quite a challenge. Concentrate on the drier parts further up the beach to stand a half decent chance.

We sometimes do a childrens no-dig metal detector treasure hunt on a

10x20m patch for VH funds with matt green painted washers as the targets. It is surprisingly hard to find them all again afterwards.
Reply to
Martin Brown

Depends on the British weather. I will be in Filey:-)

Reply to
ARW

All points noted to everyone who has replied. A bit of practice at home is needed before we use it.

Looking at the tide tables the pubs will not be open when we go out hunting so it will have to be the full english at a cafe.

Reply to
ARW

We have wrapped sweets in tinfoil, buried them, made a map and send them off to find them with the detector.

Reply to
misterroy

Tooooooo posh is that. Cancel and go to Blackpool instead. Ahem ..

Reply to
Mr Pounder

If the lad is like me when I was 10 it was the fun and not the value. About 1966 when such things were novel and I think it was from a Heathkit built by my grans lodger . Went to the River Thames bankside side near Barnes and the 1st thing we realised was that we should have taken a spade. Luckily the first thing we found was a Spear and Jackson one in the mud which with an older brain I reckon was filched from some nearby allotments and chucked in. Next thing was an office telephone exchange which was a bit big to recover. We got about 6/3d in coins which were converted into ice cream.

G.Harman

Reply to
damduck-egg

That just gave me an idea. Pre-bury some coins and stuff for him to find.

Reply to
Uncle Peter

Blackpool can wait for the hotel refurb we have quoted on.

Reply to
ARW

Blackpool hotels are notorious for being bad payers. Which hotel is it? I know many of them.

Reply to
Mr Pounder

/Blackpool hotels are notorious for being bad payers. Which hotel is it? I know many of them. /q

Jim K

Reply to
JimK

Reply to
Mr Pounder

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.