E-Trac CO - 47 and alum

monkeys uncle

Full Member
Mar 26, 2014
175
145
Waxahachie, Tx
Detector(s) used
Vanquish 440, E-Trac, Fisher F-Pulse pin-pointer
Primary Interest:
Other
Okay you E-Trac experts...last two hunts, swung over a number of tragets (8 or 9) that returned "CO 47" and recovered only 1 clad GW :icon_scratch: . All the others were alum. cans or round alum lids/tops. Was running Andy s' pattern and followed the "hits" with open Quick Mask to check FE. Did not dig any FE 30's or for that matter anything >FE 26. Am I missing something (?) or is that expected? ??? Is alum always going to outsmart me and the machine? TIA and HH to all!

ETA - Yeah...I'm lazy and hate/refuse to dig "everything".
 

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SD51

Silver Member
Aug 24, 2016
4,832
9,956
MI
Detector(s) used
E-TRAC
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I know what you mean about a CO of 47, I always expect to uncover a quarter too! One thing to try is determine the size of the target by slowly sweeping over it. The Aluminum can lid will sound-off over a larger area than a quarter and the depth indication won't be correct. Luckily, when the litterbugs threw all the Aluminum pulltabs on the ground they didn't also throw the entire can.
 

DiamondDan

Sr. Member
Apr 21, 2016
465
1,129
Robbinsdale, MN
Detector(s) used
White's M6; Tesoro Compadre; Minelab E-trac; Bounty Hunter QD2
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Use the old "lifting of the coil" trick.
 

cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,198
14,506
San Diego
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1
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Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I don't know of any detector that will I.D. aluminum with any degree of certainty.
 

OP
OP
monkeys uncle

monkeys uncle

Full Member
Mar 26, 2014
175
145
Waxahachie, Tx
Detector(s) used
Vanquish 440, E-Trac, Fisher F-Pulse pin-pointer
Primary Interest:
Other
I don't know of any detector that will I.D. aluminum with any degree of certainty.

Well...that makes (at least) two of us. Let me know if someone comes up with a machine that does. OHhhhhh...and let's keep it "our" little secret! 8-) :occasion14:
 

malenkai

Full Member
May 4, 2016
183
552
Chester County, PA
Detector(s) used
E-Trac
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
The CO number is based not only on the conductivity of the metal, but the size of the target. That is why a large, low conductivity target such as an aluminum can will have the same CO number as a smaller, high conductivity target like a quarter. On that score, a $20 gold piece will ring in at the same place as a clad dime :)

I think Andy's program is useless, but forgetting that, you can tell by the size, the ring, and the reported depth of the target. Once you get the hang of the E-Trac, you will rarely dig trash unless you want to.
 

OP
OP
monkeys uncle

monkeys uncle

Full Member
Mar 26, 2014
175
145
Waxahachie, Tx
Detector(s) used
Vanquish 440, E-Trac, Fisher F-Pulse pin-pointer
Primary Interest:
Other
The CO number is based not only on the conductivity of the metal, but the size of the target. That is why a large, low conductivity target such as an aluminum can will have the same CO number as a smaller, high conductivity target like a quarter. On that score, a $20 gold piece will ring in at the same place as a clad dime :)

I think Andy's program is useless, but forgetting that, you can tell by the size, the ring, and the reported depth of the target. Once you get the hang of the E-Trac, you will rarely dig trash unless you want to.

Does one EVER really "get the hang" of it (E-Trac)? Been swinging one since 2014 and STILL learning. I love it...but, seems like there's always one more trick that's not in my repertoire. :laughing7:

Ohhhh...since you don't like Andy s pattern...can you advise what you use?
 

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cudamark

Gold Member
Top Banner Poster
Mar 16, 2011
13,198
14,506
San Diego
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
3
Detector(s) used
XP Deus 2, Equinox 800/900, Fisher Impulse AQ, E-Trac, 3 Excal 1000's, White's TM808, VibraProbe, 15" NEL Attack, Mi6, Steath 920ix and 720i scoops, TRX, etc....
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Depends on where you're hunting, the ground/water conditions, and what you're trying to find.
 

marjam

Sr. Member
Nov 17, 2012
491
440
I still dig aluminum cans. The best indicator that I have found is the depth. If it says it shallow, and you dig and its deeper than indicated, it is always for me a crushed pop can. I dig the can up if I have cut a plug so I won't find it again, and to clear the ground of litter.

You can lift the coil too as someone else already said. That does work, on any questionable target.
 

mope540

Full Member
Jun 29, 2011
214
197
Yonder
Detector(s) used
E-Trac, X1 probe, SEF 8X6 coil.

AT Gold, 5X8 coil, Garrett PP

Equinox 800, 6" coil

Oldest coin to date...1829 large cent
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Use the old "lifting of the coil" trick.


Best trick yet devised. I dig up the obvious alum. cans so they will no longer be a nuisance
 

E-Trac-Ohio

Gold Member
Feb 9, 2020
6,059
11,143
Eastern Ohio
Detector(s) used
XP Deus
Minelab E-Trac
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
With practice you' get better at "sizing" targets before you dig them.
Of course this all depends on the targets depth but ...
Smaller coin size targets like Quarters usually give you a quick on and off hit when you swing over them.
Can sized targets will usually give you a longer dragged out sounding hit.

Hot Wheels will also give real nice CO 47's.
I have a 5 gal. bucket that's half full of them that I thought were going to be Quarters before I dug them !

Good Hunting !
 

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,011
1,630
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I don't know of any detector that will I.D. aluminum with any degree of certainty.
got fooled today on a Vanquish 440. Forgot to use the lifting sizing trick. It work IF YOU REMEMBER TO USE IT.
But did find a nice 1914 wheat always makes me feel better than getting totally skunked.
 

Kevvorush

Tenderfoot
Oct 31, 2021
5
1
Does one EVER really "get the hang" of it (E-Trac)? Been swinging one since 2014 and STILL learning. I love it...but, seems like there's always one more trick that's not in my repertoire. :laughing7:

Ohhhh...since you don't like Andy s pattern...can you advise what you use?
I’ve found Diggin4life to be by far the most helpful. It turns out you can run the machine much hotter than most recommendations.
 

Roger Mn.

Silver Member
Aug 18, 2007
3,806
1,870
Rochester,Minnesota
🥇 Banner finds
3
Detector(s) used
Minelab Etrac
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Take a silver dollar and in coin mode pinpoint over it.
You will see it only pinpoints a small area.
An aluminum old round beer can lid will have a much bigger pinpoint area.
Aluminum cans even bigger pinpoint area.
Go to all metal mode and you will see high numbers.
Anything with high numbers 26 and above is junk even small scrap aluminum sometimes will show a high number in all-metal mode.
If you practice on different pull tabs and lay a gold ring down you will eventually know a gold ring from a pull tab.
A lot of you don't think that is possible but I could tell the tone was different on the 3rd gold ring with the Etrac I dug that I was sure it was a gold ring before I dug it.
Go out and give it a try and see what you think.
 

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,011
1,630
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I don't know of any detector that will I.D. aluminum with any degree of certainty.
about a month before I sold my 800 a guy showed in a video that hunting in 4 kHz would hide a pop top or pull tab sitting right on top a dime. And it gave the correct TID for the dime, not a blended or averaged TID. I did not believe his video so tried it. It worked exactly as he showed it in the video. Next time you have a really park with tons of pop tops and pull tabs, switch to 4 kHZ on your 800.
 

pulltabfelix

Bronze Member
Jan 29, 2018
1,011
1,630
North Atlanta
Detector(s) used
Currently have CTX3030 and Vanquish 440.
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
With practice you' get better at "sizing" targets before you dig them.
Of course this all depends on the targets depth but ...
Smaller coin size targets like Quarters usually give you a quick on and off hit when you swing over them.
Can sized targets will usually give you a longer dragged out sounding hit.

Hot Wheels will also give real nice CO 47's.
I have a 5 gal. bucket that's half full of them that I thought were going to be Quarters before I dug them !

Good Hunting !
I am never disappointed with a hotwheels find. I have two grandsons 5 & 7. They have quite a collection. Most hotwheels dug clean up fine. If in decent condition they sell on eBay from about $3 to $10. better than a clad quarter.
 

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