Modifying/ making a metal detector

[sathmcnugent]

I have an old 1970's metal detector. There is only one setting on it..off and on..I was wondering if a detector of this age can be modified to pick up only silver and or gold? also..does anyone know how to make a cheap but useful homemade detector? a friend of mine says he made one for silver only..but i havent seen it and he wouldnt go into how he made it..thanks

 

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[Iron Patch]

No, not me, and impossible.

It's not anywhere close to that simple.

 

[Joe Hoo?]

http://www.ehow.com/how_2198978_metal-detector.html LOL

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Your friend is mistaken. There is no way to make a detector that ".... only finds silver". Nor is it possible to make one that ".... only finds gold".

The only thing detectors can do, is discriminate based on conductivity. Thus .... yes, you can make a detector set to only find items (like silver) that are high conductors. But so too is an entire aluminum can going to read high, like a quarter or whatever. Because you see: size-of-item plays into it.

And you can make a detector setup to only find low conductors (by notching out all your high conductors). And yes, gold tends .... size per size .... to be a low conductor. But so too does small aluminum foil globs, pulltabs, etc... read low. And trust me: you will tune out $10 and $20 gold pieces, by nixing high conductors.

when the day comes that a detector can read composition, rather than conductivity, is the day we'll all get rich!

 

[Frankn]

I do not think YOU can modify a detector to just find gold or silver, but a detector can be built that will do just that, and they have been built by the gov to do just that. The catch is It would require the skill and knowledge of people in the advanced fields of electronics and physics to do it. The cost would be astronomical and the weight and size would be huge. The present government version is mounted in a ship that surveys the sea bead. It uses nuclear material in the process. So be happy with what you got!

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