Can metal detectors find old bottles? What size coil? What machine?

[makahaman]

I was wondering if a metal detector can find old bottles? I once used a compass machine back in the late 70's that actually found an old ink bottle, is that possible? There was no metal by the bottle, the metal detector actually found the bottle by its self. I couldn't believe that, is there any machines that are better for bottle hunting or is it all in a bigger coil that finds the metal in the ground? Any suggestions would be much appreciated! Aloha

 

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[djabend]

My only guess is it could have had lead in it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_glass
but I have never received a signal from glass.HH,
Donny

 

[Gypsy Heart]

No......hence the word "metal detector".....I hunt a lot of bottle dumps.....to find them I use the detector ,because I know if I hit metal trash, I am going to find bottles somewhere near.......your ink must have had a piece if metal near it....if you run your detector over that inkwell now....does it beep?

 

[txkickergirl]

You need a bottle detector not a metal detector.
j/k unless it has a metal lid..then nope.

 

[birdman]

Pretty much what everyone else said but none the less old ink bottles are a great find. I have a couple of them that I found at low tide on vacation in Cape Cod. HH

 

[EasyMoney]

Actually some bottles do have lead in the glass for color. Some have other minerals for the same reason. However, most people are not of the ilk to dig something that gives out an "iffy" signal that is as long as a bottle and as wide. Most would think it's a piece of tinfoil because of it's conductivity reading.

I did find a couple of bottles that were in an excavation a few years ago at Olympic College in Bremerton, Washington that gave me a signal. They were greyish in color but my detector was an old Bounty Hunter 800 vlf/tr, without a meter. If they have any mineral substance still in them they could give out a signal too. Some still do, even 40 years after being trashed.

Common additives to glass are;

Potassium oxide
Sodium Oxide
Calcium Oxide
Lead Oxide

 

[Montana Jim]

The correct reply is "no".

However - we did establish a while ago that detectors can pick up the particles in ink. Actually... because they detect some tattoos.

Seriously.

So ink bottles maybe, and some other heavy metal'd glass maybe. But still... "no".

 

[jeff of pa]

some of the early detectors had a mineral setting.

It would be possable if tuned for minerals,
and ignore metal.
It could pick up some old bottles and
even Large stacks of paper bills.

I have also read in the past of them
actually picking up the air within the bottle
or open space underground.

These happenings were discussed back in the 70's magazines.

and although I can set my early garrett to ignore
all metal, and my Early Whites came with a Mineral Sample for tuning.

I always had my doubts that what I said above (in Blue) is true. I never actually remember trying it.

 

[EasyMoney]

I find it interesting that people sometimes don't know certain things unless they experience them.

I'll write this one more time so that perhaps it can be understood a bit better:

In the mid-70's I was attending Olympic College in Bremerton, WA taking electronics instrumentation classes. There was some excavation being done there to remove soil that had at one
time been home to a large garbage dump. Accrding to the men working on the job the trash hadn't been found very deep, but it did cover a very large area. A few old bottles had been unearthed and laid on the dirt removed to dig a ditch. I was allowed permission to search the area with my metal detector. I unearthed a few artifacts and continued on with my search. No coins were found but I did unearth several old bottles, one of which was an ink bottle, and two in a clean area which produced a faint signal like a small piece of tinfoil at 4-6" deep. Both were a faint grey color. There was no other metal in the ground within 6' of the two bottles. Both were lieing side-by-side. Maybe someone realized somewhere along the way that they were unusual, I don't know, but as I said before, bottles which have a metalic substance in the glass can give a metal signal. Both were made before 1920 when glass was still seamless and both had been hand blown. Yes, I checked the bottles separately and away from the soil just to make sure, and yes they gave an audio too. And yes, I also checked to see if the holes produced a signal too. They didn't. They wouldn't have anyway because my detector was a vlf-tr that didn't signal over open holes as some do.

I hope this helps. And HH.

Larry

 

[Montana Jim]

I find it interesting that people sometimes don't know certain things unless they experience them.

I'll write this one more time so that perhaps it can be understood a bit better:

In about 1975 I was attending Olympic College in Bremerton, WA taking pre-electrical engineering classes. There was some excavation being done there to remove soil that had at one
time been home to a large garbage dump. Accrding to the men working on the job the trash hadn't been found very deep, but it did cover a very large area. A few old bottles had been unearthed and laid on the dirt removed to dig a ditch. I was allowed permission to search the area with my metal detector. I unearthed a few artifacts and continued on with my search. No coins were found but I did unearth several old bottles, one of which was an ink bottle, and two in a clean area which produced a faint signal like a small piece of tinfoil at 4-6" deep. Both were a faint grey color. There was no other metal in the ground within 6' of the two bottles. Both were lieing side-by-side. Maybe someone realized somewhere along the way that they were unusual, I don't know, but as I said before, bottles which have a metalic substance in the gals can give a metal signal. Both were made before 1920 when glass was still seamless and both had been hand blown. Yes, I checked the bottles separately and away from the soil just to make sure, and yes they gave an audio too.

I hope this helps. And HH.

Larry

Larry - Interesting... this is why I love this site. Thanks for writing.

 

[EasyMoney]

Mai plaisir mon ami...

(My pleasure my friend).

And the same back atcha..

Larry

 

[doozis]

Great post Easy !!
If I die and go to metal detector heaven , I hope I have Easymoney and Sandman for next door neighbors
Doozis

 

[EasyMoney]

Aw shucks Dooz, you're only saying that because it's true...

(Just kidding). Ha ha.

One thing I've figured out about Sandman, he really knows his stuff when it comes to beach hunting, and a whole lot more about it than I do.

And Dooz, I hope I see you there someday (in Heaven).

I molti gratti per il complimento

Lorenzo