9 Function Metal Detector from Harbor Freight tools?

[Knut dirtfisk]

Also my first detector.Got me hooked,probabley for life.Started falling apart after a few months so I put the circuit board in a cigar box decked out with antique brass hardware and radio knobs.found my first silver with it, a 1921 morgan.And a possible meteorite still being tested.

 

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[Doc Chocobo]

The new Harbor Freight 9 function metal detector model will do average on coins and other small artifacts. I owned one until recently. The only thing that I had with it was that it would chatter if you tap the coil sometimes. But I dug up a lot of things with that. I gave it to a friend who had gained a fascination with metal detecting and I hope it's serving him as good as it did me. True it's a basic metal detector, but for the price you pay your actually getting something reasonably functional. I can't speak for the older model I never owned it, but the one I owned was a lot of fun. My mother actually found quite a few things with it as well when we went hunting around the old house, including a bronze medallion I wished I had found. She beat me out that day even though I was swinging my time Ranger not far away. A lot of this metal detecting thing really comes down to knowing your machine and your level of luck at any given time.

Sent from my VS425PP using Tapatalk

 

[Slingshot]

I bought one of the new model 9 function units on Memorial Day, 17, for $39.32, which included sales tax, by using a 25% off coupon. I had heard they were actually a decent machine for the price. I have 16 actual field hours with it now and have to say that it will bring home the bacon. I did a couple hours of air testing when I first got it and then let the grandkids play with it for about 3 hours as a simulated torture test. The original AA batteries are at 21 hours of use and I am keeping track of how long they actually last, I've been told they will run for 40 hours which pencils out to .02 cents an hour operating cost. The discriminator on this unit is very good, and running it in 10 on discriminate with 3/4 sensitivity it ignores everything but quarters and gives a bit of chatter on dimes with an occasional copper cent reading through also. Decent depth, 5 - 6 inch range, and works well with dollar tree ear buds. Perfect for summer park hunting and run of the mill older coins. I'm pleased with this unit. My YouTube 10 hours of field use video - https://youtu.be/29zBirOR8Wg

 

[Slingshot]

6 months later with about 90 actual operating hours in the field the Harbor Freight 9 Function has earned some respect. I kept very detailed records of time the unit was used, and while using Harbor Freight Thunderbolt AA chloride zinc heavy duty batteries I got 60 hours of use before the low battery light came on, and that is with me using earbuds. The machine has more than paid for itself, with about $15 to the good in my pocket, and that includes gasoline expenses incurred during this same period. The discriminator is very very good, and recovery time is faster than a Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202. Still using it for coin shooting, and will continue to do so until I find a piece of gold with it. Flimsy, but has held together for me, and what can you expect for under $50, I can live with the flimsy as long as the machine produces. Here's my video at 81 hours of actual use.

 

[HighVDI]

Slingshot, have you ever put this up against a tracker iv?

 

[Loco-Digger]

Ive been looking at ebay.I am eye balling a couple whites,6000 models,a garrett or 2,and a minelab.

roadrunner, if you want a machine to help prospecting you should find a detector that was designed for gold. If you just want to look for coins, relics and maybe some jewelry you can get a used mid level machine for $300-$400 used in most areas. I bought most of my detectors used and never had an issue. If you keep your eyes open you can get great deals. A few of my best buys were a machine I paid $75 for used and they are still selling new for $679, two that where worth $1200 and I paid $400 each.

Good Luck


By the way if your are wnating coins, relics and bling there is on older ad on craigsllist for a Bounty Hunter Platinum that comes with a Garrett Pin pointer and Headphones for $225. This is a steal. The Platinum is similar to the Teknetics gamma, the pin pointer is worth $100 buy itself, the headphones about $30 bucks, so you're getting the detector for $95.

I looked up what the BH Platinum is selling for new and one site is selling it for $299 in a package deal with a few accessories.

 

[Slingshot]

Haven't done a comparison to the Tracker IV, but have tested it against a Bounty Hunter Pioneer 202, which I have used for many years, and was surprised by the results -

 

[Texas Jay]

This man has been metal detecting for as long as I have (49 years) and he's probably the best expert on the Harbor Freight 9-function detector out there.



~Texas Jay

 

[59CRL]

I was at Harbor Freight today and saw the detector, so I said wth..... only $49.... so i bought it.
Trying it out it works ok. Pretty good depth and discrimination. Very light and kind of flimsy build quality.
I tried it out briefly and found a few coins in my yard. I will take it out in my 3 acre field this weekend and see how it goes.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I was at Harbor Freight today and saw the detector, so I said wth..... only $49.... so i bought it.
Trying it out it works ok. Pretty good depth and discrimination. Very light and kind of flimsy build quality.
I tried it out briefly and found a few coins in my yard. I will take it out in my 3 acre field this weekend and see how it goes.

View attachment 1586410

The coil size is going to limit your detecting depth on the smaller targets. It is a capable machine, but I doubt if it will hit on a coin sized target at 8 inches or deeper unless it's a large copper or silver. Good Luck

 

[59CRL]

so does a larger coil or smaller coil increase the depth?

 

[Loco-Digger]

so does a larger coil or smaller coil increase the depth?

The diameter of the coil correlates to it's depth. The larger the coil, the deeper it should go. Larger coils are great for target sparse areas and smaller coils are better in trashy sites since they give better target separation due to their size. I must admit the stock 5"DD for the F75 does go crazy deep for it's size. I prefer DD coils over concentric since I get a better reading using them, Below is an example of concentric and DD coils detecting fields.

Concentric coil


DD coil


You need to overlap your sweeps more with the concentric coil to get max depth vs the DD coils.

 

[59CRL]

The diameter of the coil correlates to it's depth. The larger the coil, the deeper it should go. Larger coils are great for target sparse areas and smaller coils are better in trashy sites since they give better target separation due to their size. I must admit the stock 5"DD for the F75 does go crazy deep for it's size. I prefer DD coils over concentric since I get a better reading using them, Below is an example of concentric and DD coils detecting fields.

Concentric coil
View attachment 1586875

DD coil
View attachment 1586876

You need to overlap your sweeps more with the concentric coil to get max depth vs the DD coils.

Oh wow thanks for the post. Yeah this metal detector cannot pick up anything 8 inches deep lol. Coins at about 6 max.
It is fun though. I found an old water hose nozel from the 50's in my front yard at about 5 inches deep. Fun for a
cheaper machine.

 

[Loco-Digger]

That machine would have hit on about half of my keepers since they were only between 4 to 7 inches deep. Let that machine find enough to pay for itself and if you're still excited about the hobby I'd keep the HF machine as a back-up/loaner and then get a used mid-level machine. Deals are out there, you just have to keep your eyes open.

Good Luck & Happy Hunting

 

[Mileaway]

I have had one for a couple of years now. It works fine for general use. I can find gold at 6", other junk usually much shallower. I use it in the water as well without any problem. I do try to keep it within about 6" max depth. I haven't looked at it to see if it can be better sealed or even what issues it may have in water. So far I have had none in or out. I find the usual everyone else does so no complaints there. I do not look for deep objects so this unit satisfies that need. It's good for playgrounds etc. too. For just something cheap that works to keep in the truck, this works great. I can buy quite a few of these for the price of some of the other and get the same results....pull tabs..lol GL/GH