Bought a Compadre for my kids, what can I do, so they dont dig junk and lose the fun

NJSouth

Jr. Member
Aug 22, 2014
36
31
Vineland NJ
Detector(s) used
Bounty Hunter Tracker IV
Bounty Hunter Pin Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My daughter is 7 years old. She and I were "Scrappers" before we got into MDing. I taught my daughter that "all metal = money" Meaning no matter what you find when you get enough of it, its worth money. I take everything I find out of the ground. Its either "good treasure" or scrap metal but it keeps both my daughter and I motivated even when we find junk. Its also a good lesson in metals; ferrous vs non-ferrous. Just a tip on keeping them interested.
 

Welgund

Sr. Member
Aug 27, 2014
355
478
Colorado
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, CTX 3030, CZ-6a, CZ 5, Tesoro Vaquero, Mojave, Fisher F75 Ltd2, MXT Pro, Makro Multi Kruzer, Deeptech VGG
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
i bought a compadre for my daughter also. I recommend you set it at the N in iron and dig all signals that are solid with the cris cross method. Dig for them for the first few tiimes and then let them go. I take her compadre with me now when I go to parks and stuff and get it out when I just want to cherry pick and find jewelry. the compadre has a way with finding good treasure. Let them play in the tot lots so they dont mess up the grass. Dont get mad if they start finding more than you. This machine is a little gem that many people will think is a toy but all should have one in their arsenol. good luck and have fun.
 

ps249

Jr. Member
Dec 17, 2012
59
31
Michigan
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
On my Whites model I turn the disc all the way to the right and it goes into the all coin mode which picks up copper pennies, dimes, quarters, half dollars and dollar coins. You will not be able to pick up junk targets in this mode. However, you will NOT be able to detect gold rings, watches, jewelry or nickels or other valuable items or relics. The all coin mode is simply for coin shooting.
 

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Terry Soloman

Gold Member
May 28, 2010
19,419
30,082
White Plains, New York
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Detector(s) used
Nokta Makro Legend// Pulsedive// Minelab GPZ 7000// Vanquish 540// Minelab Pro Find 35// Dune Kraken Sandscoop// Grave Digger Tools Tombstone shovel & Sidekick digger// Bunk's Hermit Pick
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Im starting my kids with a Tesoro, 7yr old daughter (she has an xterra 305 but cant swing it even with a 6" coil" 3 yr old son (yes plugs are challenging for him so theyre a team. Should I set scrim abovr pull tab or go max?

I would set it just above pulltab. This way they will get mostly coins with a few bottle caps every now and then. After a while you can ask the kids if they want to go after gold rings, and lower the discrimination while introducing them to frustration.. :thumbsup:
 

slink

Full Member
Dec 12, 2014
188
186
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I tend to think for a young one keep them digging even if its trash.It seems to me it would get boring quicker not finding as much and to boost them up you can always point out they found alot.Kids can feel things they found interesting because they done it.A simple pull tab can be interesting to a 7 yr old after all they dont make them like that anymore.Your encouragement and praise of each find can fuel the drive to keep them interested.
 

bowser

Sr. Member
Feb 27, 2007
433
278
SOUTH WEYMOUTH MA.
Detector(s) used
PRISM11 MXT IDX PRO TESORO COMPARDRE T2 se
Primary Interest:
Other
could go badly ,nothin like gettin skunked by a 7 year old
 

luvsdux

Bronze Member
May 16, 2007
1,767
690
Lewiston, Idaho
Detector(s) used
Multiple Tesoros and Whites
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
If you have access to wood chip, tot lot playgrounds those usually produce some coins and are very easy to dig.
luvsdux
 

ps249

Jr. Member
Dec 17, 2012
59
31
Michigan
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
If you have access to wood chip, tot lot playgrounds those usually produce some coins and are very easy to dig.
luvsdux

I have good luck in tot lot playgorunds. My last big outing was 29 coins all buried in sand making for easy digging.
 

Indian Steve

Silver Member
Oct 23, 2011
2,794
4,449
Stuart VA
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
6
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I gave my Compadre to my daughter and she has found more good stuff than me every time we go out together. We hunt a festival site and she glides right over all of the bottle caps and straight to the money and jewelry. She sets discrimination just above iron and digs more rings than should be allowed. Your kids will love it. steve
 

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Backstrap80

Full Member
May 11, 2014
236
36
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Thanks steve! I keep hearing good things about this machine and its to cold to take her out right now. Maybe I will sneak off with it. Thanks.
 

DiggerinVA

Bronze Member
Sep 16, 2013
1,669
1,661
Shenandoah Valley, Virginia
Detector(s) used
GPX5000, AT Gold, AT Pro, Whites TDI, Bandido 2 umax, Tejon, Vaquero, Deus 2, ORX and Legend
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
My son has the compadre and usually runs just under zinc on disc....if there is little trash run just under 5cent. Works well for him...
 

Escape

Bronze Member
Apr 4, 2009
1,643
1,881
If he's young enough, tell him you collect pull tabs and pay him a dime for each one he finds. Get excited when he finds one.and give the kid his dime
 

Goodyguy

Gold Member
Mar 10, 2007
6,489
6,895
Arizona
Detector(s) used
Whites TM 808, Whites GMT, Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, Fisher Gold Bug 2, Suction Dredges, Trommels, Gold Vacs, High Bankers, Fluid bed Gold Traps, Rock Crushers, Sluices, Dry Washers, Miller Tables, Rp4
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
For a small child the fun is in the digging and finding things, anything. They get excited and want to show it off to Dad to receive praise. Make a fun learning experience out of identifying each object and let them imagine the circumstances of how it may have come to end up where they found it. Their imagination in creating a story will be priceless. The real treasure is those times together. Cherish every one.

My advice is start them off with NO discrimination. They will find more targets to dig as well as having a better chance at finding masked valuables (diamond ring next to or under a tin can lid. etc.) which is a good lesson to learn at any age.

GG~
 

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LuckyLarry

Hero Member
Dec 16, 2005
750
390
Sweet Home, Oregon
Detector(s) used
I had to sideline for awhile, too much quarreling, brand defensiveness, and seeing certain people waging war on others. It got to be too silly for me after awhile..
Primary Interest:
Other
When my Daughter was age 8, I took her out metal detecting. I planted coins for her to find, she didn't know I planted them but she loved it. Now she is age 42 and she still loves it..:icon_thumright:
 

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Backstrap80

Full Member
May 11, 2014
236
36
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Update my turning 4 tomorrow son found a 3.5 gram 22k east Indian pendant. He has a total of 15 mins on the machine now.
 

Welgund

Sr. Member
Aug 27, 2014
355
478
Colorado
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, CTX 3030, CZ-6a, CZ 5, Tesoro Vaquero, Mojave, Fisher F75 Ltd2, MXT Pro, Makro Multi Kruzer, Deeptech VGG
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
lol and so it begins. Nothing more frustrating than when your out with your kid metal detecting and they are using the Compadre and you hear them words "Hey dad, look what I found!". Gratz on the gold! Theres something about that machine that makes it a jewelry magnet. Can't think of a time where I was using it that i didn't find some sort of jewelry with it.
 

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Backstrap80

Full Member
May 11, 2014
236
36
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
We were targeting a small grassy area of a small park with a larke Syk populayion (I hope I spelled that right, so I knew there would be gold) I tell him to head to the open grass area, he walks a straight line 50 yards and yells "my machine peeped" I said Ill be right there. I walk up and ask where, Im thinking "Ill pop this junk out and keep moving" when it came out he said "ok, I found gold Im gonna go play on the swings LMAO. He wont give it to me even though I wear it.
 

boogeyman

Gold Member
Jun 6, 2006
5,016
4,398
Out in the hills near wherendaheckarwe
Detector(s) used
WHITES, MINELAB, Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If you have access to wood chip, tot lot playgrounds those usually produce some coins and are very easy to dig.
luvsdux
Tot lots are great for getting the little uns trained! They can concentrate on what the machine is telling them & pinpointing before graduating to plugging. Just give them a sifter they can handle. Always enough stuff to be found to keep their 2 min 20 seconds of attention span going. Chips are a little more difficult & they tend to get frustrated. Over the years I've done this with seven young uns & 5 still detect.
 

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