Whites Eagle Spectrum settings to find a buried steam engine

[drgest]

ok, I know my title sounds a little off the wall, but when metal detecting a residence, I had someone I know approach me. He knew of the location of a buried steam engine. He's into that sort of thing for a hobby. Has one he runs in local parades, shows, etc. I took this to mean like a train locomotive but I'm really not sure as we ran out of time to talk. He did say it was about the size of a pickup. I thought, "ok, that's sounds a little more do-able." He has already talked to an excavator who is willing to provide the heavy equipment to dig around this thing and lift it out of the ground. He said he doesn't think it is very deep. I suggested 6 feet or less and he thought more like 3 to 4. He knows the approximate location where it was buried and just needs to somehow get a more precise outline of it before excavating.

My detecting partner has an MXT. In trying to find a buried pivot for a farmer, he was advised on how to set it and was told he would be able to mark it 3 foot down or a little better. I've had my Spectrum for about 10 years and have used it a lot but have never gotten in to messing with customized settings. Is there a certain setting that would give me optimum depth and sensitivity for this project? What should I expect to hear via headphones or see on the display that would indicate the target I'm after? My hope would be that I could mark a rough outline with say orange flags or something, then maybe verify the target using a privy or probing rod.

Well, what do you guys think? Is is do-able with either my spectrum or an MXT. Would one be better than the other? or..... Is it going to require one of those 2 box deals (not sure what they're called).

What a rush it would be to lift this thing out of the ground.

Dan

[jeff of pa]

I'm going to Guess Yes & No


& I'm not Blaming it on the Detector.

to work correctly the coil needs to be bigger
then the Object when swinging.
Or Very deep to Similate it's smaller.
Like a Can at 2 foot Sounding like a Quarter

It will be over a Large area & Will probably
react like a large area of Iron ore in the ground
Just null out or cause the detector
to be very unstable. However if it is a Train
the High points May be close enough
to the top To give a Better Signal.


Tune the detector before walking on site.
Take your Time Listen to Everything Change
no matter how Minimal, You may get Lucky.

use Minimum Disc.

Stand on the roof of your Car
and Try to Detect it for Practice Sounds.
While Lifting & Lowering your coil & Swinging.

Good Luck !

[drgest]

Thanks very much for the reply Jeff. Very good points that I will consider once I get to the site and I think will help me interpret as to what I'm marking. And I am going to practice on my truck, although I think I'll use a ladder in the bed area or maybe sit on the cab and detect over the bed and sides. It should give the neighbors something to talk about.

And yes Ankh, I will report back on how it goes. I just don't know when as it depends on the other fella.

Anybody else have any ideas, opinions or custom settings to suggest?

[sharp801]

If I were you I would just use the prospecting mode and a 15 inch coil. If you use the 9.5 coil using the prospecting mode, try adjusting the preamp gain (up).
I have a Eagle Spectrum also and the two main adjustments I use is AC sensi.
and preamp gain for more power.

[drgest]

thanks for the reply sharp. I'll try the adjustments as I don't have the bigger coil. I think I'll dig out the manual also. Time for re-read.