Dig tabs or filter them out?

**Silver Surfer** · Oct 11, 2009, 11:59 AM

Had a good afternoon yesterday, finding a gold ring... But I must have dug 40 pull tabs and bottle caps...
I set the disc slightly below the factory pre-set, to the "nickel" mark thinking I would maybe filter some of them out, but still found tons... Using the MXT 300...
Question is, should I continue using it in this setting and keep digging, or would I be safe to decrease it a bit more and risk missing the good stuff?
I thought about planting a pull tab and then tweaking the disc until it wont pick it up, but figured I would ask advice first, act later...

Only thing about this machine that was discouraging was it's sensitivity while working next to fences, swingsets, etc.. Within two feet of anything big and metal, it would go nuts... Guess that is where a 6X10 DD would be useful no doubt...

**bigtim1973** · Oct 11, 2009, 04:12 PM

Well since you look on the beaches and I saw your gold and opal ring on todays finds, you had better keep on digging those tabs!!!!! I have never found a piece of gold in all the years I have detected. That is my fault because I was a coin shooter for the most part and did not want to dig all of those tab signals. It looks to me like you are off to a good start!!!! When you look around an old house and are digging alot of tab signals and it becomes annoying then I would suggest kicking that disc up a bit but until then keep on digging those type of signals while at the beach. Hey did you get that other coil? Tim

**Jimmy4** · Oct 11, 2009, 07:01 PM

I dig the pull tabs for the most part, mainly because of that feeling like I might miss something. A few weeks ago at a school I got a couple of trinket type rings that showed up as pull tab. I just hate that feeling that I might leave something good!!
On a good note, I have found some pretty old tabs, and several cool varieties. (big whoop eh?)

Depending on the site, I will set the disc higher and choose to not dig them, but as of late, I've been checking everything.
I'm surely going for the 6x10 coil next, read lots of good stuff about it.

**extractor** · Oct 11, 2009, 07:03 PM

dig

**dahut** · Oct 12, 2009, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by Silver Surfer

Had a good afternoon yesterday, finding a gold ring... But I must have dug 40 pull tabs and bottle caps...
I set the disc slightly below the factory pre-set, to the "nickel" mark thinking I would maybe filter some of them out, but still found tons... Using the MXT 300...
Question is, should I continue using it in this setting and keep digging, or would I be safe to decrease it a bit more and risk missing the good stuff?
I thought about planting a pull tab and then tweaking the disc until it wont pick it up, but figured I would ask advice first, act later...

Only thing about this machine that was discouraging was it's sensitivity while working next to fences, swingsets, etc.. Within two feet of anything big and metal, it would go nuts... Guess that is where a 6X10 DD would be useful no doubt...

Only 40?! Thats it?!
And you got a gold ring for your "trouble?"

Were it me and there was a good chance of gold rings, I would set my DISC at the notch BELOW nickels and get to know how your instrument reacts to pull tabs and foil. Each detector does so differently and with practice, you can learn. These are two of the most common ranges one finds rings in.

I recently found a platinum ring worth over $400 in scrap value. It came in UNDER nickle, around the high foil range.
TEST TIME: Would I have found that ring, if I was running in pull tabs discriminate?.

The goal is not to get rid of tabs and other trash items, but to discern them for what they are. I mean get to know and even welcome trash. In case you hadn't grapsed it yet, trash is the sign that many people have come before you. Without them (and their trash) there would be no gold rings to find. The one goes with the other. Cogito, ergo sum, etc., etc......

Simply put, trash mimics the good stuff. Note I said MIMICS, not duplicates. This means you have to know when something different than trash shows up - something that may be a ring.

The rule of thumb used to be you had to dig 1000 pull tabs for every ring. I doubt it has changed much. Sounds like you got real lucky. Congratulations and I sincerely hope it lasts.....

**auferret** · Oct 12, 2009, 08:25 AM

Thanks everyone for their input in this thread. I learned a little more today. About the issue with fences, I saw this nice tip in the White's forum a while back. http://forum.treasurenet.com/whites/...?topic=31944.0

**Silver Surfer** · Oct 12, 2009, 09:46 AM

Thank you for that advice Dahut.... Went to another lake beach for a couple hours yesterday and got really frustrated..
I know that the MXT with 12" coil is SUPPOSED to be very sensitive, but man oh man... I got several signals that were very strong, pinpoint said from 4" on one to 6" on another for depth, ended up digging one hole a good 16" and then the pinpointer went off, was a whole aluminum can... I know that a whole can is a huge target, but wonder why the machine was saying they were that shallow?? I also dug one hole a good foot only to find a good size length of insulated copper wire.. It also read that it was 6" in depth.. Funny thing is, this beach had about 6" of sand over the top of black muck.. Maybe high minerals? I do know that most of the water in this area are high in iron and sulpher (what part of Florida is not?)..
The beach was closed some time back due to a kid drowning in a sink hole, maybe it has been worked over well as I did not find even one coin...
I decided that I need to take a few coins with me when I go again, and test with them before I begin hunting to see what tone they give. The "book" says that the sound should be good and solid when you pass over the object, not broken, but the only really clear "good" sounds I get are on pop tops and bottle caps.. The ring I found the other day was a solid sound, but very faint, nothing like the BLEEEP BLEEEP I get over the top of bottle caps... Like they say, you gotta learn your machine.
I have not gotten a DD coil yet, figure I would be better off learning what I have first, then go to a different coil... Kellyco does have the Eclipse on sale right now though.... And I agree, I got very lucky the other day!!

**dahut** · Oct 12, 2009, 01:03 PM

Thank you for that advice Dahut.... Went to another lake beach for a couple hours yesterday and got really frustrated..
I know that the MXT with 12" coil is SUPPOSED to be very sensitive, but man oh man... I got several signals that were very strong, pinpoint said from 4" on one to 6" on another for depth, ended up digging one hole a good 16" and then the pinpointer went off, was a whole aluminum can... I know that a whole can is a huge target, but wonder why the machine was saying they were that shallow??

I also dug one hole a good foot only to find a good size length of insulated copper wire.. It also read that it was 6" in depth.. Funny thing is, this beach had about 6" of sand over the top of black muck.. Maybe high minerals? I do know that most of the water in this area are high in iron and sulpher (what part of Florida is not?)..

Most detectors, even the new generation types like the MXT, have limits. No one wants to admit it, of course, but once a target gets beyond 6-8" all bets are off. You certainly cannot rely on what your display says at such depths, anyway. This is one of the "reasons" cited by those who eschew TID's to not have them.

But, they fail to realize that most targets at average depths are ID'd correctly, or very close to right. The science of this stuff has advanced pretty far along in recent years.
A non-metered instrument can never give you information like a metered one can, when other things are equal. Yet, when the depths are extreme, then everyone is in the same boat - metered or non-metered.
If you know this "secret," then why not have a meter for the 80% of times when they are useful?

As to cans and large hunks of wire, they both present unique challenges. The can is indeed huge. Especially when you are using a large coil and high gain. The wire is seen as large because it covers a large area.

About all you can do is raise your coil as you sweep. If the target remains solid well above the ground, then it is a large target, by default. Certainly it is not a jewelry item or coin. Use this method for awhile and you will begin to use the pinpoint / depth functions less. You'll find your hunt speed, rhythm and efficiency will increase, too.

I decided that I need to take a few coins with me when I go again, and test with them before I begin hunting to see what tone they give. The "book" says that the sound should be good and solid when you pass over the object, not broken, but the only really clear "good" sounds I get are on pop tops and bottle caps...
Remember that there is FAR MORE trash out there than gold. It mixes with the good targets randomly and can cause all sorts of problems.

Your detector is what it is - very good. The trash exists and you cannot change that.
The only thing you can materially affect is your attitude. Testing and more testing should be the regime for any new-to-you detector. So by all means, take some coins and try them.
After 20 + years in this game, I recently got a Classic ID... an "oldschool" detector in anyone's book. That simple T&G instrument takes me to school, each time I use it.

The ring I found the other day was a solid sound, but very faint, nothing like the BLEEEP BLEEEP I get over the top of bottle caps...
Im assuming you mean screw caps here. They will sound good and strong, being large round aluminum items.
Bottle caps, on the other hand, should break up and/or give you bouncing indicators. Of course this is at the correct foil range DISC settings.

I have not gotten a DD coil yet, figure I would be better off learning what I have first, then go to a different coil... Kellyco does have the Eclipse on sale right now though.... And I agree, I got very lucky the other day!!
I believe you have the right coil for the beach. A couple of smaller ones will be useful for trashy sites inland, but for now the beach is one of the best places to learn your detector and coil combination.
Stick with it.

**Silver Surfer** · Oct 12, 2009, 01:11 PM

Thank you SO much!
I will stick with the 12" coil for now.... I have to go to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville tomorrow for a week of tests, hope to get to the beach a couple times while I am there... It will be fun to see what it does in a salt-sand environment...
Been sooooo long since I was at the beach, even though I am a little anxious about all the tests (actually getting kind of needle phobic now), the beach is making me look forward to it a little...

Great advice...

**dahut** · Oct 12, 2009, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Silver Surfer

Thank you SO much!
I will stick with the 12" coil for now.... I have to go to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville tomorrow for a week of tests, hope to get to the beach a couple times while I am there... It will be fun to see what it does in a salt-sand environment...
Been sooooo long since I was at the beach, even though I am a little anxious about all the tests (actually getting kind of needle phobic now), the beach is making me look forward to it a little...

Great advice...

Well, I certainly hope all comes out well. You have my prayers, my brother.

**underdogger** · Oct 12, 2009, 07:10 PM

Hey surfer this is my take on pull tabs . I have found a white gold diamond ring right on pull tab I also found one of my oldest sterling rings on pull tabs . I also found a 14 k gold class ring in foil range My personal opinion is your missing good stuf to people who are willing to dig them. if you set to eliminate them .Just my opinion been doing this 7 yrs with a priz II. Many charms also are found in pulltab . Its worth it to me .

ROB.

**rjw4law** · Oct 12, 2009, 09:44 PM

My DFX read Pull tab,,,,almost never dig it....wasn't getting anything....so I dug it......V nickle...past two weeks I have accumulated the best tab collection.

**dahut** · Oct 12, 2009, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by rjw4law

My DFX read Pull tab,,,,almost never dig it....wasn't getting anything....so I dug it......V nickle...past two weeks I have accumulated the best tab collection.

Good point! One success and you are a tab lover forever.

The nice thing about the Whites high end machines, and even a few of their lesser instruments is they give understandable responses. With practice and some in-depth understanding, you can often tell the type of metal you are finding - with precision. I'm not referring to silver coins, here, but the myriad pulltab/aluminum readings we encounter.

Some detectors just go "bong" or "beep" and that's about it. But the metered Whites instruments offer enough information to get rather precise with thrash. For example, I've just discovered that my little Classic ID has an interesting trait on pull tabs. It hits cleanly in fast sweep mode, as you expect.
But when I slow down to "process" a hit, I note the tabs tend to cause "scatter" of the cursor. Most make the cursor jump 2-3 notches and some are actually predictable, depending on their type.

Meanwhile, this same "scatter" on gold rings of 10K or above is almost not there. So there is a difference between pull tabs and gold rings. It is subtle to be sure, but it is there.

Meters are not infallible, of course. This only works inside of 6"-7" in depth... which is fine for inland sites. Trash is rarely that deep in parks and school yards, which also helps to give it away. But regardless, I have noted it with pleasure and hope to develop it further.

Now, consider if you will the MXT, XLT or DFX, with their vastly superior target information.
With these hummers, the possibility exists to actually know trash. At least one guy, Clive Clynick, claims to be pretty good at it. So when you see something different from the usual trash responses, something you can directly associate with a good target... you dig with greater gusto.
The rest of the time, you can be at least confident that it was trash you left behind.

There is always the chance that you are wrong, of course. But if I can move towards confidently discerning trash over digging every pull tab within a hundred yards, then I'll give it a go!

**Wildcat** · Oct 27, 2009, 07:46 AM

On your MXT, Set your disc level at Preset and push your flickswitch to the forward position. This is supposed to 'notch' out those pull tabs yet it should still pick up the rings. You may find it causes the response on the pulltabs to be 'broken up' which helps you identify them better.
If you just wind up your disc knob you will definitely eliminate the rings.

The Cat

**Tin Nugget** · Oct 28, 2009, 06:56 AM

40 tabs for a gold ring is an excellent trade off. Keep digging tabs!

**Wildcat** · Oct 31, 2009, 09:33 PM

hey, do you realise those ANKH's look like big pull tabs?
The Cat

**ashleysflyr** · Nov 03, 2009, 11:39 AM

In parks, I dig VDI of 16-22. OLD homesites...I dig everythin above a VDI of 10 (I am sure I have missed small gold, but my time is valuable...then again, so is gold...lol). ALRIGHT darn it....DIG EVERYTHING!

~Tom

**sniffer** · Nov 03, 2009, 02:02 PM

take a good look at my avatar, when I dug that up, it rang up as foil, a +4
dig everything.
when I got my super 12 for my DFX, I first used it at the LBH. I dug up a piece of copper wire, 6 inches long,
about 12 inches down.
take your time and learn what your machine is telling you