best detector for cache

TXPIRATE

Sr. Member
Aug 21, 2003
353
106
S.E. TEXAS
Detector(s) used
" Bounty Hunter IV Tracker
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I have never searched for a cache except for the one I thought my grandpa might have left behind. But I would look YOUR BUDGET the Garrett Master Hunter cx WOULD DO NICELY. I have a 2500 gti I just bought and am learing as I am learning my machine my research files are growing. You need a detector that will take a big coil and has all metal .
If you don't want a Garrett whites Mxt. of the dfx would also work well. More of a learing curve.
 

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
TF 900 by Discovery or Whites TM 800 made by Discovery. They are both two box detectors and will get the job done. They go about 3 feet for a soda can. 5 feet for a gallon size target 6-7 feet for an object as big as one meter cube and 20 feet for an automobile size object.

More Info: http://www.detection.com/Deep/howdeep.html
 

lou423

Hero Member
Dec 14, 2005
505
8
S.W. Tennessee
Detector(s) used
Tesoro. Minelab. Fisher.
use the largest search coil you can afford...
Go slow...
Listen for faint signals...
 

Harvest

Full Member
Apr 6, 2008
139
101
Daytona Beach, Fl.
Detector(s) used
Whites SL90, Surf PI, Minelab Excalibur 800
Primary Interest:
Shipwrecks
Whites has a new PI detector that is perfect for cache hunting, but the $1400 is alot, or the Whites 2-box 808 is probably the best bet it has a cave mode others don't price is not to bad $600-$700


Harvest
 

OP
OP
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octoberchild

Jr. Member
Dec 7, 2007
53
3
thank you Lamar. since I posted that I have actually found some info on this detector. It seems awfully obscure, for what reason, I don't know. There is actually one in the classified of this website for sale, $1400 or so. Kinda high for a can of electronics, Waiting for some rave reviews before I would spend that much. The problem being the search area I am aiming is full of buffalo grass, cactus and sticker bushes. Kinda hard to wag around a 1 meter square. A big coil would be much better if it would do the job.
 

lamar

Bronze Member
Aug 30, 2004
1,341
46
Dear octoberchild;
The White's TDI is worth every cent of it's 1400.00$ asking price IMVHO. The White's TDI can use all of the stock and aftermarket Minelab PI detector coils, therefore you will not need to purchase any coils which are exclusively built for the TDI. Also, I use an 18" Coiltek round mono coil quite a lot and trust me on this, this is about as big as I care to go with a coil. That thing gets super heavy after a few hours of swinging it, my friend. From the terrain which you've described, the stock 12" TDI coil will work quite nicely.

Also, you will not find a lot of info on the TDI on this forum as this is mostly a general THing forum. Most of the hot TDI operators hang out on this particular forum:
http://www.findmall.com/list.php?34
Eric Foster, who is the undisputed king of PI technology, hangs out on that forum quite a lot and he is an invaluable source of info. Another good forum which highlights the TDI is this one:
http://tdi.invisionplus.net/index.php?mforum=tdi&showforum=3
On this forum, you'll find posts by Req, Digger Bob, Jim Straight and other topnotch western states nugget hunters. They a bunch of pretty straight shooters and none of them have a stake (ie, they aren't out to sell you something, they just love detecting for nuggets and they happen to be VERY good at it!) and you can pretty much take everything they say as truth. They also have many years behind the various Minelab machines and thus they are great people to ask questions about comparisons between the Minelab PIs and the TDI.
Your friend;
LAMAR
 

lamar

Bronze Member
Aug 30, 2004
1,341
46
Dear octoberchild;
I have no experience with the GS5, my friend. AFAIK, the GS5 is built by Eric Foster and is used mostly for beach and relic hunting and not general detecting. It seems to be popular with the relic detectorists in Great Britain, which is where Mr. Foster resides, if I am not mistaken. On the other hand, the TDI seems to have been designed more as all-around PI detector with an added empathesis on nugget detecting.

Also, be sure and check out Ted Scott's forum:
http://goldplacer.com/
Ted and his gang of happy go lucky pirates (Arrrrrrrrrrrrrr!) haved used the GS-5 and the TDI fairly extensively and also all the Minelab PI machines.
Your friend;
LAMAR
 

Nov 8, 2004
14,582
11,942
Alamos,Sonora,Mexico
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
HIO October child (you too?) Bufo, cactus, and thorn brush, ?? Viva Mexico. Seriously, for that, I would suggest the Discovery 9oo series @ $495 as your max value and probably best instrument for say around 4-5 feet + on a mule load sized cache + in the inviorment that you stated.

It is far easier to manuever around, under, and over the native growth.. Most posters apparently do not detect in open country with native growth which makes a large coil unusable for all pratical purposes.

---> http://www.detection.com/super/sales.html

I have one and it is my preferred one for caches, particularly loads of Pesos or Reales. GOOD LUCK !

Don Jose de La Mancha
 

lamar

Bronze Member
Aug 30, 2004
1,341
46
Dear Real De Tayopa;
I swing an 18" coil 80% of the time in the jungles of Bolivia my friend and while it's more challenging than a desert environment, it's doable. I prefer a bigger closed coil over the smaller open faced ones bcause they tend to glide over the vines and undergrowth better. If the going gets too rough I fire up the gasoline powered weedeater and tame the undergrowth down a bit. ;D
Your friend;
LAMAR
 

Nov 8, 2004
14,582
11,942
Alamos,Sonora,Mexico
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
HI Lamar, I too have used a detector in the Yucatan .Quintan Roo jungle, but that is far different from the thorn forests of the north western deserts, say of Mexico. There a weed cutter will have no effect, only a machete will. Besides who packs a weedcutter on a mule besides Joe or ORO??

Personally, for caches, I still go for the Discovery.

Don Jose de La Mancha
 

gflores71

Full Member
Nov 26, 2005
173
112
Central Coast, CA / Bolivia
Detector(s) used
White's V3, MXT All Pro, DFX, XLPro,TM-808, TDI-SL with 25" coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Lamar,

I am back in CA, email me the FJ part numbers. I will be flying down on the 14th, estimated arrival to Coch..18th.

Gilbert
 

gflores71

Full Member
Nov 26, 2005
173
112
Central Coast, CA / Bolivia
Detector(s) used
White's V3, MXT All Pro, DFX, XLPro,TM-808, TDI-SL with 25" coil
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
How are you Joseph.. Not much new from my side. How are things going with you?
I am flying that R172K down thru the Caribbean to Bolivia. Got a whole lot of mods done.
Will probably get the new Whites VLF to take down.

G
 

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