I bought my first detector!!

[tallguybry]

Hey Guys,

I found a Garrett dealer not far from where I live and I purchased a Garrett Ace 350 with headphones for $299!

I took her out on my first expedition. I started at an abandoned church. I had a lot of coin hits at 8"+. But after digging (with the wrong size hand shovel), I waved the detector over the spot and it was still there. I need to bring a bigger shovel! I did unearth one bottle cap. I'm going to hit this spot up again soon.

Off to an abandoned farm house. I found two more bottle caps and one copper penny from the 70's. At this point it was starting to rain, so I headed for the car.

All in all, it was fun. I have to get used to the tones and what not.

Any suggestions would be appriciated!!

HH!!
TGB

 

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[Hot zone]

Please be carefully to fill in holes. Most coins can be dug cutting a turf flap that is folded back and the soil removed with a hand trowel, placing it on a towel or plastic to not leave dirt on a lawn. A pin pointer wil save lots of time and you won't be leaving a mess. When the home owner is watching it is best to locate the coin with a probe make a small slit in the turf spread it apart and pop out the coin with a screw driver. Then press the turf back together. It is impressive when done right. Big shovels do have there place though. I would suggest using a GI ww2 folding shovel if u can locate one. Folding shovels carried in a sheath are inconspicuous and less likely to draw unwanted attention from those who would like to spoil our fun. Be sure to get permission and above all have fun with your new hobbie and learn that machine before ever upgrading.

 

[tallguybry]

Great advice. Thank you very much!

HH!!
TGB

 

[dustytrails123]

I got mine about a month ago and it was a rough first week learning the unit atleast for myself... when you get those 8 inch targets use pinpoint to track it down sometimes a bottle cap 1 foot away at 2 inches reads as 8 inches when your not swinging over top of it .....so your digging for a ghost signal at that point

 

[pops9653]

Sounds like a good day. I was using the plastic differ that was in my box with the detector. I started using a gerber knife. You can practice in your yard for a few days and you will be ready for the sweet spots you have found.

 

[poptop121]

just get a garret pro-pointer..you DONT need a shovel..small hand tool is all.

 

[Sandman]

Well come to the hobby. Hot Zone gave very good advice on getting a target out of the ground. I probe for the coin with a screw driver first and on touching it I can just pop it out saving time and not ruining the grass. In the woods or fields a trowl is OK, but not in lawns except your own. Order the book, Sucessful Coin Hunting, from Garrett to learn where to look for coins, etc.

 

[dustytrails123]

I will stick with my lesche id be upset marking up the old coins i find

 

[Hot zone]

I will stick with my lesche id be upset marking up the old coins i find

I ground off all the sharp edges from the end of the screwdriver. No scratches...

 

[Sandman]

I will stick with my lesche id be upset marking up the old coins i find

You could get a citation using a Lesche in many state or local parks no matter which state you are hunting these days. It used to be OK but not now with all the newbies digging holes in the grass and then leaving them there for you to get blamed for them.

 

[Useless Eater]

when you get that perfect ding-ding in the quarter-dime bar pinpoint the target then keep swinging the coil 3-4 inches back and forth till it sounds like your shaking a handbell and slowly move the coil forward, if its a bottlecap you will get an iron signal when the rim of the coil nearest you moves over the target, coins won't do that, its not always possible if the target is crowded by other metal but throw a bottlecap on the ground and try this and you will see what I mean and it helps a lot

 

[TerryC]

Hey TGB! Welcome to the net! As a new guy, you have much to learn. The BEST way to learn is just go out an USE it. A close second is pay close attention to the guys and gals on this net that will give you good, solid info on using your machine. Remember to fill your holes and respect others' property. Good luck. TTC

 

[Ace350]

As they say: "Practice, practice, practice!"
Start out in your own yard.
You will find stuff guaranteed! It may not be worth much but it will train you and you may be surprised what you find in the ground at your house.
Next, try burying some of your own coins, some nails, bottle caps and pulltabs and some old gold & silver jewelry you have laying around in a jewelry box at certain depths in your yard and mark them with something plastic like a plastic chip or token. Then take your metal detector out and swing it over the spots you marked with the plastic tokens, listen carefully to the tones your machine makes and watch the changes on the screen. Go over the object left to right then step to the side so you can sweep them again at a 90* angle from your last sweep. Learn how to recognize what your machine is telling you is in the ground. Then when you have mastered that, bury a good object like a coin or jewelry an inch or two from a nail or bottle cap or pull tab and do the same tests over again.
After you have made yourself proficient in learning your detector. You can go out to public places and know what you are doing and not waste as much time digging junk.
P.S. Start saving up for a Garrett ProPointer. It is the best made so far, hands down! You can check the hundreds of threads on it. It will save you tons of time finding the object your detector found once you start digging for it.
Good luck & Happy hunting.

 

[kayden]

Great posts above....Here is another trick of the trade to learn. Get yourself a large piece of cardboard & tape some coins on it then flip it over & practice pinpointing...You can actually take a knife & poke through cardboard to see how close you are!

 

[Hot zone]

Talguybry, you find anything yet?

 

[greatwhitetailhorns]

In my opinion don't think your hitting coins at 8 inches plus with that detector don't use a shovel unless your somewhere no one cares about the yard
I found if your getting a good signal and u have dug 8 to 10 inches its probally big chuck of iron then. Stay positive and u will have fun. Never know what u will find.

 

[SCdigger]

When you say, "abandoned church" and "abandoned house" I'm assuming you got permission from the owners to hunt there? Not coming down on you, but as someone new to the hobby, just realize that EVERY piece of property "abandoned" or not, is owned by someone...sometimes that someone doesn't take kindly to tresspassers. Good luck with the hobby. Remember, it's about Saving History for the future.

Greg