Interesting test with a dime between two iron square cut nails

Tony (Michigan)

Full Member
May 17, 2017
198
98
Lapeer County, Michigan
Detector(s) used
Explorer, E-trac, Muskateer, Tesoro, Deus, White's, Detech, DMC IIb, and others
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
The other day I put a dime on the sidewalk and put two iron nails on each side of it. I could hit the dime swinging my coil across the length of the nails but could not hit the dime
swinging the coil in the direction of the length of the nails.
Have you noticed metal detectors on YouTube being showcased for their skills with a coin next to an iron nail. They never swing the coil along the length of the nail. It is always across the nail to hit the coin.

They also put a coin and iron nail in one hand and move it in front of the coil always with the nail pointed up. You ever wonder why you never see them wave it across the coil with the nail pointing left to right with the
coin next to the nail in their hand? It's because it won't pick up the coin that way. It's a cheap trick.

Now then, the Tesoro can slightly give a hit on the dime up but at about a 45 degeee angel to the length of the nails. It really picks up the dime well swinging the coil perpendicular to the length of the nails.
You might have different experiencs with your Tesoro and how it is set up.

What I would love to see, and maybe I'll have to do this myself is this:

Put a sheet of plexiglass on top of a 5" deep open box. put some iron nails on the plexiglass. Under the plexiglass put a coin and see how well it hits the coin. Seldom are coins right next to iron nails in the ground. Sometimes they are.
 

Electricfrontporch

Full Member
Dec 28, 2016
184
223
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
When I set up me test garden I did four holes with coins and nails at staggered depths.
It's relatively easy to hit the coins if you hover over them , knowing where they are.
Entirely different story if you sweep over those four at a normal "detecting " pace/speed.
I sweep that area to refresh my hearing for the little hits and pops coins make when masked by iron/trash.

The lengthwise sweep they refer to as "down the barrel"
That's the test that lets you know the machine is a keeper for hunting in iron.
Look into Monte's nail board test. Very helpful in performance testing.
 

luvsdux

Bronze Member
May 16, 2007
1,767
690
Lewiston, Idaho
Detector(s) used
Multiple Tesoros and Whites
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've said it a number of times and here goes again. All metal setting will pickup the whole works so if you can stand the trash, you'll always find the goodie as well.
luvsdux
 

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Tony (Michigan)

Tony (Michigan)

Full Member
May 17, 2017
198
98
Lapeer County, Michigan
Detector(s) used
Explorer, E-trac, Muskateer, Tesoro, Deus, White's, Detech, DMC IIb, and others
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
When I set up me test garden I did four holes with coins and nails at staggered depths.
It's relatively easy to hit the coins if you hover over them , knowing where they are.
Entirely different story if you sweep over those four at a normal "detecting " pace/speed.
I sweep that area to refresh my hearing for the little hits and pops coins make when masked by iron/trash.

The lengthwise sweep they refer to as "down the barrel"
That's the test that lets you know the machine is a keeper for hunting in iron.
Look into Monte's nail board test. Very helpful in performance testing.

How do I find Monte's nail board test?

I know most nail board tests to not have two good sized iron square cut nails up against the dime. My Tesoros can hit the dime between the two nail going across the nails, never in the direction of the nails.
 

Electricfrontporch

Full Member
Dec 28, 2016
184
223
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
He has a website I believe? Can't remember it off hand.
Just type it into the web browser and you should find a picture of the setup and plenty of links to posts on it.

The coin in between two nails is definitely a tough one!
 

Mo Diggins

Jr. Member
May 24, 2017
31
30
SW Ohio
Detector(s) used
His Garrett AT Pro and Tesoro Mojave,
Her Garrett ACE 300 with 5" x 8" DD coil,
and two Garrett Pro-Pointer ATs
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I see people sweeping over concrete sidewalks, driveways, and garage and basement floors. In this area, and I suspect most, code dictates they contain steel remesh typically 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches down. Just something to account for if you're testing on concrete.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,602
55,303
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The other day I put a dime on the sidewalk and put two iron nails on each side of it. I could hit the dime swinging my coil across the length of the nails but could not hit the dime
swinging the coil in the direction of the length of the nails.
Have you noticed metal detectors on YouTube being showcased for their skills with a coin next to an iron nail. They never swing the coil along the length of the nail. It is always across the nail to hit the coin.

They also put a coin and iron nail in one hand and move it in front of the coil always with the nail pointed up. You ever wonder why you never see them wave it across the coil with the nail pointing left to right with the
coin next to the nail in their hand? It's because it won't pick up the coin that way. It's a cheap trick.

Now then, the Tesoro can slightly give a hit on the dime up but at about a 45 degeee angel to the length of the nails. It really picks up the dime well swinging the coil perpendicular to the length of the nails.
You might have different experiencs with your Tesoro and how it is set up.

What I would love to see, and maybe I'll have to do this myself is this:

Put a sheet of plexiglass on top of a 5" deep open box. put some iron nails on the plexiglass. Under the plexiglass put a coin and see how well it hits the coin. Seldom are coins right next to iron nails in the ground. Sometimes they are.

I see you list Minelab Explorer in your detectors, any time you hit a null on a Minelab BBS or FBS detector you should always turn 90 degrees and re-sweep the target, if there is another target there the Minelab will show it, I have found several gold rings this way.
 

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Tony (Michigan)

Tony (Michigan)

Full Member
May 17, 2017
198
98
Lapeer County, Michigan
Detector(s) used
Explorer, E-trac, Muskateer, Tesoro, Deus, White's, Detech, DMC IIb, and others
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I see people sweeping over concrete sidewalks, driveways, and garage and basement floors. In this area, and I suspect most, code dictates they contain steel remesh typically 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches down. Just something to account for if you're testing on concrete.

They didn't do that on this sidewalk. Just used fiberglass. It's out in the country with less codes and done many years ago.
 

HighVDI

Silver Member
Feb 16, 2017
2,765
4,594
Pa
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Most older sites don't have rebar in their concrete. Newer stuff almost always does.

The whole picking up a signal one way, but not the other proves that gridding is the way to go. Not just criss crossing, but 45 degrees too. I always thought it was bogus but it is absolutely a real thing.
 

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Tony (Michigan)

Tony (Michigan)

Full Member
May 17, 2017
198
98
Lapeer County, Michigan
Detector(s) used
Explorer, E-trac, Muskateer, Tesoro, Deus, White's, Detech, DMC IIb, and others
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Most older sites don't have rebar in their concrete. Newer stuff almost always does.

The whole picking up a signal one way, but not the other proves that gridding is the way to go. Not just criss crossing, but 45 degrees too. I always thought it was bogus but it is absolutely a real thing.

Which brings us to this: When I get a good signal, I have found that by swinging the coil one direction over the target,
then circle around the target, if it starts to break up or disappear, it, at least for me so far, has always
been a rusty square cut nail.
One day I hope to find that elusive coin that is right next to an iron nail with a Tesoro. You are right about the 45 degree angle as
I have proven in my own tests.
 

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