Newbie Question--

[heymirth]

Newbie Question-- dig everything?

Ok. I have been lurking here and FR Net and watching YouTube for months. I bought a used Garrett ACE350 and a Propointer and Digger tool.

The weather here in MI finally broke and I got away for the first time ever.
There is a local park (public tot lot now) that was settled in the 1830's that I went to today. I tried to dig every repeatable signal and in an 1.5hrs. BUT I ended up putting the ACE350 in "coin mode" and went to the back of the park where the farm field was. That's where I found a 1989 penny and a lead slug shot from a 12ga. Which was cool. I also found l a 2002 Nickle.

Here is my question.
If I dug everything that was repeatable. I wouldn't of made it 100 feet and would of dug 50 bottle caps and foil.

What does it mean to "dig everything".

Thanks for all the great stories and finds I read about.

Mark. MICH

 

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[Terry Soloman]

Digging "Everything," usually means setting your discrimination to just above Iron, and digging Every repeatable signal.

 

[kcm]

"If I dug everything that was repeatable. I wouldn't of made it 100 feet and would of dug 50 bottle caps and foil."
As you know this for a fact, continue as you are and I'm sure some other MDer will some day be grateful. Otherwise, dig and learn. As with anything worthwhile, it takes lots of time, study and due diligence to become really good at something. With MDing, you're trying to learn how to interpret not only the sounds from your detector, but to also read the site, which comes from OJT (On the Job Training).

 

[GrandBlancDig]

Hey Mark, what part of Michigan are you in? Southeast Flint area for me.
- Dan

 

[heymirth]

Hey Dan. I'm in Macomb Twp. But I work south of Flint at off I-75 Chrysler Tech Center. I was looking for houses just south of you in Clarkston last year.

Thanks for asking

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Digging "Everything," usually means setting your discrimination to just above Iron, ...

As Terry points out: The old addage of "dig everything" is really a misnomer. When people say that, they usually *really* mean: dig everything above iron.

But in an area like you describe (blighted junky modern park ?), I would not be a hero in that fashion. I would reject the foil, tabs, etc..... But that's just me. I hit turfed parks, that are that junky, looking for silver (high conductors copper, etc...). If it were beaches, or ghost-townsy type (demolition sites, etc...) then sure: dig all except iron. But there are some modern junky places that simply aren't worth being a hero and strip-mining 200 junk items for a few nickels and the outside chance at a gold ring.

If gold rings are your agenda, consider a better spot: Namely: Swim beaches. JMHO.

 

[doninbrewster]

I dig a lot of junk and I've been metal detecting for 35 years. I also find a lot of great stuff including 3 seated dimes and 85 Indians so far this year. This doesn't include all the other silver I've found. My rule, discriminate out the iron and if you get any kind of repeatable signal that's deep, at least 4", dig it. I don't know if the Ace 350 gives you that kind of info. Perhaps you can get a feel for the intensity of the signal. Less intense usually means deeper. Last, but maybe the most important, go slow. Once you're going slow, slow down some more and double check any signal that sound like it could be anything you might want to dig. Most people go too fast. I go to a great park that's been detected constantly for 40 years. Last time there I pulled 9 Indians and 5 pieces of silver. I out hunt just about everybody I detect with except one guy, known here in the forum as Jimzilla. He's the one who taught me to go real slow. We detected 4 different parks this week that we had never gone to. They've been detected for years. We both pulled silver from all 4.

 

[dirtwizard]

slow and steady wins the race in this game.

If you don't dig junk you'll miss rings and coins, guaranteed. If this is a public spot you can go to at any time, what's the rush? Print out a map of the property, draw a grid over it and search it one square per visit, digging everything. That way nothing goes missed and you learn what you will actually get from a specific signal.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... If you don't dig junk you'll miss rings and coins, guaranteed....

Well, remember: this isn't the only secret recipe for success. Ie.: to "dig junk till your arms fall off lest you miss rings or coins". A much bigger part of the recipe for success at finding good coins and rings is: Where you hunt

 

[doninbrewster]

Well, remember: this isn't the only secret recipe for success. Ie.: to "dig junk till your arms fall off lest you miss rings or coins". A much bigger part of the recipe for success at finding good coins and rings is: Where you hunt

Tom is right, you probably won't find old coins in new parks. My favorite and most productive became a park in the 1860's and has been pounded for 40 years by detectorists. It's those places that going slow and digging some junk wins the day.

 

[tokameel]

If you are uncomfortable with the 'Dig Everything' option, remember that when you dig up a successful target, be it a coin or ring etc.. you should recheck the hole. Many times more than one coin may have fallen through great uncle Bob's pocket and I found wound up with them.

With that in mind, he may have dropped 3 nails as well as 2 Seated Half Dimes. The nails may present the dominant non-silver signal but sometimes it's worth it to check it out.

I love discriminator-mode, but some times I go for everything.

Good Luck.

 

[Loco-Digger]

What kind of finds give you a thrill? I am a coin shooter that enjoys digging relics and other cool finds. I started by hunting parks and schools I used discrimination and would notch nickels back in. Little did I know discriminating out zincs, foil and pull tabs, I gave up every chance of digging an Indian Head nor would I find any gold. Oh well live and learn. Clad was king and has helped fund the hobby. You'll get better the more you swing your coil. There's nothing better than experience. The more I detected, the less discrimination I used. It's a journey. When I hunt fields, for a change of pace, especially ones where homes once stood or early forgotten sites, I do dig everything. The best sites to hunt for me is in the older areas of town, hunting yards of the older homes (with permission). Like most I started out hunting schools and parks, silvers and other old coins were few and far between.

GL & HH

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