9 Function Metal Detector from Harbor Freight tools?

[FloridaSearch]

I bought my first metal detector at Harbor Freight tools store. http://www.harborfreight.com/9-function-metal-detector-67378.html

This is the description:

Affordable metal detector can easily find coins, relics, jewelry, gold and silver.

Versatile and easy to use
Arm support allows you to carry and operate your detector comfortably
Can be used under shallow water
Indicates metal type with different tones
Connect headphones and operate without noise interference
Functions: sensitivity adjuster, metal type discriminator, all metal indicator, tone adjuster, volume control, target locator, low battery indicator, auto ground balance and mode selector

Requires 6 AA batteries (sold separately).
Stem length: 53"
Handle dimensions: 5-1/2" L x 1" W x 2-3/4" thick
Detector head dimensions: 8" diameter x 11/16" thick
Cord length: 41"

IS IT ANY GOOD? DOES ANYONE ELSE OWNS THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT? HAVE YOU FIND ANYTHING WORTHY WITH IT?

 

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[ivan salis]

without a doubt its basically -- a chinese knock off version of the bounty hunter tracker ll model

 

[FloridaSearch]

without a doubt its basically -- a chinese knock off version of the bounty hunter tracker ll model

I am very new at this and young, I have found a few things underground such as construction tools, one coin, and other junk but I have yet to try it somewhere else than my own backyard lol

So what you are basically is that it is no good?

 

[ivan salis]

its a very basic unit but yes it can find stuff -- maybe not the best unit out there but hey if its in your price range and gives you a basic ideal if you like detecting or not maybe not so bad -- funny thing is a lot of folks buy the cheapest machine out there on the market yet expect gang buster type "high dollar" results in no time flat ( you would never expect a kia to be a caddy would you?)-- learning to properly use any metal detecting machine takes some time ( I'd say at least 50 hours of actual in the feild use time ) plus many folks simply do not read the booklets that come with the machines and thus have no real ideal on how the machine actually works --because of this many quit quickly saying -- (*&^^%* piece of junk

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Geesh,

Harbor Freight used to sell actual Bounty Hunters - hmm.

Personally, I'm not sure its a good idea to get in hock for something you have never done before - and then, on the other hand, if you don't have something that can do the job, then you may be discouraged for no good reason.

I suggest you find someone who metal detects, go to a place you can both hunt - salt it. (not a lot, just a little, and not by you). Then, metal detect over the area where you KNOW there are coins, or a ring, or whatever. See if you can pick them all up. (if you salt 9, find 9). If you can't, let the other person go over your same line of travel, and if he picks up what you missed - then, you might do one of 2 things.

1) Practice at home with your md - learn the sounds - very, very, very important, then see if it does better. (meaning YOU do better)

2) If it cannot even find your shovel, you might have something that needs to be upgraded.


Just one point that I want to make - and I tell everyone who is getting a detector. Don't look at the detector where some person found a 50 ounce nugget - most any detector can find that. You want one that can find the smaller stuff.

Good luck,

Beth

 

[diggummup]

The problem with your detector is that it isn't going to perform very well at finding small objects (ie-coins) at any significant depth. It is good that you are intersted in metal detecting as a hobby being a young person. If you really want to pursue the hobby, just keep practicing and don't get discouraged. Set up your own little practice garden in your yard, burying various types of metal objects at different depths (with a list of how deep you buried each particular object) using popsicle sticks or something equivalent to mark your spots in case your machine doesn't register. This will give you an idea of how well your machine is performing.

 

[mts]

I bought one of the older models of the 9 function metal detector from Harbor Freight. It was no good at all. Very difficult to adjust and the depth was terrible.

They have changed models in the past two years and the new version (that you have) is supposed to be much better. Give it a try and let us know how it does. I wouldn't write it off just yet. It is true that it will not compete with high dollar machines (or even moderately priced ones). But it may be well worth the money. The only way to know for sure is to test it and report back.

Good luck.

 

[MrPoptop]

go where you know there is a lot of clad and learn the thing and save the clad for a better machine.. that's how i started.
It should find quarters at 4". Know your quarters they add up fast.

 

[SeaninNH]

Go around to grammar middle schools and parks and hit the wood chips. You'll find a lot of coins and maybe some jewelery.

Save it up until you can get a $150 machine off of FeePay.

 

[diggummup]

Save it up until you can get a $150 machine off of FeePay.

That's slang for Ebay, just in case you didn't know.

 

[Adrian SS]

You get what you pay for and 45 bucks is not a lot for a metal detector.
Your unit is capable of workable depth on coins and rings in not so mineralised ground, (maybe 6 inches in the All Metal mode) the disc mode will be a bit dead. It will not be too flash on wet saltwater beaches but should do ok in the dry sand.It will not be much good in the gold fields but what the hell, it didn't cost much so try it everywhere and have a bit of fun.
The machine is a basic detector and as others have said, take the time to read the manual carfully.
There is a detector sold here in Australia by a well known retailer that costs 3 times what you paid for yours and it will not detect an Aussie 20 cent coin any further than one inch in air. What you have is way better than that.

 

[roadrunner]

I am just getting into this also.
I may buy one and try it.If i do not like it,i can take it back within 30 days,so no loss.
I am going to check amazon because i swear i saw one there that is made by BH,and looks awful similer.

 

[ivan salis]

the looks similar type are commonly called "clones" -- they make them "look like a " bounty hunter to make you think your getting the same type of quality thing for a much cheaper price -- ( please remember this folks) when buying a metal detector its not whats on the outside that counts --- its whats "inside" it that counts --the curcuit boards / electronics . and often times you get what you pay for -- although labor cost are much cheaper in china , its because of the slave type labor system they use .

my second bit of wisdom on metal detectors is this --buying a high dollar metal detector will not make you a instantly "highly skilled metal detectorist" anymore than buying a race car will make you a instantly skilled race car driver .

folks it WILL take some time and effort to get "skilled" in the use of any metal detector --some detectors more so than others -- and some folks are not well suited for the hobby of metal detecting (sad but true) - due to their personal nature / additude.

 

[roadrunner]

Ive been looking at ebay.I am eye balling a couple whites,6000 models,a garrett or 2,and a minelab.

 

[pwcguy]

A friend of mine had one of these so I tried it out. It can find stuff. I pulled a quater at 5 inches and a lead wheel weight at 7 inches. To be fare I put the quater there but it did detect it. Deffinately not a quality machine though. It would probally work ok at locall parks for surface finds.

 

[cheapomd]

Just purchased the 9 function md from harbor freight and this far its pretty good. The descrimination work good and it pinpoints good also. A buddy of mine uses an ace 350 he was having a problem pinpointing a hit and called me over and said see if you can pinpoint this, it seems to be jumping around. I pinpointed the object and it turned out be a penny. Finds for 3 days thus far are: 2 quarters, 2 dimes, 5 pennies, several soda/beer cans, nails, bolts, a bullet casing, steel dog clasp, brass fishing spoon, 1 1/2 lb of steel, battery cable end, a knob, a piece of a leaf spring and foil. Would like to hear about some other users of the 9 finction hf md and their finds.

 

[Zapgarou]

I Had been looking at metal detectors for awhile to replace one that was lost in Katrina. I did not want to spend a whole lot of money on one since it would not be used often.
So I purchased this 9 function model from Harbor Freight after reading the reviews here and on some of the treasure hunting sites.

So far it has performed just as good as the old one I had. It has more controls than my old one also.

Found mostly junk with it so far testing it out. That was to be expected. Testing it out with variours coins buried at differnet depths indicated that it could pick up a quarter at about 5". Not bad for this low cost detector.

Used it this week to locate my boundry markers on my property. As soon as I get a chance I'll go search around some old property to see what I can find.

I showed it to one of my co- workers and he also bought one. He said it worked good and found a bunch of old metal items around an old homestead on his propery up in Mississippi. Nothing valuable but it did find some old square headed nails and other old items he said. Best of all his son and him are having fun with it.

With my old detector I found many old items such as buttons off a shirt from the civil war, minnie balls, grape shot, old planatation tokens, and a small sword. I don't even remember the brand name, but it was also a cheap one. Like everyone say's it takes time to learn how to use any type of metal deterctor and you will dig up lots of junk.

If you don't want to spend a lot of money on something you may not use too often then this one is good enough. Yea it's kind of flimsy and cheap looking, but for less than $50 it's a good bargain.

When I get time to do some detecting in a better location I will update this post on what we find with our Cheap-O HF detectors.
I like a good challenge.................

 

[cheapomd]

I have had my 9 function for about a month and have noticed its more sensitive to hot rocks. picked up a piece of slag or meteorite(?) that is attracted to a magnet yet has no signs of rust. it has a shiney bluish metal which can be seen where it had broke. my bh tracker iv doesnt pick it up on all metal setting, bit the 9 function does. It is a good machine, a little flimsy but could be beefed up. I would notice when i set it down or slightly bump coil it would chirp, so i filled coil wth expandable foam as done with more expensive coil units and it seemed to stop it. i think it may have had a loose coil winding.

 

[dandugwhat?]

I have the 9 function MD from HF. Not too bad of a machine. Found about five bucks in clad and these.I believe its just a kids ring but the merc was a nicer find and first silver coin

 

[snakeyes]

I just purchased one for my grandsons birthday he'll turn 8 at the end of the month, and its not so heavy he won't beable to use it.