Advice on 2box detectors

[marticus]

Hi everyone. Im wanting advice on 2box detectors. Im considering getting the garrett treasure hound but open to suggestions. Pros and cons. How do they perform? What depth range do they have. Any information is good information. Thanks in advance everyone

 

[cpomike13]

I'm curious about them too, can't wait to see what folks say

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

 

[cudamark]

I've used my White's TM808 a few times when a large and deep target needed to be located. That's pretty much all it's good for. It will pick up an aluminum can sized target and bigger. You need to be away from any large metal buildings, vehicles, or tanks or it will go crazy. I haven't tried the Garrett version. What are you trying to find?

 

[marticus]

Deep caches. And also some old ship wrecks lost in sand dunes

 

[marticus]

How do you find the whites tm808. How does it work. Is the feild of detection parrallel to you as you walk? I have wondered that if you build some sort of trolly frame and mount the detector sideways. So you push it forward in a grid. It would pick pick up things better. Any idea?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I've used my White's TM808 a few times when a large and deep target needed to be located. That's pretty much all it's good for. It will pick up an aluminum can sized target and bigger.....

Actually, the TM 808 can be tuned carefully enough, and ground balanced finely enough, that you can find objects down the size of a domino or silver dollar . And you also held the unit close to the ground, rather than knee height, etc...

But ironically, you DON'T want it "that sensitive". The whole point of a 2-box, is to only find soda can and larger sizes. So if you are super careful and dialed in, that you start getting smaller stuff like this, is the minute you've defeated the purpose. Doh!

 

[cudamark]

Yeah, I've never tried to drag it on the ground! I figured my regular detector was better at that, and finding the smaller items. I've played with the controls and found once you get it real sensitive for smaller items, it falsed liked crazy making it unreliable and taking too much of my search time chasing phantoms.

 

[cudamark]

How do you find the whites tm808. How does it work. Is the feild of detection parrallel to you as you walk? I have wondered that if you build some sort of trolly frame and mount the detector sideways. So you push it forward in a grid. It would pick pick up things better. Any idea?

I've only used it as recommended......hand held and walking along keeping the coils a consistent height off the ground. That's how it's designed to get max depth and accurate target location.

 

[gollum]

I have played with most of the two-boxes (except the Garrett).

My favorite is the Fisher Gemini. I have a 1, a 2, and a 3. Taken down, it is it's own protective case (meaning I can just throw it in the trunk). Handle gets lost or screwed up, I can make a handle out of any light non-flexible material (carbon fiber).

Using it, I can hit a car at 20-25 feet. Something the size of a garbage can at about 12-15 feet. If I need to go deeper, I just lengthen the handle. Better on big and deep, not so good on small and shallow. EXACTLY what they were meant for.

Mike

 

[Pick_axe]

I have the Garrett Treasure Hound only because it was offered as a bundled package at a discount. The Garrett unit only operates in the all-metal mode and imaging is disabled. It 'ignores' smaller targets closer to the surface and goes deep. I've always been intrigued with two-box units but have yet to use mine.
Maybe someone with a lot of experience with two-box units could write a book about it.

 

[marticus]

Thanks for the info. While it runs in all metal mode do you know if it will diffenciate from the different types of metal. Or does it just read all metals as the same

 

[Pick_axe]

Thanks for the info. While it runs in all metal mode do you know if it will diffenciate from the different types of metal. Or does it just read all metals as the same

It reads all metals the same.
Sorry I don't have more info. Here's the treasure hound manual: http://www.garrett.com/hobbysite/hbby-manuals/TreasureHound_1525600_D.pdf

 

[signal_line]

I think the Garrett is all metal only. I had a Whites but was not impressed in mineralized soil. That's the problem with any VLF machine and a big coil. And the two box was never meant for treasure hunting--it was called an Industrial locator for big tanks, huge cast iron stuff, etc. You'll be better off if you can get a pulse unit and large coil but pricey. My opinion it is disgusting to find out the detector is not going as deep as you think.

 

[marticus]

Ive got a gpx5000 with a 42inch mono coil. But was also looking at a 2box. I would mainly be going after large burried catches and also lost wrecks burried deep under sand. I was looking at the garrett as i thought it might tell me different metal types. Saves me diggin a big bit of junk iron. Over a brass pot or something

 

[signal_line]

My advice is don't buy one, but it sounds like you are dead set on getting one. Hope you are happier than I was,

 

[Tom_in_CA]

...do you know if it will diffenciate from the different types of metal. Or does it just read all metals as the same

..... I was looking at the garrett as i thought it might tell me different metal types. Saves me diggin a big bit of junk iron. Over a brass pot or something

There is no detector that can differentiate metal types. Whether it be standard coil or 2-box. This is a common misconcetpion ever since TID was introduced in the early 1980s on standard machines. All they do is measure conductivity. Not "type of metal". And too many things share conductivity levels. Aluminum and alloyed gold, for instance. Also size plays into it, unfortunately.

So the short answer is: No, 2-box units do not provide (nor will any machine provide) the ability to "differentiate metals"

 

[marticus]

Oh yea i get that. I run a ctx most days. I should have made it more clearer. Ferrours / non ferrours i ment. My hearts not set on one yet. Have watched most of the utube videos on them. But still.want more info. I know i wont use it all the time. But im thinking the depth that they are ment to go might be handy. Although i did watch a guy bury a mailbox at 2m. And the gti2500 couldnt pick it up

 

[marticus]

These are the remains of an old wreck with cannons..now around 15-20ft butried under sand. my aim is that maybe a 2box might be able to pick up the old remains and find the wreck again

 

[Mr.T]

How about trying metal probes? Make one out a length of rebar. Sometimes the old ways work best. gl hh

 

[signal_line]

Salt water is probably going to reduce detecting depth on a VLF machine. They say pulse machines go deeper in salt water. I'd try to build a big coil for your Minelab.