Danimals Lunchtime digs-PART UNO

[Danimal]

Danimal's Lunchtime digs-PART UNO

As some of you have read on my earlier posts, I usually go out for an hour at lunch during the workweek. Finding good hunting grounds is difficult, as it has to be close by in order for me to have enough time after driving to make it worthwhile. Around March of this year, I found where there were three homes torn down in the early 70's and the area is now heavily overgrown and wooded, completely unrecognizable for what used to be there. The only reason I stopped to begin with was because I saw two huge old oaks about 30 ft apart amidst the other smaller tree growth, and figured it looked like planted oaks in someone's front yard (and I was right)
There's SO MUCH trash back there it's frustrating, but recently I have narrowed down some "hot spots" and have come away with (up until today) about 2 dozen wheaties and one 1949 Rosie, two buffalo nickles as well as some late 60's clad. Also I have found 3 nearly complete 1950's capguns and 2 broken up old airplanes, a badge off of an old Western Flyer bicycle (which is now on the front headtube of my son's mountainbike!) and several old bottles from a local now-defunct soda manufacturer.
Today I tried hard to visualize what the area looked like back in the 50's, and tried to imagine all the smaller (4" or less) diameter trees gone!...that suddenly made the backyard area stand out, and in the middle was a large old crabapple tree. I hadn't THed around it before because of SOOO many fallen branches and trash. After spending some time clearing the debris, I started getting good hits. First was a 44 Wheatie...then part of a 50's capgun....then most of a harmonica (I was getting excited by now)...then a rifle cartridge....then an old toy car (not too old I think because of it's futuristic style)...then, thinking silver quarter by the sound and ID, I freed a nice sterling ring surrounded by linked hearts.
I glanced at my cell phone's clock, and thought I'd better be going!...as I moved a foot or so, I got another sweet belltone. From about 6" came the beautiful sterling baby's ring, again with a heart in the center and intricate scroll work around it!
No doubt there's more there....I'll be back tomorrow.

 

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[Danimal]

Re: Lunchtime hunt success!!...zeroing in(with updates when dug)

Today's lunchtime hunt produced:
51D,41, 38D wheat, 2-59D, 70,74,68D and a 78?? memorial (makes me rethink the foundation's age)
48 and 57 Jefferson nickle
And the COOL find was the brass Acorn bell...anyone know anything about it?...no maker's mark or anything.
No silver...but I can smell it

Dan

 

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[River Rat]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Dan,

Your "lunchtime specials" are a real treat. Awesome finds!!

RR

 

[DPBOB]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Love those quick lunch hunts..I did ablout 10 this summer and then I had to stop driving through my short cut cause they put parking blocks back in. so I stopped doing them cause it would take me 5 min to go around instead of 30 seconds to drive to the park.

NICE FINDS

 

[mlw67]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Great finds Danimal!

You dug up a whole serving platter?! lol

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Great finds Danimal!

You dug up a whole serving platter?! lol

Yup...dug the whole platter. When I was retrieving a target, the corner was revealed. I usually pull glass and such from holes and this sucker wouldn't budge, so I started carving around the platter with my Lesche. I was surprised when the whole thing came out intact.
This is a weird area, as I am pulling coins from the 1920's through the late 1970's. I am convinced that the home was torn down late 1970's.
Also, I just found out yesterday that the entire area is SOON to be torn down to build a retirement "village". Beside a few foundations in a heavy wooded area I am hunting, there are 5 empty lots that have had the houses razed within the last year. I briefly hunted THOSE lots, but came away with only modern clad. I might start working the wooded area more on weekends to get what I can before it's all bulldozed clear!
Here's a pic from early finds from the area before I started posting here on Treasurenet.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Well here' today's results....things may be thinning out a bit, so I am starting to clear more downed limbs and other detritous to create more swinging room. All I found today came from what was covered in ground debris.
Wheats are 44 and 47D
Key fob is for a "People's Life Insurance Company"
play dime was cool...kinda gotta rush when I saw that little silver (never have seen a half dime...was excited)

 

[JerV3]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Nice silver ring

HH Jer

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Nice silver ring

HH Jer

Thanks Jer....
I am really about to "pull the trigger" on a better machine. I really like the ACE250 and have made many nice finds with it, but like my other hobbies, am willing to invest in it if I think performance will improve. Right now it's down to either the DFX or the Explorer series (SE maybe?)
I like the complexity of both machines as far as programming and tweaking possibilities, as well as the time required to learn them (satisfaction=effort spent)
I also think that perhaps a deeper-seeking machine will reveal a few older coins from some of the better areas I have found, where coins in the 2-6" range are getting scarce.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Today's results at the foundation were (should I be showing you folks all the pulltabs and other crap I am digging? I haven't thought anyone would want to see the 15-20 junk targets I dig in the 45 minutes I have)
1960D memorial
1952D and 1956 Wheaties
WHAM-more silver, a 1953D Rosie

The "cool" target today is the corroded 'Romex Oyster Perpetual" wristwatch.
The tag is unmarked and doesn't look like it was ever used.
Till tomorrow.......

Update...under a loupe, the watch DOES actually say "Rolex"...to bad it's in such awful condition (it's a real Rolex!)

 

[JerV3]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Looks like the site is treating you really well.

I think as much as your hunting and your willingness to be out alot will pay off for you with a better unit.

I used the ace 250. It is a really great unit for the price. It will find old coins.

A higher end unit will make it alot easier to find the good stuff. I've been doing this for awhile now. The only 2 detectors that ever have came up in the last 5 yrs are the Dfx and Exp.

It's gotta tell you that they are the best. Alot more people use the Dfx than the Exp. So your gonna get more folks say get a Dfx.

Get what you like on gut instinct. Your not gonna go wrong with either unit. I've very rarely heard anyone knock either machine.

And the one's who have didn't have the time location or patience to learn them properly.

Hope my thoughts help you some.

HH Jer

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Thanks JEr for the reply.
I'm over $350.00 in clad since Feb when I started, and could probably raise a few hundred more selling the nicer of the rings I have found. My plan is to upgrade this winter using funds found with the ACE. I will not be selling off any of my silver or older coins though. I have heard it said that the ratio of wheats to silver is 10:1
I have dug close to 200 wheats, but have surpassed 30 silver coins in that timeframe, so I am ahead of that supposed "curve".
learning a difficult-to-master unit would be a challenge I look forward to, as much as I like the ACE's turn on and go lifestyle. I ALWAYS run all-metal and never notch anything out. I almost always run sens. maxed out, and usually swing my coil with pinpont depressed, only releasing it to let the unit attempt a target ID.
Works for me.

 

[funkman]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Danimal,

great finds you are coming up with. I have a question about your last post. You mention that you keep sensitivity all the way up and that you keep the pinpoint button pressed in all the time. I have the 250 and was wondering if you could tell me what these things do for you?

Thanks,

Funkman

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Danimal,

great finds you are coming up with. I have a question about your last post. You mention that you keep sensitivity all the way up and that you keep the pinpoint button pressed in all the time. I have the 250 and was wondering if you could tell me what these things do for you?

Thanks,

Funkman

several things Funkman:
-first, since the ACE doesn't have adj. grnd. balance, in a lot of conditions when you run sens maxed out it chatters a LOT., forcing you to reduce sens. and loose depth. Also, due to soil mineralization, trashy pull-tab filled areas, etc the ACE sounds off a lot in "normal" hunting mode with one of it's three tones when it "thinks" it has identified a target. Ever try and pinpoint a target that isn't there? SO a while ago I tried this:
-When I start a swing, I depress pinpoint and try to get a low pinpoint "tone" that shows perhaps 1-2 bars on the sens. meter. Then I swing SLOW enough that the tone is retained. Sometimes this means re-depressing each swing, sometimes it will hold the tone a few swings. Doing so lets me listen closely to ANY slight increase in tone indicating a TRUE target. If a target is heard, I QUICKLY bring the exact pinpoint area of the ACE's coil to bear over the target, release the pinpoint and let it's tiny CPU try and tell me what is there and at what depth. If it even CLOSELY ranges in the coin band, I dig it (same goes for very quiet tones in the gold/foil area)
This way I am bringing my coil over good targets quickly, and spending less time listening to my unit chattering away saying this or that is there when it's just a by-product of a ferrous object or trash, etc.
BTW, the ACE250 is GREAT for it's accuracy on IDing ferrous items from coins.
Dunno if that made sense.
Also, the ACE250 is ONLY a TRUE all-metal (NO discrim) MD in pinpoint. Pinpoint strength IS dependant on sens. settings. Check it out with an air test for yourself.

 

[funkman]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

thanks Danimal. I will give it a try. If I am understanding correctly you are kepping the pinpoint button pressed in while swinging instead of waiting until the detector finds something. Then when the pinpoint starts making a noise or shows a couple of bars, your start zeroing in on the target. When you get close to where the target is you let go of the pinpoint button just to ID what it is.

Does this sound correct?

Thanks again,

Funkman

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

thanks Danimal. I will give it a try. If I am understanding correctly you are kepping the pinpoint button pressed in while swinging instead of waiting until the detector finds something. Then when the pinpoint starts making a noise or shows a couple of bars, your start zeroing in on the target. When you get close to where the target is you let go of the pinpoint button just to ID what it is.

Does this sound correct?

Thanks again,

Funkman

That's pretty much correct Funkman. Sometimes, again, depending on soil conditions and trash, it's hard to get the ACE to produce a nice subtle tone when in pinpoint (over CLEAN ground)...if that happens, try lifting the coil up an inch or so and depressing. If you get the tone, you can drop the coil back down and scrub. I have banged my coil into so much crap it's all chipped up, but still works great. In fact, I am amazed how well the unit still works for how much I've beat on it.
I just wish Garrett would produce a multi-frequency unit to compete with the DFX or EXPII....instead of trying to wow people with target size ID and talking ID functions. They certainly have the know-how.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

sorry no pics to post as no lunchtime hunt took place today. We have a senior manager leaving and they threw a lunch thingy for him, and I was expected to be there.
So...rather than bang my coil into trees and swat mosquitos, I was eating chicken parmesian and canollis!

There's always tomorrow!

so I'll post a pic from April when I started hunting this foundation. It's one of 5 old cap guns I have unearthed there, and the most complete one.
Enjoy!

HH all

 

[funkman]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Homer Simpsoni says "oooohhh canollis!" :P

 

[JerV3]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

I liked the Ace alot to. Very light weight and you can turn it right on and go.

Larger coil would be a good idea for that unit. If you continue to find good sites the ace will do the job very well.

If you want to rehunt over sites others have hunted you might wanna have the best unit for the job.

The mxt is a thought. It is a great turn on and go detector. It goes deep also.

For the price of that unit for 600.00 maybe less it's a great buy. My brother has found alot with his.

Good Luck

HH Jer

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

I liked the Ace alot to. Very light weight and you can turn it right on and go.

Larger coil would be a good idea for that unit. If you continue to find good sites the ace will do the job very well.

If you want to rehunt over sites others have hunted you might wanna have the best unit for the job.

The mxt is a thought. It is a great turn on and go detector. It goes deep also.

For the price of that unit for 600.00 maybe less it's a great buy. My brother has found alot with his.

Good Luck

HH Jer

believe it or not Jer, I just bought the large coil for my ACE250 today, and I should be hunting with it next week. I am curious as hell, because in a few of my spots (this old foundation for starters), I have cleared nearly ALL signals from an area and now can see if any deeper "things" sound off.

 

[Danimal]

Re: Daily Lunchtime digs-the continuing saga.

Today I spent half of my approx. 45 minutes of digging time moving fallen tree branches and clearing surface debris from an area adjacent to where I have been finding good stuff, as the finds there were dwindling (I'll go back over the whole area soon with my ACE250 with the bigger coil when it arrives...probably in time for next week's lunchtime hunts).
That left me about 15 minutes. I honed right in on an area that had multiple signals and dug the following:
44D
45
34
unknown date / wheaties
67
75 / memorials
65 dime
Cool find for the day was the minature Thompson sub-machine gun (burp gun??)
I also dug up the steering wheel from one of the old 50's era riding car toys. I think this one was from a riding airplane, as there was still some paint visible and I could make out a plane. I left it hanging from a tree branch, so sorry, no pic for all you vintage toy-lovers!

HH all