Detecting around playground equipment

ckpage86

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Detector(s) used
Tesoro Silver uMax, Garrett Pro-Pointer AT
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hey guys, been out this weekend with my new Tesoro Silver uMax. So far I am digging it. I am only searching on playgrounds this weekend and when I get near the equipment it overloads the detector. I have tried to turn the sensitivity down to 1 or 2 but I cannot get within a foot of the large steel structures. Is there a method to relieve this, or just par for the course? I figure really though, these are large steel tubes, it's going to be picked up no matter what.
 

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matter of course
 

No relief for that. Get out on the sports fields!:occasion14:
 

No relief for that. Get out on the sports fields!:occasion14:

I was hoping to, but we had quite a bit of rain this weekend and the ground was rather soupy in most places. I figured it was best to stay on the mulch while we broke in the uMax. :icon_thumright:
 

I used to have the White's Prizm IV and it was great for the tot lots. Sensitivity down and move slowly toward the equipment. It would except the equipment as normal and allow you to detect right next to it and find the stuff others couldn't!
 

I have found if you move the coil in a motion radiating out from a metal pole like spokes from a hub I can get hits very close to the pole on the outward swing.
 

Motion all metal. Retune to big steel then move slowly away. Or move slowly (very slow) towards and listen to a short rise and fall. Practice with coins.

Edit: Silver doesn't have motion all metal does it, or does it? O-well, thats what I use it for.

Edit again: Also try the Compadre double beep.

 

Last edited:
Hey guys, been out this weekend with my new Tesoro Silver uMax. So far I am digging it. I am only searching on playgrounds this weekend and when I get near the equipment it overloads the detector. I have tried to turn the sensitivity down to 1 or 2 but I cannot get within a foot of the large steel structures. Is there a method to relieve this, or just par for the course? I figure really though, these are large steel tubes, it's going to be picked up no matter what.


Use a good pinpointer, I use my Detectorpro uniprobe, It allows me to get up right by the equipment and search. I have found several pieces of gold doing this....
 

Another thing you can do is if the lot has loose chips in it, just scoop them out from around the poles and test, kick them back in.
 

I use my smallest coil and turn down the sensitivity to the bare minimum. Pin pointers work great too, but, takes a bit of time and effort. I've also used the rake/scoop method with good success.
 

My TRX is the tool for this job. This pin pointer has the sensitivity to cover ground, yet be able to work in the tight places also. A tap will de sensitive it for those little corners. I have had very good luck and have been able to more than pay for the TRX several times over using this method.
 

I don't hunt around playground equipment much, but when I do I stay clear of the side metal poles. I typically detect under the swings and in front of them where someone can almost be upside down if they swing high enough. Also the monkey bars are good or anything they can hang upside down on. These areas have kept me busy enough to not get near the poles. Not saying I haven't missed something by not getting near the side poles, though. If i really wanted to hunt them, i would use my pinpointer.

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk
 

Playgrounds are fun to detect. I typically dig all signals except foil in the mulch or sand. Lots of junk jewelry and occasional gold or silver. Low percentage of trash and lots of clad. I also find most of my foreign coins here as well. I go around the equipment 2x. First at full sensitivity staying 2' or so away from posts and sweeping open areas of the mulch/ sand. Then I go back a second time with the sensitivity way down but get close to the posts. I find lots of good finds under grated walk ways with sensitivity down.
 

Motion all metal. Retune to big steel then move slowly away. Or move slowly (very slow) towards and listen to a short rise and fall. Practice with coins.

Edit: Silver doesn't have motion all metal does it, or does it? O-well, thats what I use it for.

Edit again: Also try the Compadre double beep.




Hey,that is my vid!
I have tried all kinds of detectors, settings, coils, methods and whatever else to get close to these things and have done ok but nothing I have ever tried can find targets near, next to or even leaning on big metal like the Compadre can.
The good thing is nobody else seems to be able to get close either.
I hunted many in Bama and there was stuff everywhere in these things but when I moved to Kansas most of the tot lots were clean and I mean empty in most of them.
Like there was a crew that went around everywhere, only hunted these tot lots and picked them cleaner than clean.
I still found many, many coins, junk jewelry pieces and even a Loonie once at all of them and every target was within an inch or two of that big metal if not closer.
That Loonie was 4" deep and literally touching a big pole.

Get what you can where you can and one day get a Compadre and concentrate on those areas where you can't reach now.
Unless someone else in your area uses one all targets should still be there waiting for you if or when you do.
 

Hey,that is my vid!
I have tried all kinds of detectors, settings, coils, methods and whatever else to get close to these things and have done ok but nothing I have ever tried can find targets near, next to or even leaning on big metal like the Compadre can.
The good thing is nobody else seems to be able to get close either.
I hunted many in Bama and there was stuff everywhere in these things but when I moved to Kansas most of the tot lots were clean and I mean empty in most of them.
Like there was a crew that went around everywhere, only hunted these tot lots and picked them cleaner than clean.
I still found many, many coins, junk jewelry pieces and even a Loonie once at all of them and every target was within an inch or two of that big metal if not closer.
That Loonie was 4" deep and literally touching a big pole.

Get what you can where you can and one day get a Compadre and concentrate on those areas where you can't reach now.
Unless someone else in your area uses one all targets should still be there waiting for you if or when you do.

Great video!


Love working the fence lines..Found a big fake diamond earring couple days ago working one.
 

this -↓

I use my smallest coil and turn down the sensitivity to the bare minimum. Pin pointers work great too, but, takes a bit of time and effort. I've also used the rake/scoop method with good success.

Yup; lessen the distance from playground equipment by turning sensitivity way down, and using the smallest coil you can. For the Silver, you can go as small as the little 4" concentric. It does better around the steel posts, but is really slow going through open areas. I like the 5.75" for totlots.
 

Playgrounds are fun to detect. I typically dig all signals except foil in the mulch or sand. Lots of junk jewelry and occasional gold or silver. Low percentage of trash and lots of clad. I also find most of my foreign coins here as well. I go around the equipment 2x. First at full sensitivity staying 2' or so away from posts and sweeping open areas of the mulch/ sand. Then I go back a second time with the sensitivity way down but get close to the posts. I find lots of good finds under grated walk ways with sensitivity down.

You have to dig the foil targets too - a lot of gold jewelry rings as foil...
 

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