First time out and questions about metal detecting

[laurahatt214]

Hi everyone!

I find that I learn better by doing then reading. So I uploaded a video with some questions onto youtube.

I hope this can be posted here lol, if not I understand.
Thank you for any help!

Here is the link "First time out and questions about metal detecting" https://youtu.be/DO8dKPiPCwc

 

[Bamadad53]

Get that digging tool farther away from you coil for starters.

Bamadad

 

[laurahatt214]

Get that digging tool farther away from you coil for starters.

Bamadad

The plastic shovel? Oh wow I didn't think that would pick up lol

 

[Loco-Digger]

Sweep your coil from side to side, to me you are moving the coil too slow.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

What Loco-digger said.You need to swing from side to side you also might want to invest in a pin pointer to find small objects you detect.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Look on youtube for a detecting video that shows people detecting and you can notice how they are using their detectors.If you have any clubs in your area maybe you can find someone to help you get the hang of this hobby.

 

[SusanMN]

You will learn your machine quicker if you start out in wood chip or sand playgrounds or at sand beaches. There are usually coins to be found and digging is easier than in dirt. For dirt you need a metal shovel and a pinpointer will make retrieval easier.

 

[Palmetto Pony]

Back of the Boat gave a good suggestion about YTube. If you look up Garrett's channel (the metal detector company), they have some good vids. While they focus specifically on their equipment, they demonstrate some good techniques and offer good tips.

 

[sniffer]

first thing,you need to swing the coil side to side. count about 1 second for one side to side for a good start. the machine has to be able to see the target and then release and then pick it up on the return swing. when you pin point,same thing just smaller swings. also try the X pattern. sweep from one direction than turn 90 degrees to the target it'll help narrow the target field. get a separate pin pointer. if money is an issue,Harbor freight sells a cheap one for around 20 dollars, 12 on sale. if money isn't a problem get a Garrett carrot. don't dig until until you have your target narrowed down. finally, always fill in your holes. try to make it look the same as when you started. and last but not least, practice, Practice, PRACTICE. that's the only way you''ll get better

 

[Honest Samuel]

# 1, Best of luck to you. Great advice from other members, take it.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

With a Teknetics you should do a three foot sweep in a second. They do better faster.

Leave the camera at home and concentrate on what you are doing. Take a few still images of your finds when you get home and have them cleaned off.

 

[laurahatt214]

Thank you everyone. I am trying to find my swing speed and pattern. I went out yesterday and I found a spot that was hitting around 45-65 and so I took the time to move it over at a slow speed and then a faster speed and to be honest it was frustrating! I then moved to the side and sweep over it and would get totally different hit. I know I need practice and that it will come with time, I just hate thinking that I am missing something. Even if it is just another rusted nail lol. I did get a pinpointer and that does seem to help when I get the dirt out. I find the most issue with trying to find out where to dig. I move the coil over a hit and keep moving it back and forth, side to side to watch the numbers and make sure that it is making a good hit, but after digging a bit and scanning and digging some more, my hole has turned into a hole double the size of the coil. I think I just really need someone to walk with me and it would probably be a good idea to now scan in a field where an old barn fell down lol.

 

[Bkn74]

Bury different items. Place a poker chip or other nonmetallic item right above it. Swing your coil and learn where your center is on your machine with the visual aids.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Your pin pointer should be able to pick up shallow targets.After you get a hit use your pin pointer to scan the area you picked up the signal, if shallow you should find immediately.Don't worry about the numbers your machine is giving, concentrate instead on the ground as your coil passes over the target, by looking away at your numbers on the screen, you lose your target.The numbers are only telling you the conductivity of the metal.Until you get down target acquisition, what your target is,it doesn't really matter because right now you should dig everything until you are familiar with your machine.Once you get down the basic's of narrowing(pin pointing) your target then start figuring out what the numbers are telling you.The only info the screen has that should be used right now is depth of target, but that should stay on the screen long enough to see after you acquire your target.Hope this helps. it all comes with time so don't get discouraged.And like an earlier poster said try the wood chip's at a playground you can use different coins from a penny on up tossed out where you know where they are and learn what numbers represent each coin.But that can also be altered by other factors ,such as a group of coins(coin spill) all laying together or a piece of foil or iron laying above the coin.So for right now forget the numbers.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Laura one more thing is with your coil the sweet spot should be dead center of your coil, so when you get a target go at it from different angles and pay attention to the center of coil and when it beeps when the center is over target that is your target in the center, mark spot and dig small hole your target should be in that spot or just a little off center.

 

[laurahatt214]

Thank you guys for the advice!

Bkn74.......maybe a silly question...but if something is laying on top of something metal....something denser then dirt, will the metal detector still pick it up?

back of the boat...I am trying to forget about the numbers for now lol and it helps when they jump all over the place the only area I have right now that I can search is my yard and it is so full of iron I have found that when my machine goes off and flashes and makes lots of weird noises it means that a big piece of iron is below, so that is helpful. I can't wait till I can go search somewhere nice and find out things then nails and scrap iron pieces. I am also learning the center spot so that is helpful also. Thank you!

 

[dsdigger]

What Bkn74 said works. Whites(and I am not sure if anyone else does) makes a testing set of items with a quarter, dime, nickel, penny, nail, bottle cap and pull tab glued to the bottom of a blue disc like a poker chip but this has their logo on it and you use it for testing and can bury them , etc. The machines pick them up fine. You could make you own set with poker chips and a few coins and nail, etc. to test in the back yard or where ever. The chip hides the item so you can't see what it is and yet makes it easy to find later if buried or if you want to put it in on edge to see how that reads. Helps with getting to know some of the reactions your machine has to items. I also like to check out the You Tube vids to see what finds are made and how others search and maybe any particular ways they go about looking at an area. Good Luck!

 

[Bkn74]

If you use a cheap poker chip it wil not affect your machine one bit. Poke a hole in ground and drop a penny in. Put poker chip on top. All it is is a visual aid so you know where item is. Will also help you learn center of your coil.

 

[laurahatt214]

Thank you guys!

I hope to get out there this week and CarolinaTom is taking me to a few places in Charlotte, so I can not wait!!!

 

[dsdigger]

Good Luck, hope that you pick up some good pointers while out and enjoy the hunt!