How important is a GOOD Pin Pointer?

[24k dreams]

I stress the word "good" because I know the importance of a Pin Pointer. What is the difference between a $20 one vs a $120? other than the bulky hand grips on the cheap ones.

 

[gleaner1]

24k dreams, I like you. This is good. But not important.

 

[Carloates88]

Its good for the kids to get involved aswell they love looking for treasure just give them pinpointer and praise em they love it

Sent from my iPhone using TreasureNet

 

[spartacus53]

Its good for the kids to get involved aswell they love looking for treasure just give them pinpointer and praise em they love it

No way, they'll take theri eye out

 

[24k dreams]

24k dreams, I like you. This is good. But not important.

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=709741"/>

Lol

 

[Frankn]

Gleaner, So that is how they make new locomotives! Frank

 

[mrwilburino]

No doubt, using a good pinpointer helps me to locate and retrieve targets faster and with less digging……something that comes in handy in some of the well maintained parks that I hunt. However, another benefit to using a pinpointer has been the ability to find additional targets that would have been left behind. There have been a number of occasions when I have found a good deep target at the very limit of my machine’s ability to detect it. I dug it up, swept my coil over the hole, heard nothing and would have walked away from it if it had not been for my pinpointer alerting me to the presence of another target. Sometimes that target can be junk but if I had pulled an old coin or piece of jewelry out of that hole then the additional beep is worth investigating.

 

[63bkpkr]

Detecting Probes

24K,
You've gotten all sorts of good advice on pinpointers. I used to use a brass probe but even it scratches coins AND it will not tell me where the darn target is but I can eventually find 50% of what the detector tells me is there. I now use a Whites Bullseye II pinpointer though ergonomically the shape of it is off but it cuts down the time to actually have the target in ones hand. Electronic pinpointers assume that one has dug a hole and that is where one drawback to detecting comes to play, digging a hole in someones green lawn. With my brass probe the initial insertion into the ground is not detectable though once the object has been located then the finger goes into the ground so I've about a 2" rough spot where I detect but it smooths out nicely and is gone from sight. It just is not as efficient as a dug hole and an electronic pinpointer. Case in point, many years ago I got a signal just as the sun was setting I probed but there were 1/4" diameter pebbles in the ground. A frustrating hour later I had the target in my hand and about a 4" spot on the ground that looked like a gopher had been there. The target proved to be a gold crown or tooth. What I would not have given to have an electronic pinpointer for that target!

Best of luck with your decision.........63bkpkr


Electronic versus brass probe. The brass probes evolved into two piece units, an aluminum handle that can be threaded in one end and in the center of the length. The black is heat shrink tubing. As the probes are shoved into the ground they become sharper and Must be dulled to limit scratching of coins. If one just saves their finds the amount will eventually equal the cost of a good probe.

Spartacus, an electronic pinpointer is not a BB gun but that season is upon us, grin.

Frankn, "so that's how they make Locomotives", LOL, LOL..........63

 

[24k dreams]

24K,
You've gotten all sorts of good advice on pinpointers. I used to use a brass probe but even it scratches coins AND it will not tell me where the darn target is but I can eventually find 50% of what the detector tells me is there. I now use a Whites Bullseye II pinpointer though ergonomically the shape of it is off but it cuts down the time to actually have the target in ones hand. Electronic pinpointers assume that one has dug a hole and that is where one drawback to detecting comes to play, digging a hole in someones green lawn. With my brass probe the initial insertion into the ground is not detectable though once the object has been located then the finger goes into the ground so I've about a 2" rough spot where I detect but it smooths out nicely and is gone from sight. It just is not as efficient as a dug hole and an electronic pinpointer. Case in point, many years ago I got a signal just as the sun was setting I probed but there were 1/4" diameter pebbles in the ground. A frustrating hour later I had the target in my hand and about a 4" spot on the ground that looked like a gopher had been there. The target proved to be a gold crown or tooth. What I would not have given to have an electronic pinpointer for that target!

Best of luck with your decision.........63bkpkr

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=710117"/> Electronic versus brass probe. The brass probes evolved into two piece units, an aluminum handle that can be threaded in one end and in the center of the length. The black is heat shrink tubing. As the probes are shoved into the ground they become sharper and Must be dulled to limit scratching of coins. If one just saves their finds the amount will eventually equal the cost of a good probe.

Spartacus, an electronic pinpointer is not a BB gun but that season is upon us, grin.

Frankn, "so that's how they make Locomotives", LOL, LOL..........63

Very interesting. Thank you

 

[The_EE]

If one just saves their finds the amount will eventually equal the cost of a good probe.

I wish pull tabs were money, if they were I would have paid off my pointer by now

 

[GarretDiggingAz]

I'm just getting into this hobby as well. I'm getting the AT Gold as well as the Garret Pro pointer. I'm getting the pointer just for the fact that the pointer can get into areas beyond the range of detector. Into cracks and narrow crevices.
The other reason was stated in a previous comment. You've retrieved your target in a somewhat deep hole. Always put in pointer that is good and does a 360 degree search area. You just might have another target beyond your MDs range. The only other way you'd be able to do that, is to dig a bigger hole.
If digging on other people's property. I'd think the owner would rather see small holes instead of lots of 12" holes. If you take proper care of their property. They'd let you come back.
Just my two cents from a newbie.

 

[BOB@NORTHEASTMETALDETECT]

many people don't buy a pin pointer until after they scratch a great coin. most of your colonial coppers are the same color as dirt. they speed up the recovery process. my favorite is the garrett pro pointer which i use & sell. bob@northeast metal detectors

 

[BOB@NORTHEASTMETALDETECT]

up here in the northeast colonial coins except for silver take on the color of the earth. folks tend to buy a pin pointer after they scratched a great coin. makes for an easy sell. they speed up recovery. bob@northeast metal detectors

 

[ibjeepn]

I wish pull tabs were money, if they were I would have paid off my pointer by now

I found gold colored pull tabs at one park. It actually put me in a good mood.
Laughing, at one point.. My wife and I have pro pointers. We never had pointers before.
It makes recovery less frustrating for small items,faster and saves the "find" from damage.
A friend of mind uses a probe and he does very well with it. I sweep the dig area with the pro pointer while I'm kneeling. I've found a lot of coins,ect that way also. Especially from pocket dumps, under benches, swings,ect. Overall, for us, it has made the hobby more enjoyable and the hunts longer, with a faster recovery. HH Rick

 

[Frankn]

Hay, my Spam can's pulltab is gold! Frank

 

[LuckyLarry]

The only time I ever had a use for a pinpointer is when I was locating nails in studs behind walls. They work very well for that, but so do most search coils up to 8" diameter. For detecting I never have needed one, not even with my Minelab Sovereign or an old BFO, of which neither would center anything tighter than a 4" circle. I've never scratched a coin either. It might be that after 42 years of detecting we get a knack for centering and sensing depth, but pinpointer use for detecting is still a great mystery to me.

Larry

 

[Teamroper]

It's like American Express. Don't leave home without it, (a good one).

 

[BOB@NORTHEASTMETALDETECT]

many people tend to buy them soon after they hit a great coin with their digger. bob@northeast metal detectors

 

[Normsel]

Get a Garrett Pro Pointer. It will be the best $127.50 you ever spent. The pointer is a must have. It will cut your recovery time by 95%.

Call Bart at Big Boys Hobbies

 

[worldtalker]

many people tend to buy them soon after they hit a great coin with their digger. bob@northeast metal detectors

I STILL wing one now and again!

 

[tcornel]

This is one of those "Where do you hunt?" type things. I hunt both beach and inland. I brought my Garret pinpointer to the beach the first time after receiving it, and have left it home since. Hunting inland, I wouldn't be caught with out a good one.

When beach hunting I leave the propointer at home and just take the pistol probe. Since it is pulse induction it is not affected by the mineralization.

It is outstanding for locating in sand side walls.

The propointer really shines on dry land.