Just started metal detecting last weekend...

[Excursion09]

I spent last Saturday and Sunday morning in a park in Euless. Found a few pennies, and a lot of aluminum cans/pull tops...I still have to work on getting my Bounty Hunter IV to distinguish between gold and aluminum...it's going to take some time it seems. Anyone who might have some pointers feel free to let me know.

 

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[Ant]

Metal detectors really can’t tell the difference between aluminum foil and gold. Dig all nickels and pull tabs and try to learn how small bits of flat foil sound compared to balled up pieces of foil, coins, and small dense pieces of metal sound. Then dig the small denser sounding itmes that are not iron.

Metal detectors do much better on silver, that’s because silver is one of the highest conductors of electricity in nature. Conductivity is one of the factors that a metal detector uses to ID metals. The other main factor is the metals furious value or magnetism. Gold on the other hand in considered a low conductor as is many other metals found in our environment so it’s almost impossible to ID. If you are looking for gold a good feature on a metal detector is to have an iron identification mode.

You can help you odds at finding gold by using a gold and coin machine, but if you practice for about 6 to 8 months with the machine you have you’ll begin to understand what the machine is telling you, it’s not unlike learning another language. When I first stated I concentrated on playgrounds and scraped yards, after I learned I progressed to demolitions and trashy sites.

 

[Excursion09]

Thanks Ant. I did just get a 4" gold coil for my Bounty Hunter yesterday, will try it this weekend....it didn't come with directions, so I assume I just hook it up and start detecting...we will see what I find, I will post my findings this weekend.

 

[TxMike]

Hey, Just wanted to clarify something for those new to metal detecting about conductivity of gold and silver. Gold is actually as conductive as silver maybe a little more so, with the added benefit of extreme corrosion resistence. Check out the high end sound equipment used by professionals...the connectors are all gold plated. Gold jewelry is made in a wide range of purity (generally from 10kt -18kt); that is why the "Gold" range on most detectors is so large compared to other metals. The reason that gold usually registers down below silver on a metal detector is due to the alloys that are used to make it into durable jewelry. Think about it, pure gold is 24kt so that means that 14kt gold is a little over half gold, the rest is alloy. Most inexpensive gold is alloyed with cheap metals such as iron, nickle, and aluminum. This brings their conductivity rating way down on the detectors range. Silver coins on the other hand tended to be around 90% silver. This makes them highly conductive thereby reading high on the detectors range. If you are lucky enough to find a gold coin while detecting, it will ring up in the silver range. It is very easy to get frustrated digging pull tab after pull tab but if you get lazy and quick digging "Pulltab" signals, you will be leaving a lot of gold in the ground for someone else to find. Hope this helps.

 

[smugpot]

i,m new also 1 year in now if you want to hunt sometime i am game in Arlington
most saterdays are best for me i would like to see the bounty hunter on 4 inch coil all i got is the nine blue max and can not get close to the poles