Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800ish

[catchdogcross]

Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

Hello all, I've been to this farmhouse site before after it had burned down and the township removed the burned frame and filled in the basement. Problem is the site is extremely trashy with nails, chunks of charcoal that set off my detector for some reason and other metal debris. It's almost impossible to determine which hits are valid and which ones are junk. I use a Tesoro Tigershark, any hints or suggestions on how to get around this would be awesome! Thanks in advance...
Catchdog
ps
The charcoal chunks are nothing more than that,i've smashed a few
with a hammer and it's just charcoal but it still sets off my detector...

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

Dig the charred lumps. Its the only way to get the goodies.

Lumps of coal set my machines off too--just dig 'em. I don't know if they cause masking or not, but they certainly contribute to how "hot" the soil is.


Best Wishes,



Buckleboy

 

[txkickergirl]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

Take the time and clean it out. I would suggest running magnets over it to pick up the nails and other junk that you can and then go from there.

 

[deepskyal]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

I can sympathise with you. Was a house not far from me that was donated to the FD for fire practice. Old, in a field...ideal.

Well...the firemen weren't real neat about their burn and demo job. I tried working it for a couple hours and gave up frustrated.
I just figure...there's too many places around me to waste so much time clearing out all that junk they left.

But...if you have the time, and the gut feeling there's some goodies there...then just go slow, dig all the junk...

I like the magnet idea if most of that suff is on the surface.

Al

 

[catchdogcross]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

Hey thanks guys! I saw this really cool rolling magnet about the length of a pushbroom in Harbor Freight, I'll tell ya I coulda used it today!
The nails alone on this site are UNBELIEVABLE in sheer volume! I found many pieces of bog iron, real common in this area, but no
silver, clad or anything. I'm not sure I'll go back, it's just too trashy. I sure do appreciate all of you're imput. My bulldog had fun
sniffin some deer trails while we were out, she's not been well so it was worth bringing her out to get her out and seeing her enjoying the day...
Catchdog

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

With that volume of trash left there, you can bet it hasn't been hunted. Clean it out and reap the rewards.

 

[GoldrushAU]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

Or......get a detector with Iron discriminate.....
I used to dig all manner of nails (1000's) until I bought a detector with Iron discriminate.
Ive been back to sites I previously went to with the old detector and can still dig out the goodies that the old detector missed because of the trash....

 

[catchdogcross]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

With that volume of trash left there, you can bet it hasn't been hunted. Clean it out and reap the rewards.

You are correct BuckleBoy, that site hasnt been touched by anyone except the bulldozer crew and that was a year ago. The entire foundation has been mixed backfilled with fill and dirt from the site but I did check out some other buildings on the property, really neat small wooden cottages with little tiny iron wire fences around them. found a very old copper lipstick case, tons of zinc canning lids and 1959 license tag for something. There is definately stuff there it's a matter of finding those hidden little niches that are clean. I'm seriously considering getting that rolling magnet thing from HF and a Iron descriminate MD, there just too much bog iron around here it's everywhere! This area was the main source for it during the CW, Weymouth Furnace, Smithville Mansion and Batsto. It's an Iron lover's dream!!!
Catchdog

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

Or......get a detector with Iron discriminate.....
I used to dig all manner of nails (1000's) until I bought a detector with Iron discriminate.
Ive been back to sites I previously went to with the old detector and can still dig out the goodies that the old detector missed because of the trash....

Do you mean "Iron Mask"? Iron will cancel out good finds-so if you want all the good finds, you must dig the big iron. Try a little experiment--take a piece of a rusted cast iron cooking pot and put it overtop of a penny. Then sweep over it with "iron mask" on. You just might be very surprised.


-Buckles

 

[pookie-princess of rust]

Re: Need pointers, detecting burned down farmhouse 1800'ish

good luck...
i guess the same thing can be said for burned down barns... i'll look into the rolling magnet for a barn that used to be on my property... what can be found at old barn sites anyway?
aimee