Skunked, stumped, and everything in between

[justajester]

Well, went out for my 3rd hunt today. Still really new obviously. Dug up a penny and like 30+ nails and can tabs. Ive tried clearing space and burying various coins to hear their sound, see what sensitivity it takes to pick up what depth and what level of discrimination tunes things out. Im a little confused because on my tesoro silver umax, I need a sensitivity of about 9 to pick up a dime 5" deep in sand. While a penny almost any sensitivity will pick it up. Thr discrimination knob seems to have little to no effect on what the detector picks up and doesn't. A can tab will still be detected even on the 1 cent setting which the next setting is max and it picks up nothing. What is normal for discrimination? If the a tab is say an inch or two away but its set really high to the cent setting should it still pick it up?

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

I have never used a Tesoro, but this sounds like a ground balancing problem, or maybe salt water elimination problem if the sand you mentioned is ocean beach sand. Read your manual about ground balancing and salt water. Or maybe you can find some info in the T-Net Tesoro sub forum...HH

 

[justajester]

Well the discrimination test I did was in the air at home and it just doesnt seem to discriminate much. As far as the depth and sensitivity im not sure what that means. Maybe dimes are just hard to detect. Itll sure pick uo a can tab 12" deeo though lmao

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[DrJoePrime]

Not specific to your Tesoro....But

First of all you gotta have fun!

Second, don't use except a very minimum of discrimination...just to knock out small nails and iron. Pulltabs and aluminum bits you should live with..it's too close to gold.

There is no perfect discriminator circuit! However experience will be your best guide. It might take you a few weeks or a few months but it will come and you will know it.

Go out there and enjoy yourself!

 

[justajester]

Sorry scratch what I said...i guess I spoke too soon...just double checked my air test...I guess pulling th can tab off of the can makes a difference. I assumed on the tab setting it should cut out all aluminum. But it seems it actually will disc a tab on tab but not the whole can. Actually in the tab setting it seems to detect most of the coins and things id like to find. And cuts out smaller nails and things. I assume it would disc out gold too though correct? I dont have a gold ring to try or anything so...sorry again for speaking so hastily...just defintely a confusing hobby for beginners. I have tons to learn lol

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[justajester]

Oh I should say between the foil and iron setting it defintely still picks up nails like crazy. So it seems a minimum amount of disc wont helo me weed out much trash.

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[redcobra8u]

I am fairly new as well. I have found that at the beach, I only take out iron and dig everything else otherwise I miss targets. Keep in mind that pull tabs on some machines ( my AT Pro, and Excal) overlap targets you would want to dig. My best advice is to run the machine wide open and listen to what each item sounds like and registers on your machine. You'll get a bit of a workout whole learning the machine.

Don't get discouraged. The goodies will come with hours on the machine.

 

[justajester]

Ill keep at it. I really need to build a test garden but havent had time. Ironically the second hunt I had was my most successful...I found 47 cents and discovered 3 star fish on the beach...all the times ive been to the beach looking for shells and starfish, ive never found a starfish. The time I go looking for gold...star fish galore...It did make only finding 47 cents into a good hunting trip however...

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[JunkShopFiddler]

Most detectors will hit on a whole aluminum can in the coin range, not much to do about that. But when you do get a loud hit in the coin range lift the coil a few inches into the air above the target, if you still hear a signal it's a can (or something else big).

 

[justajester]

Ohhhh...good tip...that seems useful...ill give it a shot. I was digging cans like crazy the other day too...couldnt figure out how to tell the difference.thanks!

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[justajester]

Anyone got any advice on nails vs coins or rings...like an easy way to tell?

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[redcobra8u]

Nails are usually iron and give a distinct tone on my AT Pro. I would really recommend you spend time digging everything and associating the readings and tones for each. Otherwise you'll miss targets if you try and eliminate things to broadly. I've had silver targets give different tones, especially deeper down. Same for coins and bottle caps near the surface...both can sound identical.

 

[lookindown]

Most detectors will hit on a whole aluminum can in the coin range, not much to do about that. But when you do get a loud hit in the coin range lift the coil a few inches into the air above the target, if you still hear a signal it's a can (or something else big).

Like a jar of silver coins.

 

[RustyGold]

Take some samples you've found, rusty nail, clad, nickel, pull tab, etc.
Place them on the sand (or soil) in baggies with enough space between the targets to get a good separation of clean signals!

Swing your coil over each target taking note of each of the target's response, sound (Tone).
Be sure to read your screen to see what digital FB your getting.

Now put down a silver dime. Swing over it and listen for the sound it makes! It will be different.
Do that with all the targets you would like to find and it will greatly help in identifying your targets prior to digging them up!

Read your manual all the way through because if you don't know what your detector is trying to tell you,
you will limit your returns! I'm still learning all the time!

Best of luck!

 

[TallTom]

RustyGold has good advice, except you don't have a video display on your Silver uMax. No matter. You can still learn what your detector is telling you about targets.

The great thing about a metal detector is that you can test real easily how it responds to any target. Gather a jar or bag full of assorted targets, such as coins, rings, bottle caps, pull tabs, foil wrappers, nails (assorted sizes and materials), a soda can, and so on. Note that not all bottle caps and pull tabs are made with the same materials, so try to get an assortment. Then go to your back yard (or a park or a beach) and check first in all metal mode that an area of maybe 8 feet by 8 feet has no metal in it. Clean it out of targets so they don't confuse your upcoming test.

Now spread out your targets on the surface. (If you are in dry sand, the baggie idea is a good one.) Have spacing of about 12-18 inches or more between targets. Now use your detector and TRY EVERYTHING. Try all metal first. Make sure all targets respond. Listen for differences. A soda can will sound MUCH different from a dime. Notice how high above each target you get a strong signal. Notice what the signal sounds like when you are barely within range of detecting it at all. If you normally don't use headphones, GET SOME and listen closely to the differences.

Now do the same thing with various settings for Disc and Sensitivity. On a Silver uMax, I like to set Disc just below 5c (about 11 o'clock) and Sensitivity just below the red area (about 3 o'clock) for most soil conditions. Try that for all the targets, both close to them and 6-8 inches above them. Also notice the difference when the target is under the center of the coil, compared to near the edge.

And now, try some combinations to see how the sounds change. Put a nail or a bottle cap on top of a quarter, or and inch away from it. The sounds will change and it really helps to understand the differences. If you are serious about learning to use your detector, you can do all these things and learn a LOT about how it works and how to do it better than when you first picked it up. Just try everything and pay attention.

Good luck!
Tom

 

[JunkShopFiddler]

Like a jar of silver coins.

Ha ha, Let's hope not! I stopped diggin' can signals years ago.