the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

[scrounger d detector collector]

the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

I read about all these posts where people go to extreme lengths to hunt.

mostly referring to distance traveled. they do it at the drop of a hat it seems

traveling expenses be hanged.

I have gotten incredible satisfaction being a metal hunter over the years.

much of it in intageables. like fresh air,excercise, and the beauty of outdoors.

i have to admit though,im just enuf of a scrooge to still want a small profit out of detecting.

am i unusual in this?

i came back to the detecting hobby about 2 yrs ago. avid detectorist from 60s to mid 80s. after which busy finding a wife and WORKING.

very occasional metal hunt or golf was what i had time for.

now i go a lot more often

but because i live in the sticks, anywhere to go detecting is minimum 20 mi roundtrip which at todays RAPE gas prices is at least 1.50 even in my subcompact. after arriving at smalltown. which has very limited detecting. at this point i have pretty much cleaned the little park and schoolyard to the point where its pretty rare to even get a quarter.

said town is also rural enuf not to have parkways.

next bigger town is 30 miles away. i need to go there anyway about 2x a week. and try to find time to hunt every time i go there. at around 4 bux gas, it dont seem reasonable to drive there just to hunt.

im having a hard time adjusting my detecting mentality to today.

as a kid i was finding real money. because of inflation .todays coin take is so small compared to even 1984 when i basically slowed WAY DOWN on hunting.

now im retired. i really dont need those extra few dollars.

detecting is a hobby. i would pay to golf. spent few hunderd ez per yr on it.

but somehow it just FEELS WRONG to pay to detect. at this point i justfy it by saying im saving the money i would have spent on golf.

i use rechargeable batteries.so battery cost is minimal. i keep praying i will find a gold ring or something of real value. to up my average take. but it hasnt happened YET.

can anyone identify with these feelings.?

i want to view as CHEAP ENTERTAINMENT. when previously it was A WAY TO GET MONEY.

 

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[Born2Dtect]

Re: the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

If you are in it for the money, and you are not very good and very lucky, you are probably very disappointed.

I really enjoy the experience of metal detecting, being outdoors, various locations, guessing the target and seeing the find, showing my finds to others, getting a little exercise, de-stressing and putting a little perspective on life.

I could go on for quite a while. Money, it is possible. If I get a little lucky I may find something worth thousands and pay for it all, but I you don,t I still think it is all worth it.

"Born2Dtect" Ed D.

 

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[Goes4ever]

Re: the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

I agree with everything u said buckleboy, getting permission does NOT take hours and it easy to do. It takes me literally a few minutes to find out the owner on the internet and only minutes to drive to their house knock on the door and ask, if it is too far I simply pick up the phone. I think the problem is some people are merely "afraid" or "too shy" to ask. If a person is too afraid or too shy to ask permission this hobby is not for them. This hobby is all about gaining permission the correct way.

 

[scrounger d detector collector]

Re: the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

If you are in it for the money, and you are not very good and very lucky, you are probably very disappointed.

I really enjoy the experience of metal detecting, being outdoors, various locations, guessing the target and seeing the find, showing my finds to others, getting a little exercise, de-stressing and putting a little perspective on life.

I could go on for quite a while. Money, it is possible. If I get a little lucky I may find something worth thousands and pay for it all, but I you don,t I still think it is all worth it.

"Born2Dtect" Ed D.

ok many good ideas here and i thank everyone not just B2D.

BUT I THINK many are missing the point here. i have stated but maybe it was over looked

i got my first machine 1966. i was a kid. the machine barely worked

but it almost didnt matter as there were coins absolutely everywhere.

when u found a quarter.. u really had something.

i know im just getting old...

its just hard to break that kid mentality. the detector was a magic machine

free money everywhere just for the digging.

i grew up poor.

where other kids got an allowance i got ZIP. so if i wanted to buy anything

i had to be extremely invemtive and frugal.

now thats over. but the mental image remains

AS my childhood yrs before i was old enuf to get a job were financed by metal hunting.

like the person who has financial security today, BUT saves string and tinfoil still as they grew up poor and remember the great depression.

i agree.very hard to make a profit. i had heard occasionaly homeless

folk are found carrying a detector around. a chinese cheepie or older machine can be had so cheap now. that even they can afford one. and buy
some necessaries with dug coins if no handouts are forthcoming.

so i guess it would still be possible if one was to. use rechargeable batteries. and walk or bicycle everywhere.

unfortunately or fortunately i dont do this.

and im a sucker for detectors. i would just like one of every model ever made.thats all.
LOL

so thank you all again for helping me readjust my thinking to hobby mode. and excercise mode. metal detecting is cheap entertainment.

however the detector manufactures tend to stretch things to .almost everywhere is loaded. you just need the right machine to find it.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Re: the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

ok many good ideas here and i thank everyone not just B2D.

BUT I THINK many are missing the point here. i have stated but maybe it was over looked

i got my first machine 1966. i was a kid. the machine barely worked

but it almost didnt matter as there were coins absolutely everywhere.

when u found a quarter.. u really had something.

i know im just getting old...

its just hard to break that kid mentality. the detector was a magic machine

free money everywhere just for the digging.

i grew up poor.

where other kids got an allowance i got ZIP. so if i wanted to buy anything

i had to be extremely invemtive and frugal.

now thats over. but the mental image remains

AS my childhood yrs before i was old enuf to get a job were financed by metal hunting.

like the person who has financial security today, BUT saves string and tinfoil still as they grew up poor and remember the great depression.

i agree.very hard to make a profit. i had heard occasionaly homeless

folk are found carrying a detector around. a chinese cheepie or older machine can be had so cheap now. that even they can afford one. and buy
some necessaries with dug coins if no handouts are forthcoming.

so i guess it would still be possible if one was to. use rechargeable batteries. and walk or bicycle everywhere.

unfortunately or fortunately i dont do this.

and im a sucker for detectors. i would just like one of every model ever made.thats all.
LOL

so thank you all again for helping me readjust my thinking to hobby mode. and excercise mode. metal detecting is cheap entertainment.

however the detector manufactures tend to stretch things to .almost everywhere is loaded. you just need the right machine to find it.

I understand you.


This is not the hobby of the 60's anymore. Silver is not everywhere underfoot. And finding only one Civil War belt plate in a hunt is not a bad day.

There is competition now.

And there is a need to do research where perhaps there was no need before. Back in the 60's that person who dropped that Seated Dime was still alive, and had stories to tell. Not so now.

In fact, learning about the resources at your disposal is Key. Familiarity with the internet, GPS, software, infrared photography, and satelite images are valuable tools.

The Great finds are more hard-won, and they are fewer and farther between.

But more than anything, a quarter is not much these days due to inflation--and it is the fault of the government that our money is made of worthless paper and crusty zinc and clad.



A detectorist has to adapt in order to keep finding the Good Stuff. If there is competition in the area, one has to stay a step ahead. If one moves to a new area, then they must do new research and become familiar with new potential sites...(they also have to get a feel for what has been hunted before and what has not). If one has no competition in their area, then eventually they will be their own competition.


If you want a thrill on the same order of magnitude as what you experienced 40 years ago, then you will likely have to work harder. If you are retired, then the good news is that time is on your side.


Best Wishes,



Buckles

 

[arizonaames]

Re: the BREAK EVEN POINT and mental aspects of metal detecting

Reading your detector list i.e. the E Tac your post is kind of like buying
a Corvette and asking how many miles does it get to a gallon.

My Corvette gets 31 miles to the gallon......