Thoughts on Starting a New Metal Detector Company

Prospector Paul

Greenie
Aug 5, 2019
19
8
California, U.S.
Detector(s) used
Deep gold detectors I've designed
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Howdy friends! My previous post was about selling my detector designs to a company. This post is about the idea of starting my own metal detecting company.

Outline of my detectors:

The present design can detect a modern U.S. nickle about 3 feet down out in typical ground, over 3 feet in air tests. The new design that I'm working on is predicted to detect a nickle at least 4 feet deep in ground. As the operator moves or sweeps the coil they'll see a map showing the scanned ground. Magnetic materials such as magnetite show up as a certain color. Materials such as iron have their own color. Dielectric materials have their own color. Each object has an intensity, x/y location of the map, and a depth. At any time you can enter map mode. For example if you see a nugget then you might want to map out the area around it. It doesn't matter how many objects are near the gold nugget, as each object will show up in the map. There could be a piece magnetite and a nail next to the nugget. In map mode you sweep the coil back & forth while slowly moving forward/backward. After scanning your desired area the detector will display a map, either 2D or 3D if you want. If an object is large enough you'll see it's actual shape & size. This may sound like a GPR unit, but this metal detector operates in VLF & LF frequencies.
One feature I hope to add to the new design that's of special interest to me is deep map scanning. Normal map scanning doesn't take long. Deep map scanning can take awhile, depending on depth and desired area. Deep map scanning will work best with large coils, at least 3 feet. Since the detector is capable of detecting all materials, that means empty voids are detectable as well. You could map out large areas covering thousands of square feet showing caves & mines. Deep map mode would be the closest to an actual GPR.
An area of great personal interest is the possibility of scanning for precious gemstones. Some materials such as diamonds, rubies, & sapphires have high dielectric constants, but so can salt. Although if the detector can get an accurate reading of it's relative resistance in addition to it's dielectric strength, then it can determine if it's a precious stone. This is experimental, so I'm not sure how feasible it would be with this technology.

As far as creating my own metal detecting company, there are a few possibilities. I could do everything myself, but then what about the following scenario? I spend lots of money starting a metal detector company with a certain amount of detectors prebuilt and ready for sales. Metal detector companies buy one of my detectors, open it up, learns the secret, designs their own version using the technique and starts selling them. One idea is that I could collect a list of names or presales of people who are willing to pay a high price. When the list reaches the minimum specified number of people, then a notice would be send out where they could buy the detector. Of course this is a list of people who merely said they'll buy the detector. They don't have to buy it. So if the total sales reaches the minimum expectation, then the detectors will be built and sent. Otherwise the detectors won't be built and I'll forget about creating a company.

Please note that this detector is for people who are serious about finding gold & treasure. I've done extensive research in geology and metal detecting. Of course there's always new gold such as lode gold breaking off into rivers after storms. There are always the lucky ones as well. Besides locations that's extremely difficult to access, it appears that most good ground has been scanned, to a certain depth of course. Of course that's limited to a specific depth relative to nugget size & shape, ground type, environment noise level. So for example if we're talking about nickle size nuggets, and lets assume some specific ground has only been scanned by detectors capable of detecting that size nugget 10 inches down, then everything below 10 inches is considered virgin ground. With my detector every location on Earth that hasn't been excavated is virgin ground! This is like the olden days before metal detectors were invented, except that you need to dig deeper, ~ 1 to 5 feet deep. Digging 4 feet down is a lot of work, although some people call it exercise, but with my detector there's a significantly higher chance that the buried object is what you want, and you'll also have a good idea on it's size and depth.

So if there are any serious hunters that have by slim chance read up to here, what's the absolute maximum price you would pay for the aforementioned detector (also GPR scanner) if you were given the chance to be one of the 1st wave of buyers, meaning that since the beginning of time the ground has never been scanned to such depths, virgin ground? Please send your answer in private if you wish.

Thanks,
Paul
 

perdidogringo

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Apr 21, 2011
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Ok, I'll bite. Your new detector, assuming it worked properly in the beginning with no kinks, would revolutionize the industry and would result in some spectacular finds. As only a middle class individual, I would pay all that I could afford for such a machine, since it would pay for itself if it works as described. Realistically, the most I could see putting out for a machine is probably around 5k (and not a prototype- I'd have to hear documented reviews for metal detecting experts that it works well).
 

Treasure_Hunter

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1.) You patent the technology.
2.) Get backers, you will need lots of money, very few customers are going to buy from an unknown company running out of someone's garage.
 

CreakyDigger

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Jul 23, 2019
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So, unless you can prove factually that you can find a nickel "three feet down" I'm calling total BS on this post and invite you to spew your nonsense elsewhere.
 

Al D

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I find it hard to believe that the ability to find a nickel 3 feet down is of any real value, let alone anyone actually digging it, if you are searching to that depth, you would most likely need a broad band GPR, and even then, unless you own the property, you won’t be digging any three foot deep holes at your search area.
sorry for the negative input, but you did ask.
 

Ammoman

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Don't know if i would want to dig 3 feet for a nickel. Would have to be a pretty good nickel for sure. Now, if i could see the date on that nickel before i dig, i would be all in!
 

OP
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Prospector Paul

Prospector Paul

Greenie
Aug 5, 2019
19
8
California, U.S.
Detector(s) used
Deep gold detectors I've designed
Primary Interest:
Other
1.) You patent the technology.
2.) Get backers, you will need lots of money, very few customers are going to buy from an unknown company running out of someone's garage.

That's a lot work, isn't? No doubt running a company like Minelab must be stressful. Designing the stuff & even more so getting out into the wilderness to test it sounds like just fine. I'd consider partnering with a business genius if they handle all the business & I create the technology.

In my other thread someone mentioned Calabash Digger as being a trust worthy person? I'd be willing to allow such a trustworthy person to test my detector in an agreement that he/she will attempt to collect enough names of people to buy a unit.
 

Keppy

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Nov 19, 2006
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Don't know if i would want to dig 3 feet for a nickel. Would have to be a pretty good nickel for sure. Now, if i could see the date on that nickel before i dig, i would be all in!
..I am with you there i am not going to dig 3 or 4 feet down for a nickel.3 or 4 feet that is a lot of work and to deep ,
 

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Prospector Paul

Prospector Paul

Greenie
Aug 5, 2019
19
8
California, U.S.
Detector(s) used
Deep gold detectors I've designed
Primary Interest:
Other
Don't know if i would want to dig 3 feet for a nickel. Would have to be a pretty good nickel for sure. Now, if i could see the date on that nickel before i dig, i would be all in!

No doubt! It depends on the nugget's worth and how long it takes you to dig it. After using such a detector for awhile I bet someone would quickly come up with an efficient nugget recovery method. I have a few ideas myself. Maybe that would be an interesting group contest to see who can dig a nugget the fastest haha. The Yearly Gold Nugget Diggers! With the power of imagination can you imagine the one-man portable digging contraptions people would come up with?

Maybe it's larger nuggets that would definitely make it worth the while. Remember that nugget size to depth ratio isn't linear. So if you double the nugget size then that doesn't mean you can detect it at twice the depth. Nugget signal noise decreases exponentially with depth, typically from depth^5 to depth^6. For twice the depth that means the signal is ~ 32 to 64 times weaker. If memory holds true, and don't quote me on this, nugget size effects the signal by ~ size^4. So a nugget that's twice the size produces a signal in the detector that's 16 times greater.

Anyhow as said this detector is for the serious hunters. A serious hunter will want to do some geology research. There're plenty of experts on YouTube who make weekly videos, some of which are on the geology of finding gold, but I'm sure everyone here's aware of that.

I think this level of detector is in unexplored territory. It appears that nobody really knows just how much deep gold there is, but the best research I can find indicates there's an unbelievable amount of deep gold, but one needs to do some research in this unexplored territory. Think differently, take the device out and do some field research. For example, is it better to hit the rivers, go into gold mines, or perhaps better to focus on lode gold? The thing with lode gold is that you usually need different tools, but remember lode gold that's bonded to quartz can be worth a lot more, and it's usually part of a vein, which can be traced to more gold.
 

mr_rich

Jr. Member
Aug 21, 2013
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There are rules for electronic devices you have to comply with. So it's possible it could work fine but not be able to sell it because its too powerful.
 

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Prospector Paul

Prospector Paul

Greenie
Aug 5, 2019
19
8
California, U.S.
Detector(s) used
Deep gold detectors I've designed
Primary Interest:
Other
Here's one possible method for the serious hunter for certain ground types. When you find a deep nugget you tag it in your gps, take a photo of the exact spot and continue nugget hunting. After you get enough targets you go back to your car or campsite to get an efficient powered digging tool such as an auger, gas or electric, along with some PVC tubes. Or if you don't want a precision efficient job then forget the PVC tubes and just go tear up the land.

As for hardrock lode gold, there're plenty of known methods that use special hand powered electric drills. If you have the correct equipment the drilling goes fast.
 

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Treasure_Hunter

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That's a lot work, isn't? No doubt running a company like Minelab must be stressful. Designing the stuff & even more so getting out into the wilderness to test it sounds like just fine. I'd consider partnering with a business genius if they handle all the business & I create the technology.

In my other thread someone mentioned Calabash Digger as being a trust worthy person? I'd be willing to allow such a trustworthy person to test my detector in an agreement that he/she will attempt to collect enough names of people to buy a unit.

Sorry, I dont think that would change a lot of people minds. I personally wouldnt care if several reviewers praised a proto type, it still would be a prototype, unproven technology on non produced detector, no offense intended at all, just I personally would not invest big money in a newly developed detector or buy from an unheard of company a detector built in a basement or garage.

Warranty would be a major issue, it would be a warranty from a company with no track record and since brand new, a company who could go bankrupt in a year.

Again, no offense intended at all, just financial...

Just FYI also, per our rules only supporting vendors can discuss selling their products, you could not have any discussions on a product you are selling or planning on selling with out being a supporting vendor first.
 

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Prospector Paul

Prospector Paul

Greenie
Aug 5, 2019
19
8
California, U.S.
Detector(s) used
Deep gold detectors I've designed
Primary Interest:
Other
Just FYI also, per our rules only supporting vendors can discuss selling their products, you could not have any discussions on a product you are selling or planning on selling with out being a supporting vendor first.

Ah thanks for letting me know. No worries, we're just discussing hypothetical scenarios. :) Nothings for sale. No plans.
 

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Prospector Paul

Prospector Paul

Greenie
Aug 5, 2019
19
8
California, U.S.
Detector(s) used
Deep gold detectors I've designed
Primary Interest:
Other
..I am with you there i am not going to dig 3 or 4 feet down for a nickel.3 or 4 feet that is a lot of work and to deep ,

Dito haha. But some people might want to dig far deeper than 3 feet for a $1800 nickle size nugget. I was just looking at one. :)
 

smokeythecat

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I do not want to dig three feet. Now consistent results at 15 to 18" would be wonderful. Most detectors don't really go that far. At least in the universe we live in. Now if you can make a machine to read through the horrid Virginia dirt, that would be monumental. I could conceivably ship you some of the dirt. It's horrid. Most folks use PI machines and come home with 15 minie balls and 400 nails.
 

TheGreenBoy

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Nov 10, 2017
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If what you are writing is true, it's a dream detector. Ofcouse there will be interest and yes, you can make good money out of it. And yes, there is people who is willing to dig deeper than 3 ft. Why else do you think i am using deep seeking PIs i built for the purpose (4m and 6m of max. depth). Yes, i agree it's not a toy any more and it takes more than just casual sweeping in a free time.
Maybe manufacturers of commecial hobby VLFs might not be sincerelly interested after all, they invested a lot in their detectors and they must get some value from them.
You should definitively turn to profesional market, military, demining companies etc, where the money doesn't outweight the need for a proper tool.
 

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