Ugh stupid playgrounds

[relichunters]

So it happens to me all the time, when I find a new playground to detect there is some kind of stupid carpet thing like 3 inches under the woodchips. Last year it was on like 10 different playgrounds, and this year 1 (before I got poison ivy).

It's really hard to dig something with those things, and like it will go off under the netting, and I can't get it. I think it might be a nail or something holding it down, but why would it ring up as coin? I think the next time it happens im going to bring a knife and cut up the net to get below it. Might be an old wheat penny or something!

 

[seger98]

That's what I would do, cut it & see what's under it. I believe it's just there to keep weeds from growing anyway.

 

[relichunters]

Hmm your probably right, because there is dirt under the netting, so they probably sat it right on top of historic coins.

 

[Sandman]

Heck that isn't a real problem. I've got three old swim areas that I've found that now have the fabric under the new sand they put down.

 

[boogeyman]

Old steak knife with a sharpened V cut in the tip Ooooops did I say that? Naw, must've been the other Boogeyman

 

[relichunters]

Whyyyyy would they do that?

 

[deepskyal]

Landscape fabric......suppose to keep weeds from sprouting from the soil benieth it and also to keep the woodchips from rotting faster like it would in direct contact with the soil.

Used it on many jobs....after a few years it's useless. Dirt collects on top and weeds grow thru the rotting fabric. A heck of a mess once stuff does grow thru it. Then you got a big, tangled mass of a mat of weeds and nasty, rotted smelling mushy fabric.
But in the mean time, the kids have a weedfree play area...unless you're all for maybe spraying weedkillers instead for the kids to play in.

I wouldn't get caught if your doing a tot lot and it looks to be in fairly good condition and you decide to slice thru it. I think they'd call that vandalism. And you did say NEW playground.

You'll give Md'ing a bad name real quick that way.

Stick to areas without the fabric or don't slice thru it.

Al

 

[mlayers]

I agree with Al if you are going to detect the play ground that has the weed guard down. Just look for the coins and jewelry that is only 3 inches or less. They put that weed guard down for a reason....Matt

 

[BuckleBoy]

I wouldn't get caught if your doing a tot lot and it looks to be in fairly good condition and you decide to slice thru it. I think they'd call that vandalism. And you did say NEW playground.

You'll give Md'ing a bad name real quick that way.

 

[Lowbatts]

I wouldn't get caught if your doing a tot lot and it looks to be in fairly good condition and you decide to slice thru it. I think they'd call that vandalism. And you did say NEW playground.

You'll give Md'ing a bad name real quick that way.

Cubed!
Between this and the idea of hitting that structure w/o regard to ownership, it's not looking good for you!

 

[relichunters]

Landscape fabric......suppose to keep weeds from sprouting from the soil benieth it and also to keep the woodchips from rotting faster like it would in direct contact with the soil.

Used it on many jobs....after a few years it's useless. Dirt collects on top and weeds grow thru the rotting fabric. A heck of a mess once stuff does grow thru it. Then you got a big, tangled mass of a mat of weeds and nasty, rotted smelling mushy fabric.
But in the mean time, the kids have a weedfree play area...unless you're all for maybe spraying weedkillers instead for the kids to play in.

I wouldn't get caught if your doing a tot lot and it looks to be in fairly good condition and you decide to slice thru it. I think they'd call that vandalism. And you did say NEW playground.

You'll give Md'ing a bad name real quick that way.

Stick to areas without the fabric or don't slice thru it.

Al

I think it'd be much better for them to lay down wood or concrete base on the bottom and then fill it up.

When I said NEW playground, I mean a new one I haven't been to before, but it is old, you can tell by the rusted equipment and dark gray wood chips. But I am respectful of property and don't vandalism my detecting areas. I live by the code of the metal detector.

 

[deepskyal]

Believe it or not...there are now specific codes for building playgrounds...gotta keep those kids safe and prevent lawsuits. (Isn't everything regulated somehow anymore?)

A concrete base would be ideal if they put enough of a buffer on top to prevent split heads....but they also factor in cost.

Landscape fabric is a whole lot cheaper than concrete and soil is a lot more forgiving to a childs head.

Instead of woodchips, they now use ground up rubber. Haven't tried detecting that yet...probably won't. Wouldn't a ground up tire leave traces of steel behind? Most tires have steel belts in them...and that's where this rubber comes from.

They've updated 2 playgounds around me.....mega bucks!!!...I'm talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. The latest one is boardering close to a million. And this is a rundown, old milltown with a high drug problem.

I could think of a few other ways to spend that kind of money around here.

Al

 

[boogeyman]

Whyyyyy would they do that?

Poke the knife through the mesh to make a slit, recover what's there close the hole. Works better than trying to cut up the mesh. Not to mention more descrete

 

[txkickergirl]

I don't dig through the stuff, because I think it would be wrong, and they do put those round roofing disks with a nail through them to hold the tarp down. Those ring up pretty good. but I will tell you I see half the playgrounds with it uncovered pulled up in places, and strung everywhere and it looks really really bad. They need to come up with a better plan, like just lots of sand, I don't see weeds growing on the beach where there is lots of sand and foot traffic.

When I hit parks like this After a quick sweep, I usually venture to where the kids would play tag, throw a ball, or just run around. I find more there anyway. Grant it digging is harder but thats the breaks.

 

[Lowbatts]

( ) from earlier in the post... do you have children, grand children? would you not want them to have a nice place to play? A safe place to play? Why stop with just a little slit to maybe retrieve a penny or rusty piece of crap? Maybe you could take some spray paint to the place and redecorate it a little because the color is wrong. The stuff you are talking about cost quite a bit...but that's OK because it is most likely paid for by the Tax Payer, you and I...so what is a little cut here and there until it is ripped to shreds? It won't hurt anything because you will be sure and cover it up. Let's see $200.00 of weed block and that's on the tax payers, You get the nail, pull tab or if lucky a wheaty or better...and we wonder why people don't want us to hunt on their property...Just my 2 cents worth. Sorry Frozen ground is making me mean and nasty.

Agreed!

I don't think anything could make you mean and nasty. Hang on, let me talk about the inability of Texans to cook decent food for a moment....

 

[relichunters]

Wow you aren't bright enough to understand sarcasm.

 

[deepskyal]

Texans do too know how to cook. I buy that Texas toast in the freezer section of the grocery store all the time.

Al

 

[Lowbatts]

They just mix it up, you do all the cooking!

 

[Lowbatts]

So it happens to me all the time, when I find a new playground to detect there is some kind of stupid carpet thing like 3 inches under the woodchips. Last year it was on like 10 different playgrounds, and this year 1 (before I got poison ivy).

It's really hard to dig something with those things, and like it will go off under the netting, and I can't get it. I think it might be a nail or something holding it down, but why would it ring up as coin? I think the next time it happens im going to bring a knife and cut up the net to get below it. Might be an old wheat penny or something!

Please don't disturb the landscape barriers at parks, these are taxpayer expenses and the parks may not appreciate your efforts at recovering what is most likely, in my experience, the hardware used to secure the landscape barrier.

 

[relichunters]

Some people do it, some people don't. I have never destroyed a piece of property in this hobby before. It was just an idea. But since people are against, and calling them tacks, then I find out its a bad idea.

Why can't you just say please don't do it, rather then ranting on?