Metal detector

deacon · #1 05-10-2009, 02:02 PM

I have been looking for somewhere to go on my ebike and something to do. I think I might like to give a metal detector a try. So does anyone know anything about them and are they any fun. I'm not looking to find treasure in spite of the advertising. I thought it might be fun to ride to some of the old vacant houses and see what might be just under the surface in the yard.

So does anyone have any suggestions about the hobby. I don't even know where to start. Oh yeah I'm not near anything lol. No beaches or tourist resorts at all.

**Dave31** · #2 05-10-2009, 03:08 PM

I have always wanted to get into that. I had a metal detector or I should say a device that went beep, beep, beep.... it never detected anything. It was around $40 and a complete waste of money.

I have always wanted to go down some of the wagon trails around here and see what I could find. There is hundreds of miles of old wagon trails mostly formed during the gold rush to Cali. I am sure they tossed some interesting stuff to lighten the load.

I always figured if anything at least I am out and about and enjoying the great outdoors.

I know a guy who built a metal detector using PVC pipe and some other stuff that I do not remember. He mounted it on wheels to tow behind is ATV and goes out to the Wilcox dry lake and searches for meteoroids. I know some that he found went for BIG $$$$$.

He know uses a ultra light along with the ATV to look for the meteoroids, he said they are very easy to spot against the white dry lake ground.

DOC BOLM · #3 05-10-2009, 03:27 PM

Deacon i have one and i used it alot when i could walk better.You can go to the school ball field on monday and pick up coins from under the bleachers after the friday night game.Go to old house sites where the house burned,you find neet stuff there also.HD

spad4me · #4 05-10-2009, 03:42 PM

My son and I tried , and will continue to try.metal detecting with a nice vlf setup that we found at a yard sale $5.00 . Read CHEAP not $500.00 to $12,000

We found
By the Colorado river bolts beer cans junk.
.In the park more junk.
The Casinos will chase you off right away.
In houses some old coins in the walls LOL Dont ask how we got them.
Meteorites are your best bet they are very easy to find and we sold a bunch for a couple of hundred dollars.

Gold is a pipe dream. But we are still looking.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #5 05-10-2009, 04:06 PM

I have an old radio shack detector that works great, if the "treasure" is not too far down in the around.

I would look on ebay and get a decent one.

**Bikeguy Joe** · #6 05-10-2009, 04:10 PM

metal detector, Electronics, Books items on eBay.com

**Bikeguy Joe** · #7 05-10-2009, 04:12 PM

BTW- I use mine to find the underground dog fence before digging, and to find all the old nails in some "semi precious" wood I scavange from old houses I use to build odd items with. Never tried to find treasures with it.

deacon · #8 05-10-2009, 05:52 PM

I'm not going to be digging more than an inch or two for it, so i won't need a great one. I think ebay is the way to go as well. I was thinking the little league field near my house and even the city parks if they allow it. I should be able to determine that pretty easily. If it turns out to be fun, I will have to invest in a better battery for the bubba bike so I can get farther afield.

I mostly want an excuse to ride my bike somewhere other than around in circles. I want to ride it pretty much everyday and since I don't work this seemed like a good plan. I have plenty of trailers I can convert to carry the tools of the trade so to speak.

I used to see a tool that was kind of a hoe that came to a sharp point at the end. That would be pretty nice If i could get a small one. I know an L bracket sharpened on one end. I can hook one leg to a broom handle in more than one place and sharpen the other to make a mini hoe.

deacon · #9 05-10-2009, 06:45 PM

After looking at some of the monsters for sale, I have decided that I want to get a small one that can only find things on or very close to the surface, and I want to use the bits of metal I find to make metal sculpture.

Now considering how much trouble I have with my welder I know that sounds nuts, but it's a chance to just goof off and combine things I like to do.

spad4me · #10 05-10-2009, 07:27 PM

Deacon try to borrow one to try it out.
If you were closer I would lend you mine.
I recommend a garret ace 250 as a starter setup.

But anyone's detector will work.
Some of the local prospectors are so good with an old Tesoro or a Goldbug 1 it is scary. Makes me greedy. This is Gold here.
Not coins or iron meteors.
I don't scan very deep maybe six inches.