Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Metal Detector Hobbyists? Input for Newbie
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April 23, 2012 at 4:43 pm #602987
365StairsParticipantLove it? Hate it? Good time? Worth entry level investement vs. time?
Hooked?
Would love some input to what you like or don’t like about this hobby. I have not acquired gear yet…
Thanks!
April 24, 2012 at 1:21 am #756116
munchkin22MemberIt is a lot of fun, if you don’t mind spending $ for a possibly small return. The model we got is not good for finding gold, but it will find rings and such. When we first got it, our yard as well as our neighbors had mysterious holes appearing in their lawns. Found toys, beer cans, coins, nails, pull tabs, foil, bottle caps. Actually exciting stuff.We’ve helped a couple of people retrieve their wedding rings in their own yards with it and that alone was gratifying enough. We didn’t charge or anything, cuz then it would be a job. Don’t want another stinkin’ job. We’ve found about $3 in change in over 2 years, but we haven’t had it out much.
We met an individual at Alki that detects and mostly recovers batteries that idiots chuck into the water and he belongs to the Cascade Treasure Club, http://www.cascadetreasureclub.com/ that meets locally. Always meant to go to a meeting but haven’t as yet. Also there’s the West Seattle Rock Club, http://www.westseattlerockclub.org that can talk to you about detecting. They just had their show at the Alki Masonic Temple this last weekend. They meet in Redmond.
Maybe we’ll see you out there one day competing for the greatest find.
April 24, 2012 at 3:51 pm #756117
365StairsParticipantThanks munchkin22! Good info!
Side note – My art teacher growing up…Harry Clark – was one of the actual munchkins…he was a lollypop kid! He also did all the artwork for the Carol Burnett Show.
April 24, 2012 at 6:21 pm #756118
WSratsinacageMemberHi 365. Very interesting about your art teacher. I like discovering hidden treasures and have done a little detecting here and there. Didn’t find anything of great value or anything. It can pay off but more likely it will be a hobby or good excercise. Mainly just wanted to share that there is a guy who was featured in the PI awhile back who is detecting with an underwater device. I walks in waist deep areas to look for treasure. He might be doing this because the on land areas might be “fished out”. The fascinating thing about this guy is he found a $5 gold piece while detecting at low tide around the old Luna Park site.. Can you imagine what a $5 gold piece was worth to the person who lost it in the 1910’s?!?!?!?!
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Good luck hunting!
April 24, 2012 at 6:57 pm #756119
365StairsParticipantAbout $400 in today’s market…I looked up the weight value of the $5 gold coin from that era.
That would be a great find anywhere!
Where there is one…
Ok…there may be only one…
But…
April 25, 2012 at 5:33 pm #756120
365StairsParticipantOk..so…I went out and acquired an entry level machine…took about 15 min. to piece it together and read the basics + test it out as prescribed…
Went to back yard…beep…beep…beep…all over…I am thinking holy cow…$$$$$…(not really)…
Reset the parameters to “discriminate” out unwanted items…
More high pitch $$ type beeps…I dig in 3 hit locations….(wait for it)…
1 cent…
1962 penny…
Still worth 1 cent.
Yes! Hooked! Expanding treasure hunt locations…if you see me in your back yard…no worries…I like lemonade…and I will split the profits! ;)
April 26, 2012 at 4:34 am #756121
service dog academyMemberI bought my husband an inexpensive metal detector for christmas. Hes used it once and realized its a lot more physical of an activity than he thought.
The one thing that I thought would be cool is if we could train a dog to find gold. I train dogs to detect migraines, seizures, low blood sugars and atrial fib. There are dogs that are trained to find truffles, endangered species, cancer, whale poo in the ocean, why are there no gold detecting dogs? Anyone interested in experimenting with me?
June 1, 2012 at 9:15 pm #756122
365StairsParticipantOk…a month into it…been out about 20 times from Seattle to Portland…I am at $6.24 in coins…(paid for battery change – Ha!)
All of these either at about 1″ to as much as 10″ deep…pretty cool to figure how this happens…over time.
Found – 1942 nickle – worth about $0.20 in its condition
Found a small silver charm – about $8
Found a small silver hair clip – about $10
Found a large fishing weight – priceless – cool shape!
Found – dog tags – ones you put on a dog
Found – “Handyman of America – Lifetime Member” – keeping that one.
Found – one blue matchbox car mint condition – sorry kid
Endless pull tabs, beer cans, soda tops…
Problem is…I have to dig…because any gold will show up the same on my machine…;)
Not sure about the excercise part..but every time I dig…a little rush..
June 1, 2012 at 9:33 pm #756123
miwsParticipantJune 1, 2012 at 9:35 pm #756124
dbseaMemberThat’s pretty interesting to hear about your results. I collect the old cars but I expect most of them buried in dirt wouldn’t be in the best shape. But neat to find mysterious treasures for sure.
June 2, 2012 at 1:02 am #756125
munchkin22MemberCongrats on your finds. Addicting isn’t it? If you don’t mind, what make and model did you pick?
June 2, 2012 at 2:17 am #756126
miwsParticipantdbsea, care to share some of your collection with us?
Not in the most literal sense, mind you. But that would be nice too! ;-)
Mike
June 2, 2012 at 9:32 pm #756127
dbseaMemberHi Mike, I should clarify. Collect the old toy cars like I played with as a kid. HotWheels, matchbox etc. I haven’t stepped up to the big leagues and actually gotten a real toy car. Old Tempest or Barracuda convert would be nice. Someday, someday.
June 2, 2012 at 10:29 pm #756128
miwsParticipantI had a fairly decent Matchbox collection when I was a kid.
Had a few accessories too; the freeway that could be snapped together in different configurations, and a cool parking structure, that had a red brick look to it, and a battery operated elevator, that would transport the cars into cubicles.
It always reminded me of the Hollywood Squares set, only with several more cubicles. You’d roll the car up the curved ramp, into the elevator, then use the up/down/right/left buttons to deliver it to the cubicle. (You could even push the up & right buttons together, and the elevator would travel at an angle). You’d then flick a lever, to deliver the car into the cube, and do the reverse, to retrieve the car.
Got that for Christmas when I was ten, and never did see, or hear, of any other kid having one.
I thought I was the coolest kid in West Seattle!
As far as the real thing: (one of) my dream rod(s), would be a ’33/’34 Ford Sedan or Vicky.
Others would be a stock restored Cord (love them crank operated pop-up headlights!) Or maybe a tricked out Henry J. Saw one of those at the Good Guys Show, at the Puyallup Fairgrounds around ten years or so ago, that I fell in love with.
Mike
June 4, 2012 at 5:02 pm #756129
365StairsParticipantmunchkin22
I purchased Elite 2200 (at Big 5). It was $139. The shovel $10. Batteries…$5
I research some other name brands with a few more tech features that were about $300…but thought better of entry level enjoyment…
At this pace…I will turn a profit in two years. Better than some tech companies… Ha!
The best part was giving my kids the little items and they put in their keepsake boxes…Found a old pant button (from jeans) last night – foreign letters on it…but it was still cool. I like to imagine how stuff got to that place…in this case…it was near picinic stands and I have to believe somebody ate too much BBQ at a family paryt to pop their jeans out…Ha!
Another few cents found…funny place…it appeared another hunter had dug up a hole I hit on and didn’t find what I found…sorry buddy…;)
Have two ocean trips and an E. Wash trip planned for summer…heres to Treasure Hunting!
June 5, 2012 at 4:18 pm #756130
dbseaMemberI’d think it would be pretty fun hobby. Nice way to wander a park or beach with the slight chance of winning the lottery along the way.
My dad had an old army surplus detector (VN era?) that we used now and then. He had one that he made from Heathkit that seemed pretty fussy. Not as good as the olive drab one.
And Mike, I recall some of those garage towers, I think several were around and I probably got mine from Sears. Even had a little car wash deal with a couple spinning foam rollers. Good times. This must be my mid life crisis.
June 5, 2012 at 7:42 pm #756131
munchkin22MemberWe found a small brass tag that comes with cremated remains from Evergreen-Washelli Cemetary at the site of Luna Park several weeks ago about an inch under the sand. We intend to ask the cemetary if they can tell us who it was…doubtful. Still looking for the other gold coins that were supposedly dropped into the abyss when the pier burned down long ago.
We usually find coins in the grass along the curb along Alki Ave.
June 18, 2012 at 7:32 pm #756132
365StairsParticipantFound – 1970 German 1 Deutsche Mark “F” at Alki – little research – worth up to $7 in current condition.
Never clean old coins!
June 28, 2012 at 6:08 pm #756133
365StairsParticipantHistorical Day! Surpassed $10 in coins found!
Loman Beach Park was a trove of dimes and quarters…
The Coinstar machine took all but 5 coins – spit out the real undistinguishable ones (and Canadian of course)…Too bad too…Canadian coins are holding their own against the buck…
Add – (1) Old Plumbbob to the list of unique things.
Time spent to $$ found…about $0.50 per hour…
June 28, 2012 at 7:04 pm #756134
miwsParticipantJune 28, 2012 at 7:06 pm #756135
365StairsParticipantHave you lost your marbles (again) Tootles?
June 28, 2012 at 7:19 pm #756136
miwsParticipantAugust 9, 2012 at 5:50 pm #756137
365StairsParticipantFound 1961 – Sixpence – at Alki Beach – very close to where I found the German Mark coin…hmmm…gotta love Tourists…ha! Gave the coin to my sister…she’s…well…that age…and she got a kick out of it…
There is a lot of “slag” debris in the sand…confuses my basic machine.
There is a regular hunter at Alki – spends most of day there – goes by “Larry” – who I’ve spoke with several times. He pulls dozens of coins and rings regularly with his detector – much more sophisticated…
Going to Seaside, OR in 3 weeks…gotta be pirate booty there!
Happy Hunting!
August 9, 2012 at 11:05 pm #756138
miwsParticipantHmmmmmm…..wonder if the ’61 sixpence was tossed out by these dudes, and worked its way across the Bay?
Mike
August 10, 2012 at 5:02 pm #756139
munchkin22MemberTried Ocean Shores in front of the Shiloh about 2 weeks ago and found sparkler wires, a dime,a matchbox truck (hope it’s not yours Mike) and a toe ring. Found a penny, an old pop tab, and assorted big chunks of steel at the south end near Damon Pt in a parking area. Going to show the grandkids how to work it next week.
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