Thread: Metal detector advice sought please.

Had a Garrett Super Scanner at my old job, had to be careful checking timber on the floor because it was liable to pick up on the rebar in the slab

Did you use this scanner to check the log before sawing or was it used to check boards before they went into a planer or thicknesser? There is a thing called a Lumberwizzard that is supposed to work well on reclaimed sawn timber but I need to check the log before I start cutting.

A one-button handheld scanner similar to those used at airports for body checks would be the way to go. Both Minelab and Garrett make suitable ones.

PRO-FIND 35 - Accessory

I worry about the sensitivity of some of the "security" detectors. They say they will detect a revolver at 150mm but detection depth it comes down when it comes to things like razor blades, which have a little more steel in them than something that would put dings in my thicknesser blades.
But I agree with the pinpointer gadget, it would be handy for checking recycled timber but perhaps not for logs?

Carbatec has a decent one for just over $100

Carbatec Metal Detector | Carbatec

I have a cheap one similar to this from eBay and use it all the time after pulling down pallets etc. Works very well, even with thicker timber pieces.

Originally Posted by Old Hilly

Did you use this scanner to check the log before sawing or was it used to check boards before they went into a planer or thicknesser? There is a thing called a Lumberwizzard that is supposed to work well on reclaimed sawn timber but I need to check the log before I start cutting.

We used it for checking reclaimed boards.

Yes, I didd see that gadget and wondered about the half-price version from Amazon and co. Having bought and returned a yellow pointer that was recommended by an Australian on Youtube (It was about as handy as a pocket in a pair of underpants) I thought the Carbatec version might be worth a try. The El Cheap might look the same but is it the same inside? I guess I can always send it back if it's a failure, Amazon is paying the postage.

A lot of my off-site milling is done in gold country, so I kill two birds with the one stone. A good gold detector finds objects in logs with ease.
If I could find as much gold I would be happy. Nontheless, it didnt take long for the detector to pay for itself.

Well, it turned up after a week or so, and it was complete, a battery was included in the package and there were instructions, in English, and printed in a size and font that I could read! I did a quick test on some pallet timber and out of the box the machine would find bits of broken nail but not the bits of wire that hold the nails together in a coil while they are in the nail gun and seem to sometimes get left behind in the wood when you pull the nails out.
I did a re-read of the instructions and found a mention of a sensitivity adjustment screw on this machine and a rather tiny screwdriver was included along with ear-buds in a packet in the box. Some cautious adjustments gave me the right position but I need to be careful where I set the boards, otherwise I will detect any metal in or under the bench or floor where I am working.
Yes, I think this will work and probably pay for itself. I will also run it over the logs on the little Lucas mill, who knows what lies buried below the bark, waiting to cause havoc with a saw blade?

I have the Carbatec metal detector and also a $14 Chinese clone. They were both bought within days of each other. They are identical in looks and function.

Yes, thanks, mine seems to be the copy, to the unbranded "Carbatec" version just called an "Allosun Model TS80A" but it was a bit more than $14.00 but way cheaper than the Carbatec version Perhaps you pay extra for the Australian warranty? It's interesting that the sensitivity is quoted as 65mm for a 25 cent coin, it certainly seems to do better than that for me.

Originally Posted by Old Hilly

… It's interesting that the sensitivity is quoted as 65mm for a 25 cent coin, it certainly seems to do better than that for me.

Well, if it can detect a 25 cent coin in Australia, then the Reserve Bank will be very interested.