Metal Detectors.... What are you using?

**AMPA** · 13th August 2010, 12:53 PM

There are a few points here which I can hopefully shed a little more light on. Maybe I'll just make it more confused, we'll see

. Bare in mind that my experience is from a user point of view and won't be really technical.

...I wonder can it tell me that there is a very rusty 2 inch nail 3 inches below the bark...

A lot of our nails here are very rusty (thankfully not all of them). We've found that our detectors can find metal in timbers like 100+ year old spotted gum reliably up to 100mm depth. We would rarely be using it on anything that would require deeper searching. Also the majority of the metal in the timber we mill is <75mm deep. A little different to what your likely to come accross.

...with a set of cross hairs...

No such luck unfortunatly. On dry timber in our application there is usually a tell-tale sign that a nail/screw has been driven into the timber, even when it's a really dirty stick, a trained eye only needs a rough location. Our detectors usually pinpoint to (I'd say) a 30-40mm square area which is close enough.

The sensors inside the Starret and our MDs come from the same Chinese factory and are almost the same. At one point the factory had an english section on their website so you could compare the two MDs and the ones we have are more sensitive that the Starret, because they use a wider coil. The Starret Coil is long and narrow for sweeping over wide areas - this does increase the scanning area but the narrowness of the coil reduces sensitivity. It claims to detect a Gun at 9", a knife at 6", razor blades and box cutters at 3" and small foil wraps and jewelry at 1" . The one we use claims to detect a 10c size piece of metal at 60 mm - this is all under clothing or in air.

The issue might also be one of wet wood versus dry, mine can very accurately pint point a staple near the surface in dry wood but it's not so good at pinpointing the location of a 2" under green wood.

As to the manufacture of the Garrett model that we use, I'm unsure. They are an American brand but that's all I know and these could be manufactured anywhere (more research needed). In the air these will pick up a medium sized nail (eg 75x3mm) from about 300mm away in front of the flat area and about 150mm away from edge.

The issue of green vs air dried could have a substantial impact on the effectiveness of this detector as well. If you're interested I have a few green logs at my parents that have receintly fallen, I'll see if I can borrow one of the dectectors next weekend and devise some kind of experiment.

Paul

**pjt** · 14th August 2010, 12:20 AM

Yeh, can't hurt can it? But don't bust a gut if u can't tho.

Pete

**Travis Edwards** · 18th August 2010, 08:07 PM

I have a minelab musketeer advantage. These retail for about $600 and although I have never found any metal in logs with it,mostly cause I haven't cut any logs with metal in them since I have had it, I know of others who have them who regularly find nails on end deep in logs using them. When you are not cutting you can go treasure hunting with them.

**pjt** · 18th August 2010, 11:36 PM

What is the accuracy like with yours Travis? Can it pinpoint within 1x1" square? and Will it tell u how deep something is buried?

Pete

**Travis Edwards** · 19th August 2010, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by pjt

What is the accuracy like with yours Travis? Can it pinpoint within 1x1" square? and Will it tell u how deep something is buried?

Pete

I have only really found things in the ground using it but usually you will centre to within less than an inch, once you get the hang of it youwill be able to pinpoint within millimeters, and as for the depth it is a matter of getting to know your sounds as it emits different intensity of sound for depth and also the sound changes depending on the type of metal i.e. steel emits different sounds to the likes of lead and other non ferrous metals, good for detecting bullets over nails etc.

in the ground depending which coil you use you can find things regularly 6 to 8 inches deep no worries and once you get used to your machine you will pick up things deeper than that, all round they are worth their salt, good for the weekends camping and finding treasure.

**AMPA** · 22nd August 2010, 07:25 PM

The detectors that Travis is describing sound like they are better suited to this kind of work (and more accurate) than the ones that we use in the workshop here. Also a little more expensive which could mean better quality components.
I haven't had a chance to test the ones that we're using on green logs yet, hoping to do so on Tuesday evening (24.08.2010), mostly because the green logs are an hour from where I live and work >.>
I'll keep you all posted.

Paul

**pjt** · 22nd August 2010, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by AMPA

The detectors that Travis is describing sound like they are better suited to this kind of work (and more accurate) than the ones that we use in the workshop here. Also a little more expensive which could mean better quality components.
I haven't had a chance to test the ones that we're using on green logs yet, hoping to do so on Tuesday evening (24.08.2010), mostly because the green logs are an hour from where I live and work >.>
I'll keep you all posted.

Paul

Yes, it sounds like the sort of thing that is required if u want a better indication of where the metal is.

Pete

**dave1963** · 25th August 2010, 08:59 PM

i use the garret pro pointer,for real high risk logs I use minelab gpx4500.
Dave1963

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