Hiya!
A question for the more experienced metal detectors out there who can advise some newbies!
Apart from a metal detector and a spade/trowel what other gear or tools would you recommended that every treasure hunter should take with them into the field!
Did any specific tool come in very handy at a certain dig?
Do you not leave the house without ensuring you have your favourite side tool?
Let me know
Andy.
(05-30-2013 02:18 AM)andyred Wrote: [ -> ]Hiya!
A question for the more experienced metal detectors out there who can advise some newbies!
Apart from a metal detector and a spade/trowel what other gear or tools would you recommended that every treasure hunter should take with them into the field!
Did any specific tool come in very handy at a certain dig?
Do you not leave the house without ensuring you have your favourite side tool?
Let me know
Andy.
I copied & pasted this from another thread, Andy. Hope it helps
The detector is pretty much the biggest investment you'll make in this hobby. Other definites you'll need are:
A good trowel or digging tool. Most detectorists use a Lesche. It's a tough piece of equipment...will last a lifetime. Predator digging tools makes excellent stuff. Don't skimp on this. A good tool makes digging many holes per hour a lot easier. Expect to pay $30 to $75 for a decent digging tool.
A finds pouch or apron to keep your junk & good targets with you while you hunt. These are cheap, $10 at most. Dealers usually send you a free one when you order your detector.
That's it for the definite NEED list. There are other things that aren't needed, but, make life a LOT easier in the field. Most important is a pinpointer. It will make your life a LOT easier It will also save you tons of time on your hunts! It's basically a mini metal detector. Once you dig a small round hole, you stick the pinpointer in their to narrow down the location of the buried target.
You can spend as much money as you'd like in this hobby. I've heard of some detectorists having 20 or more detectors. It's all up to you. Start small in the beginning though
(06-04-2013 01:19 PM)Cutler4Life Wrote: [ -> ] (06-03-2013 07:54 PM)NjNyDigger Wrote: [ -> ] (05-30-2013 02:18 AM)andyred Wrote: [ -> ]Hiya!
A question for the more experienced metal detectors out there who can advise some newbies!
Apart from a metal detector and a spade/trowel what other gear or tools would you recommended that every treasure hunter should take with them into the field!
Did any specific tool come in very handy at a certain dig?
Do you not leave the house without ensuring you have your favourite side tool?
Let me know
Andy.
I copied & pasted this from another thread, Andy. Hope it helps
The detector is pretty much the biggest investment you'll make in this hobby. Other definites you'll need are:
A good trowel or digging tool. Most detectorists use a Lesche. It's a tough piece of equipment...will last a lifetime. Predator digging tools makes excellent stuff. Don't skimp on this. A good tool makes digging many holes per hour a lot easier. Expect to pay $30 to $75 for a decent digging tool.
A finds pouch or apron to keep your junk & good targets with you while you hunt. These are cheap, $10 at most. Dealers usually send you a free one when you order your detector.
That's it for the definite NEED list. There are other things that aren't needed, but, make life a LOT easier in the field. Most important is a pinpointer. It will make your life a LOT easier It will also save you tons of time on your hunts! It's basically a mini metal detector. Once you dig a small round hole, you stick the pinpointer in their to narrow down the location of the buried target.
You can spend as much money as you'd like in this hobby. I've heard of some detectorists having 20 or more detectors. It's all up to you. Start small in the beginning though
So for an amateur newbie (ME) how would you suggest starting? Like what is step number 1 before I can even go outside? If I go out and buy a detector, Ill probably be pretty clueless and probably break something 
Best bet is, buy an inexpensive detector ($200 or $300 bucks), read the manual about 5 or 6 times and really soak in the information. Underline, highlight, etc., then, take your manual & detector out in your yard or to a local park for a few hours each week. Dig EVERY signal you get. Listen to the tones
Watch the screen (if there is one). Get a feel for what the machine is telling you. After 50, 60, 70 hours of doing this, you will start to understand what is going on. At first though, a lot of it is going to be gibberish to you. This is why I used to take my manual in the field with me. If something is confusing you, re-read that section, then start swinging again.
It took me a year before I found my first silver. Mainly because I didn't know what the heck I was doing, lol. The purpose of all this is, though...
You WILL learn mighty quick if you want to stick with the hobby. There's a lot of folks out there who bought a machine, took it out, didn't find a buried treasure chest, got frustrated, and stuck their detector in the deep recesses of a closet 20 years ago.
I personally think you'll love it, as you mentioned you're a coin guy. So, pick up a detector (even an entry level used one) and swing away, my friend!
This sounds like a blast! But as I know (fisherman here), things aren't always exciting. Its so easily to get down on yourself and upset when you havent caught anything. How do you stay in the game?
(06-04-2013 11:03 PM)Cutler4Life Wrote: [ -> ]This sounds like a blast! But as I know (fisherman here), things aren't always exciting. Its so easily to get down on yourself and upset when you havent caught anything. How do you stay in the game?
It's tough, sometimes. Just like you said, it's a lot like fishing. Certain days, the fish just ain't biting (no good stuff found). However, because I enjoy this hobby so much (as do most hunters), even the CHANCE of finding something can keep you going. Never know what's around the corner. Kind of like playing the lottery...ya just never can tell
For myself, there's a considerable investment of time, equipment, etc. involved in this pursuit, so, sure, on days when I go blank there's definitely a level of frustration involved...it's normal. Gotta take the good with the bad, though. Get back out there & dig. Once you learn the technique, have a good machine you master & are hitting the right spots, it's pretty much a numbers game from there on in
One of the most important tools you can have and use religiously is common sense and respect when you dig for your finds. Learn how to dig a proper plug, store the excavated soil on a rag or towel. Place the soil in the hole and replace the plug. When you leave the location the only thing eveident that you were there is your footprints in the grass. Nothing will reflect more on metal detecting etiquette than this. Remember that all the rest of us are being judged by your actions. If you are banned from a site, all of us are banned as well.
Watch YouTube videos for help, my page is YouTube/kshollywood.
It took a while for me to find my first good find, about a year and I almost quit. Go to YouTube and use the search bar to search for,,,, how to dig a plug, metal detecting, how to pinpoint with a metal detector. I am a relic hunter so you will see things like bullets, box plates, spurs, belt buckles. Leave me some good feedback and subscribe to see more of my finds.
Hay, the most important thing you need is perseverance! It's the so called thrill of the hunt that starts you off and the good finds that keep you interested. Nothing is free in life and in treasure hunting you pay with research. I don't care if you are looking for that big cache or the location of that park or ghost town that is long gone. The research keeps your interest up during the lean finds. Hay, I sometimes spend a year researching a cache and I have looked for them all over the US.
After a little research, you only need a detector and a digging tool. All the other things are just to make it easier. Apron with two pockets, pinpointer, you can get one at harbor Freight for $18, Clouth to put the dirt and plug on. That is it for park hunting.
Cache hunting you need a 2 Box and shovel.
The beach, you need a PI detector and long handled scoop.
Thats about it! Frank...
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(05-30-2013 02:18 AM)andyred Wrote: [ -> ]Hiya!
A question for the more experienced metal detectors out there who can advise some newbies!
Apart from a metal detector and a spade/trowel what other gear or tools would you recommended that every treasure hunter should take with them into the field!
Did any specific tool come in very handy at a certain dig?
Do you not leave the house without ensuring you have your favourite side tool?
I like to travel light. Detector, headphones,Predator tools
Model 85, Propointer, rectangle of tarp to place dirt on. That's my basic setup and add from there depending on location/ distance from vehicle.