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Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Metal Detector

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If you are considering purchasing a metal detector, and are concerned because there is no owner's manual, don't be worried.  Many metal detectors feature the same functions and basic operations.  Here you will find everything you need to know to operate your newly purchased metal detector.

ON-OFF and Volume

The most basic knob is the power switch.  Many detectors feature an on-off knob that also controls the volume.  Turning the knob clockwise will turn the detector on and increase the volume.  As the knob is turned counter clockwise, the volume will decrease and then the detector will turn off.

Sensitivity

The sensitivity setting is what makes your machine more sensitive to metal objects buried deep in the ground.  Increasing the sensitivity by turning the knob clockwise will cause the machine to detect deeper items and smaller items.  The problem with arbitrarily increasing this setting is that the machine can begin detecting the minerals in the ground and delivering false alerts.

Decreasing the sensitivity will create more stable readings.  When you first begin working with the machine, set the sensitivity in the middle and then adjust from there.  The environment you are searching in should always be taken into account.  When you are searching in fields and dirt, the sensitivity can be increased.  However, if you are searching at the beach there will be more minerals in the ground so the sensitivity should be reduced.

Discrimination and Rejection
You may see this knob marked as DISC.  This is where you can select what metals you are specifically searching for, or what metals you would like to specifically exclude from the search.  The scale will typically include ground minerals - iron - aluminum - nickel - copper - silver; although they can be listed by numbers rather than names.

Many gold items fall under the category of aluminum-nickel, due to the metals that are mixed with gold when it is crafted.  When you are searching for jewelry, take care that you do not automatically exclude these two categories.  A safe bet is to keep the machine set on "nickel", because this will alert you to jewelry without picking up general iron junk that can be in the ground.  This setting will also alert you to various coins.  If you find that you are still pulling up a great deal of garbage, you can increase the settings.

A general rule of thumb is that you should decrease discrimination if your machine is not detecting anything, and increase it if you are finding nothing but trash.

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Metal Detecting Tips For The New Hobbyist

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Metal detecting began as a true science during the late 1800s.  It has had an intriguing history ever since. The new understanding of how to combine electricity with mechanics to detect metal began with the use of devices to hunt for gold and other priceless metals. 

Initial endeavors, however, were only partially successful. In once incident, trying to detect a bullet lodged in President James Garfield, Alexander Graham Bell used a rudimentary metal detecting device that couldn't differentiate between the bullet and the metal bed frame the President was lying in.

Detectors began determining the position of metal items more accurately with the innovative use of radio technologies to navigational systems in the 1930s. By the end of World War II, consumers were able to purchase excess military metal detectors which launched metal detecting as a hobby the average citizen could enjoy.

Relatively convenient to use and with a minimum of assembly required, operating a metal detector is a fairly simple proposition once you understand how it works. Start off by reading the manual that comes with your detector. Then adjust the device to a position that is comfortable for you and become familiar with the display.

Next, familiarize yourself with your new detector and position its level of responsiveness in the house, under controlled conditions.  These two tasks will be the most time-consuming. An easy way to become familiar with the detector's many tones and to calibrate its level of responsiveness is to expose it not only to treasures like loose change, but also to junk, including container lids.

Metal detectors are selected on the basis of the terrain on which they will be used.  There are several varieties of machines on the market.  Pulse, single- and multi-frequency devices, as well as long-range machines are examples of the different kinds of detecting devices that are available to the consumer.  Possessing the greatest range, pulse detectors, however, don't discriminate well between junk and treasure. The best machines to use in zones with a minimum of moisture are multiple-frequency detectors. Able to detect significant objects buried 20 feet beneath the surface, the expensive long-range detectors are preferred by professional treasure seekers. 

The online metal detection community is a great resource to mine if you are just starting out in metal detecting.  Get to know them well as you conduct your online research.

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Picking Your First Metal Detector

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How to go about choosing your first metal detector...

The first step in picking your first metal detector is to decide where you intend to go metal detecting.  For people who focus only on beaches there are specially designed metal detectors that are water proof. However if you want to detect inland, perhaps looking for civil war leftovers, you will need detectors designed for soil.  If you are in search for gold, a detector designed for gold is what you will need.

When you first start looking for a metal detector the best approach is to conduct your research online.  When you have decided between 3 or 4 different detectors visit some metal detector forums, such as Metal Detectors Online.  Bear in mind that everybody has their favorite models so you might get a bias response.  However, for the most part, people are honest with their reviews and can offer a lot of great advise.  Pay attention to the strong and weak points of each option.

There are certain things that will impact your decision, the biggest no doubt is the cost.  For somebody just starting out in the hobby, you don't want to spend too much on crazy and complicated detectors otherwise you'll just get confused and frustrated.  A good metal detector should cost you around $200.  Be sure to factor in about another $100 on accessories. If you really are on a budget, look for used metal detectors.  Just be sure to ask a lot of questions about the quality of the machine.  You don't want to buy a lemon.

As this is your first detector you may find that you do not even like the hobby after a few attempts, with this in mind you don't want to spend a whole lot of money on something you may not even be fully committed to.  Try to keep your detector costs down to a manageable amount, that if you were to never use the detector again you wouldn't feel like you had lost a lot of money. While on the other hand if you really enjoy it you can always upgrade your detector in the near future and give your first one to a friend or sell it.

When I first started metal detecting I planned on staying inland so I bought a metal detector that was appropriate for this.  It cost me around $500 and was a middle of the road detector that performed perfectly fine.  However because I was new to the hobby and a bit nervous I decided to scan empty beaches.  I found out that I loved beach hunting and needed to upgrade my detector to a water proof design.  These can cost a fair amount, I found a second hand one for $600 that was worth $1200 new.

If you start out with a fair priced metal detector and fall in love with the hobby as I did, you will be able to upgrade and not feel like you lost too much money.   You may even be like me and discover you enjoy a different type of detecting and want to upgrade your machine then.

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Metal Detector Parts

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Are you interested in starting the hobby of metal detecting?  If so, you’ll need to understand the parts of a metal detector before you can begin.  With hundreds of metal detectors online, finding the right one might seem like a challenge.  To help you with your search, I’ll cover the main parts of a metal detector so you know what to look for when purchasing a detector.

From the arm to the ground, here are the four main parts of a metal detector:

1. Stabilizer – Wrapping around the arm, the stabilizer keeps the metal detector steady as you sweep a particular area.  They generally come with padding to make it more comfortable for the user.  While most metal detectors come equipped with the stabilizer, not all of them do.  I highly recommend getting a detector with one as your overall experience will be greatly improved.

2. Control Box – The main intelligence of the metal detector comes from the control box.  It’s the heart and brains of the operation.  The control box houses the results screen, controls, circuits, speakers, batteries and central processor.  It’s easy to see and operate as it’s located right near the hand.

3. Shaft – The link between the control box and the search coil is the shaft.  It’s long and skinny.  Most metal detectors feature an adjustable shaft for users of all heights.  After, this hobby is popular with kids and adults.

4. Search Coil (also called loop, head, or antenna) – The coil is the part of the metal detector that receives a signal if metal is detected.  It works by sending out frequencies into the ground.  If metal is detected the frequency will bounce back.  These frequencies include very low frequency (VLF), pulse induction (PI), or beat frequency  oscillation (BFO).

There are many other bells and whistles that you can buy for your metal detector such as headphones or pin pointers.  However, the four parts mentioned above are the primary parts of a detector and should be the main focus.