:ausflag:Detecting for a living!

[nugget]

Hi all, I love this forum. Thank you all for your time, and input that makes this forum one of the best there is. A couple of thoughts I'd like to add is this, "On the beach I dig almost everything!" The main reason is that if there is a good target laying alongside or under a bad target your machine will give a bad target signal and you won't bother to dig. Over the years I have found in quite a few cases that after digging a trash signal or strange sounding signal, and rechecking the hole, I have got coins and, in a couple of cases, nice jewelery pieces. I started digging strange sounding signals when I first began using the T-IV's on the beach. I dig up a lot of trash, can't deny it, but on the plus side I get heaps more goodies than the average operator. Most people metal detect for a hobby, I do it full time so I need to use every trick I can. All the pieces of metal I dig go into a garbage can (each metal has it's own bin). Also if I see a house being demolished I ask for permission to go in and detect it, most times people say knock yourself out. I get a lot copper and other scrap metal this way. I also advertise in the local newspapers and get search and recovery work form this. To date I have not failed in finding the lost items for the owners, I charge 10% of the retail and have callout fees' and hourly rates, etc. I also do work for an insurance company, I teach metal detecting classes on the beaches, and do 3 day goldfield tours every other month. My wife does a bit of casual work and we make ends meet. It was my dream 14yrs ago to detect full time for a living, my dream has come true, I pray yours will too. Live your Dreams! HH Nugget.

 

[Cal_Cobra]

Nugget it sounds like your having a lot of fun doing something you enjoy to make a living, that's a lot more then most folks can probably admit. I'd love to go on one of your 3 day gold field tours, that should like a ton of fun!

I'm a noob shopping for my first detector. I'm just curious, but what machines do you use at the beach and at the gold fields? Also, if you don't mind sharing, what's your best find ?

Cal

 

[nugget]

Hi Cal, I use a variety of detectors. I own a couple of BH tracker IV's for general detecting and tuition. They are easy to use and a lot of bang for the buck! I mainly use them on the Kids playgrounds (sand or chip bark) and for dry sand hunting at the beach. I also own an Infinium LS from Garrett, this is by far my favourite unit. I can hear and dig 50c pieces AUD at a measured 18 inches, I've found two at that depth in the wet beach sand. I also scuba with the infinium and found 3 rings, 1 a nice gold ring with a diamond simulate, in the salt water enviroment. I also have a Minelab SD2100 for the goldfields, although the Infinium is now my favorite gold unit as well. My best find to date was a Magnificent 18ct Diamond ring officially valued at $5,477. It is in one of the posts of finds on this forum, it had 7 diamonds, there is another single princess cut Diamond ring in the same post worth $2,500 (now belongs to She who must be obeyed). They are in a collection of rings in 3 red jewelery boxes. The ring with 9 stones is only a plated ring with a crystal central stone surrounded by CZ, this is the only ring I did'nt find, I bought it on Ebay. Funnily enough I have found all my expensive jewelery with my Bounty Hunter Tracker IV's. They are my choice for tuition and for new comers to the hobby. I have even found gold nuggets with these units. Detector choice depends on what your main detecting activity will be. If you only want to detect parks and the beaches then you can't go past the Tracker IV's, as your skill level develops you can always upgrade to more expensive units later. While it's hard to put a definate figure on things the Tracker IV's have found well in excess of $20,000 retail price of jewelery and coins in the last 2 years alone, and probably closer to $30,000. Live your dreams! regards Nugget.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hey nugget,what an incredible amount of finds you have. seems to me and a few others around here that youve pretty much cornered the beach finds market in australia! ive never beach detected but would like to one day. ive been a coinshooter/relic hunter for many years too,and also have a t4. its great, keep it up, we really like to see the pics of your finds. hh,

 

[Tyrus]

Thanks for the Info. I am a Self Retired Wild Land Firefighter for the last 2 yrs.I have been making money on the side by going out in the desert and salvaging
aluminum, copper and brass from campers, washing machine, snowmobiles that people dump out there and I have been detecting also. I was at a park and asked if I could find a ring for a lady I did and found it by doing a grid of the area they had been in. It was a silver ring and they thanked me. Another time
I was called up by a guy I knew and ask if I could help look for a white Gold Ring Wedding and engagement that was lost small local lake beach we have.
When I was there I found a silver ring with an Opel the size of my piny finger nail. I wanted them to know that what I found was not a gold ring so I said this not it right. They took it a passed it around and never gave it back. I did not find the wedding ring but I call them late and told them I never go back the Opel ring and they said they would get it back to me. Never heard a word form them.

When I was detecting for the Gold ring what should of my setting been. I was digging up everything it beeped at with discriminate on and off.

Thanks Tyrus

 

[nugget]

Hi Tyrus, the settings I use most for jewelery and coins on the tracker IV is the sensitivity at the 3 to 4 oclock position, the toggle switch on tone disc, and the disc set at the lowest setting. Lot's of folks use lots of different settings, I just find that this works best for me. What detector do you operate? As I said in my other posts, I dig a LOT of rubbish, but I also get way more goodies than most. I dig nearly every signal on this setting. I only use the all metal mode when searching for property boundary markers or other iron targets. I never give people my loot to look at, it stays in my hand and they can look from there. Thinking about the Opal ring you found, most Opal rings are either gold, or platinum, settings. Did you look at the hallmark on the ring? I have found custom made rings, with no markings and they have turned out to be 18k white and yellow gold! I would ask the bloke you knew to get the ring back for you, if you don't get it back, you have at least learned a valuable lesson. Try detecting kids playgrounds (sandpits, chipbark) they are a renewable source of income, and it's amazing how many gold rings etc you find in them. I hope you get many good finds. Live your dreams! HH Nugget.

 

[Tyrus]

Yes I think I've learned my lesson . Right now I have a Tracker IV. As for the Hallmark on the ring, I did not have Time to look for it I was working pretty hard trying to find the wedding Ring. The Guy I knew was at the beach at the same time as the people and he tried to help them look for it and had called me before he left the beach. I think I will go back in the early spring and check with the setting you gave me. Right now we have a foot and a half of snow on the ground. Here in Idaho there is an Opel mine about 50 miles away. So you always see the locale people wearing Opel's.
Thanks for everything Tyrus

P.s. I'm trying hard to Live my dreams!

 

[nugget]

The T IV are great little units! If you upgrade later on, make sure you keep your T IV as a back up. (don't forget to remove the batteries) While I now use the infinium a lot, I will always use the T IV in parks, and playgrounds. I still play with them on the beach too as they are great value. I did'nt know that there were Opal mines in USA, you learn something new every day!!! You should still be able to hit the kids playgrounds even in the snow, believe me when I say you get a lot of amazing finds in them. Talk to you later. Live your dreams! HH Nugget.

 

[BH-LandStar]

The freeze of winter turns the soil below the surface, and when you get a good thaw, you can find things that may have been too deep to detect just a few months earlier...I thought this was all hogwash until I tested the theory in a park I had thought I hunted out...I was finding quarters and stuff I could not have possibly walked over...My Land Star sounds off loud and clear on a quarter, and although the machine makes similar sounds for pennies (copper) and quarters, I can always tell without looking at the screen when I have a quarter...the sound is THAT distinctive (nice LOUD, SHORT, HIGH ping)...I went out just yesterday to a local field day site here in Solvay, NY...it has rained on and off for the last 2 days and melted the snow...The site was a mud pit, but I like playing in the mud...lol...I will post my finds under the appropriate thread...

HH,

BH-LandStar

 

[Tyrus]

In the snow huh! ......OK I'll give it a try. Right now it is sunny and 32 degrees. Any special settings? I have goofed off in my yard before and my T 4 went crazy. So I thought it was too wet.
I know nothing is in my yard because I've been over it so many times. 1st thing I do when I hear a pocket full of change in on of my old Fire fighter buddies pockets is tell him how much I've missed him, throw him on my grass roll him around a couple times and let him up and pat him on the back.
Kaaaa...... Ching........It could work as a part time job. It would be better then Welfare.

Thanks

 

[nugget]

If you get falsing in wet situations, turn the sens back to 2oclock. I still get some falsing at the beach and in the kids playgrounds if the sand is wet, just remember to keep your coil height constant!! this fixes the problem. I can operate at 2 oclock on the sens on the wet sand at extreme mineralized beaches here in OZ, by keeping my swing speed and height [size=large]Constant[/size] Just for your benefit also, when working the wet sand at the beaches it's better to detect from the top of the wet in a vertical line down to the water, instead of parrallel. I detect parrallel on the dry sand as you cover more ground, however the closer you get to the wet, the more false signals you get. I will grid the beach (parallel) down to the wet sand line, then change tecnique and hit the wet at 90 degrees. Hope this helps you. Live your dreams! HH Nugget.

 

[BH-LandStar]

Also, just remember to wipe off your coil every 15 min or so, or whenever you start getting false or erratic signals...I carry an old towel with me...a Golf towel that you can tether to your belt loop might work well also. The mud tends to build up on the coil if you do not wipe it down...I have also sprayed furniture polish on the coil before I go out...Pledge, works well...It seems to keep the muck from sticking so well...Just wipe it all down when ya get home...I clean all my gear with a damp cloth and then dry towel after every hunt...I lube the cam lock on the upper shaft at least once a month...I wish I knew how to disassemble it so I could clean the grit out of it...

Yup...you can hunt in almost any climate, unless the ground is completely frozen, if your willing to get a little dirty...Just keep the detector electronics box clean and dry...I have one set of jeans, jacket, shoes, and shirt, along with a pair of Dickies mechanics gloves that I use only for muck hunting...A Little mud never killed any...."Arrrrgggghhhhhh"... ... j/k

HH,

BH-LandStar

 

[dirt jockey]

Nugget,
First a little background. I have been metal detecting for the past four years when I bought a 202 off Ebay and it has never let me down. I've had many many hours of fun with it. This week I purchased my dream machine...the Time Ranger. Saturday morning I plan on taking it out for the first time. I am really interested in learning more about your recovery service. It is something I have considered doing for some time now. My plan is to advertise locally. I would like to know more about how your set your fees. Detecting is a great hobby. Anything you are comfortable in sharing I would be very interested. If you wish you can contact me with private message. Thanks.

 

[shawn1]

NUGGET WHAT IS THE GREATEST DEPTH YOU HAVE FOUND CHANGE OR JEWLERY WITH YOUR TRACKER IV

 

[nugget]

Hey Shawn, I'd have to say at least 9" to 10" on 50c coins AU, and a huge gold bangle that went just over 4 ounces at surfers this was at least 16" possibly more. I can find aluminium drink tins at 2' easy, the T-IV's are very underrated units. I use the 10" coil on one and keep an 8" coil on the other. Hit the sand parks and chip bark parks you'll be amazed at the jewelery you'll find in them. Live your dreams! HH regards Nugget.

 

[shawn1]

i have a question, what mode do u hunt in with Ur trakerIV? my commando does not seem to go very deep unless in all metal mode?

 

[Dyna_Willie]

Two weeks of sub freezing temps has turned the ground into frozen tundra here

 

[BH-LandStar]

Hi shawn1:

The Tracker line was meant to find coins at a depth of up to 8 inches, and larger objects up to 3 feet deep. With most metal detectors, your not going to find coins below about 10"...My deepest coin was about 9.5 inches...it was a highly corroded zinc penny, and I think the only reason I found it that deep was the corrosion making a nice halo of minerals in the ground around it. if your not finding object below 4 inches, try turning up your sensitivity a tad (unless you start getting false signals)...The higher you can get your sensitivity, the deeper you will detect (up to your detectors limits).

HH,

BH-LandStar

 

[Chivas Regal]

Hi Nugget;

Tried you system of knocking back the Discrim and digging ALL the signals. You're right! It works. My Fast Tracket is fitted with the 10" coil and is a dream among the trash - provided you are prepared to dig more signals, but these are becoming decidely easier to differentiate between trash and valuables. Am starting to get more targets from among wet sand on the surf's edge too. Many thanks mate. As for detecting for a living? Well I'm just glad I live to detect and not detect to live!

Best regards

John H

 

[robert roy]

Sooooooo let me ask the obvious: How is that working for you?
Just curious. SOmeone on another forum tried it and lasted a few weeks before
throwing in the towel. Boy, if you can make a living at MDing, I think thats great.
Apparently your singel and only yourself to support? Or perhaps your retired. ANyway, congradulations
Regards
Robert R