Avoiding Large Craters

[DukeOBass]

With a detector that reads as deeply as the SE, how do you all avoid digging massive craters?

 

[James N.D.]

Hello DukeOBass. All it takes is a little practice. As soon as you can get pinpointing down to where you can be centered directly above the object, then all you need to do is cut a plug 3/4 around (so when you pull the plug out it has what looks like a hinged affect, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, just depends on how damp the soil is) about 4" in width (the smaller the better on those coin sized items)and there you have it. The First thing you want to do is go into the hole with the X-1 Probe to see how close you are to the item and to know exactly where the item is located. Boy, do I Love that X-1 Probe! Then, what I use is the Lesche Digger and all I do is dig down, but not entirely straight down into the hole, but angle the digger back a little bit so if you are off on pinpointing a bit, your chances of hitting the item will be slim. I just dig out the side walls a bit and dig down from there. Then after you find the item, I just put as much dirt back into the hole and then take my Lesche and use the serrated edge as kind of a Rake and rake the rest of the dirt back into the hole. Then just fold the plug back into the hole and firmly step it down until it isn't noticeable. A cloth would work better if you can stand hauling one around with you to put the dirt onto. Hope this helps DukeOBass and Good Luck and HH to you.

 

[txbluesman]

This is exactly how I dig my coins. As for a cloth, I always carry a white "shop" rag that I bought from Sam's Club (20/pack, I think). It helps when replacing the dirt back into the hole.

 

[Jeff In North Georgia]

I use a similar method for plug cutting as James ND. I use a cloth (I like a cloth napkin as it is larger than a shop rag) for the dirt. Avoids a dirt spot when your finished with the recovery. I put a hook on my detecting pouch. I use a plastic tarp clip on the rag and hang it from the hook on the pouch. The clip also adds some weight to the cloth so it does not blow away before you can put the dirt on it. The clips come in various colors and are $1 - $2 at a Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, ect..

 

[jonhls]

i dig my plugs the same way,but instead of a rag i use the little plastic bags from the grocery store.They wad up nice weigh next to nothing and are easy to get.Some stores have slightly bigger ones than others,but either work ok.

 

[digitrich]

It's also a good idea if after you pinpoint with the SE, prior to digging the hole at all, if you get a loud signal, then you use the x-1 probe first cause allot of times your target may be very close to the surface and you don't even have to dig a hole. When you first fold over the plug and you lower the x-1 probe in the hole and get an idea of where the target is, in the hole or in the plug. Then you put the SE into pinpoint mode by pressing the pinpoint button and as you get closer to the target with the end of the probe the pitch and volume goes up and when it almost touches the target it will literally scream and you'll know exactly where in the hole the target is and you will have no chance of mauling it. My first silver coin was a 1905 barber dime which may of had an "o" mint mark but I'll never know because I put a huge gouge in it with a screwdriver right where the mint mark is because I didn't realize how close I was to it and if I had put the probe in pinpoint mode it would have never happened. And the most important thing of all is after you recover your target, before you ever dream of putting the dirt back in the hole you take that magic wand of an x-1 probe and check your open hole for additional targets, the probe gets about 3 or 4 inches in depth and id's on your detector just like your coil does. Now if you found a target at 6 or 7 inches deep and you use the probe in the bottom of that hole you just may find a better target at 10 inches deep that you otherwise would never had found. I've dug a Washington 1979 quarter at 7 inches and found mercury dimes deeper in the hole this way ( which would you rather find)? And lot's of times people drop more than one coin in a spill out of their pocket so recheck that hole every single time. If you don't have an x-1 probe contact Sun-ray about one.

 

[MikeS (CA)]

Long time reader and probably only my second post.

Here is an idea that works for special spots for me. It's a very nice 6 inch plugger that when I use a towel and a little care you can't tell I was there unless you look close. I still will use other tools but to get the initial plug will get down 4 to 6 inches if the soil is damp. Second plug can go down to about 9 inches if you don't mind your knuckles touching the ground.

Here is a photo I hope.

 

[MikeS (CA)]

Here is another shot.

Last pic shows the hole filled in. I like deep but I don't like to leave a trace. Last photo is the filled in hole.

Mike

 

[Jack(IN)]

Carry climbing gear and have a cell phone handy!!

 

[Jack(IN)]

n/t

 

[savage]

Nice device MikeS (CA). How much, and where can one get one of those? Happy Hunting Grounds,

Savage.

 

[savage]

Well said james N.D. I use your basic method. However, I use a piece of plastic bis queen (plastic tarp) to place the dirt on. It folds up nice and compact. Happy Hunting Grounds,

Savage.

 

[MikeS (CA)]

There have only been a few built. They are not for sale at this time but a friend of mine is thinking about it. This works very well for turf areas where the targets are deep. I will let you know if he is going to mass produce but right now he has only built around 4 or 5.

Parts are about 20 to 30 depending on the size of the plugger.

Also if you guys have access to truck inner tubes they work great for placing your dirt on and 1 tube can give you a lifetime supply.


Mike

 

[savage]

n/t

 

[Dick from NC]

This is my tool of choice (garden spade) and you can dig a small hole and deep. You can cut 3 sides and fold back the plug out of the way and dig your dirt and put it on a cloth. When you are done put the dirt back in the hole and pull the plug back over the hole and no one will know you were even there digging. If you are in someones yard and dig a plug you run the risk of leaving a brown spot where the roots died. If you leave 1 side of the roots connected you run less risk of the roots system dying. At the beach it works great. You can go down 6 to 10 inches with no trouble and pull up alot of sand in 1 shovel full. The blade is so narrow that you don't have any trouble it lifting the sand or dirt. Any good hardware will have then and they are a lot cheaper than the hi-teck shovel from dealers. I have a rope with a hook and hang it on my belt and drag it behind me and I can tell where I've been, espically at the beach. Plus I don't have to worry about caring it.

[attachment 42521 shovel.JPG]

 

[jeff & Maria]

I use one of these shovels for field/relic hunting also. What I did was take one side to a grinder and made a serrated edge on it. Now if I encounter roots I can use it like a saw as well, works great!

 

[Dick from NC]

Good idea Jeff. I sharpen the end of the blade and it will cut through inch size roots.