Where Pulltabs Hit on the 1350

[dahut]

There has been a lot of talk lately on gold rings vs. pulltabs, etc., here on the Garrett forum. So, I grabbed up a handful of tabs from my junk box the other day and tested them for TID on the GTP 1350. Here are the results:

A Rogues Gallery

Pry Tabs (Square, Oblong, etc.)
[attachment 144443 DSCF0012.JPG]

Ring pull tabs
[attachment 144444 DSCF0013.JPG]

To the far left I have drawn in "5 cent", corresponding to the nickel indicator on the TID grapic. For the columns to the right, each represents an ascending notch in the mid range, towards screwcap/coins.

It is interesting to see that pry tabs are scattered around the range. There is a concentration in the first two notches above nickle, but they extend over a 4 notch span. The ring pulls, on the other hand are almost entirely in the 2nd notch above nickle - just as labeled on the 1350's ID graphic.

If you remember the numbers from the Fisher study, 47% of rings fall into the range that comprises foil and nickle. 15% landed in the range that is represented by the ring pulls. All other gold rings land in the range above ring pulls, and account for the remaining 38% of rings tested.
This means that a full 85% of gold rings hit on either side of that 15% ring-pull range.

It is good to see the 1350 is accurate. It is better to know that anything in the ring pull range is 85% likely to be a pulltab.
I still suggest you plan to dig everything in these ranges if gold rings are your quarry, since the Garretts offer no other means of determining trash from treasure. Nevertheless, there is some comfort in knowing that anything left behind in this range at least plays in your favor.

 

[Gene]

Hey David. You are like our pulltab expert.
Can you actually size a tab with the 1350 ?
In pinpoint can you tell if a target is longer
than it is wide ? Just wondering as I never
have used one. HH Gene

 

[flash5153]

Your test should be fairly accurate for the Ace 250 also. Although I dont know how many more notches the 1350 has over the ace.Not really sure now after thinking about it a minute. hmmmmmm???

 

[dahut]

Hey David. You are like our pulltab expert. Can you actually size a tab with the 1350 ?
In pinpoint can you tell if a target is longer than it is wide? Just wondering, as I never
have used one. HH Gene

I dont know about expert, Gene, but I reckon things like this - it's best if you understand your enemy. You don't have to like him, but you need to know what makes him tick - if you are to have a chance against him.

To answer your question, I haven't really tried to size tabs yet with the 1350. Not in earnest, anyway. For now, I am concentrating on the accuracy of the ID and learning what applies there. This leaves me to dig it all, but that is okay with me for now. I'm a digger at heart.

My only hope in all of this is that I can find the combination of things that puts pull tab familiarity in my grasp. It might be the 1350, it might not. I have a new Super Sniper coil coming, one I snagged on ebay for $60. That 4.5" puck might turn the trick, as one problem with the Garrett is it lacks target definition in trash using the stock coil. We shall see.

Determination has to count for something, you know?

 

[dahut]

Your test should be fairly accurate for the Ace 250 also. Although I dont know how many more notches the 1350 has over the ace.Not really sure now after thinking about it a minute. hmmmmmm???

The Ace uses 12 notches the GTP 1350 has 24, for double the resolution.
Most of this expansion is in the mid-range, too, which improves matters.

 

[flash5153]

Well I dig it all anyhow, so what the hell??? lol I will bet im not the only one.

Its all good.Just a little more work. I wouldn't doubt after all the test you have done that in the long run there is no better conclusion. It is a great thing to see your test results.

 

[lazyaussie]

i find the shallow pulltabs give a harsh signal in pinpoint just like the aussie copper-nickle coins weres gold gives a nicer signal just like can-slaw.
try taking a gold ring out with ya & listen to the signals.
lazyaussie

 

[dahut]

Well I dig it all anyhow, so what the hell??? lol I will bet im not the only one.

Its all good.Just a little more work. I wouldn't doubt after all the test you have done that in the long run there is no better conclusion. It is a great thing to see your test results.

That is a distinct possibility, at least with the Garretts now in service. I believe that is by design. I mean, other makers do it differently but Garrett has stuck to their 24 segment notch for a long time now, since the inception of the GTA series. They were the first to do it, I believe.

The reckoning on their part is: do you really need more?

 

[Gene]

Sounds like you are really working at this David. Yeah, you have to understand the trash.
I am thinking that sizing the tabs could really show you something. By sizing I mean
knowing that the target is longer than it is wide. That Super Sniper coil could just make a
difference as far as ease of sizing. Last weekend I was using a different detector and
decided to manually size all targets in nonmotion pinpoint. The detector I was using did a
super job at doing this. One target just simple amazed me and had me talking to myself.
In pinpoint I believed this target was longer than it was wide. Now for the surprising part...
the target. It was a pencil ferrule at a measured 6" deep. Once I dug my plug it was still
deeper so I used my pinpointer and just kept going steadily deeper. Wanted to see exactly
what this was that I sized because of the depth. So, it didn't fall deeper in the hole as I was
digging and that pencil ferrule was accurately sized at 6" deep. I was impressed. Not saying
that because of anything I did. My detector did all the work. I am not saying this to be bragging
but saying it because sizing a target in this way is possible. And yes, determination does count
for something and in your case I believe it counts a lot. Stay on that trash trail David. I hope
you get it worked out and that you will find all kinds of jewelry. HH Gene

 

[Gene]

That's a good observation on gold giving a nicer signal
lazyaussie. Don't hear that often. HH Gene

 

[dahut]

Sounds like you are really working at this David. Yeah, you have to understand the trash.
I am thinking that sizing the tabs could really show you something. By sizing I mean
knowing that the target is longer than it is wide. That Super Sniper coil could just make a
difference as far as ease of sizing. Last weekend I was using a different detector and
decided to manually size all targets in nonmotion pinpoint. The detector I was using did a
super job at doing this. One target just simple amazed me and had me talking to myself.
In pinpoint I believed this target was longer than it was wide. Now for the surprising part...
the target. It was a pencil ferrule at a measured 6" deep. Once I dug my plug it was still
deeper so I used my pinpointer and just kept going steadily deeper. Wanted to see exactly
what this was that I sized because of the depth. So, it didn't fall deeper in the hole as I was
digging and that pencil ferrule was accurately sized at 6" deep. I was impressed. Not saying
that because of anything I did. My detector did all the work. I am not saying this to be bragging
but saying it because sizing a target in this way is possible. And yes, determination does count
for something and in your case I believe it counts a lot. Stay on that trash trail David. I hope
you get it worked out and that you will find all kinds of jewelry. HH Gene

Something will become obvious, eventually. Im hoping the Sniper will make a difference

 

[Gene]

Best of luck with the Sniper David. I hope it makes a difference for you.
Once you get it figured out one thing is for sure.......there wont be much
competition. That is unless someone else is into analyzing trash signals.
Not likely I am thinking.

 

[dahut]

Best of luck with the Sniper David. I hope it makes a difference for you.
Once you get it figured out one thing is for sure.......there wont be much
competition. That is unless someone else is into analyzing trash signals.
Not likely I am thinking.

Thats the plan - muwahahahaha

 

[beefy]

HI I MUST SAY I DIG ALL MY SINGLES AS I HAD A RING PULL SINGLE AND I LEFT IT........... THEN MY MATE DIG IT AND IT TUNED OUT TO BE 2 RINGS TUNED OUT TO BE ROMAN IT KICK MY SELF FOR DOING THAT SO PLEASE DIG ALL YOU CAN..............

 

[Gene]

Good plan. Keep us posted David. If you can outline the shape of the
target you wont be digging very many tabs. When the conductivity is in
range of tabs I check the outline and see if it's rectangular and about
the size for a tab. Do that for while by calling what you believe the target
to be and then digging it to check it out. Doesn't take long...maybe 10-15
seconds. If it seems real close to being round I just dig it. Having it out
of the ground is the absolute target ID system. Sweep slower than normal
while you are outlining the target. Harder to explain I think than to do.
Once you get it you will get it. I hope it works for you David. HH Gene

 

[Gene]

Have you heard of Alan Hassell beefy ? I think he is in London.
If not, Google his name and check it out. Mostly known for water
hunting information in Australia and the UK but he has articles on
other things too. It's a good read for sure. There also was an internet
group called Northern Treasure Hunters, Most of them from Australia
and the UK. Might be something to check into. There certainly is a lot
of good information about and a lot of it is right where you are right now.
Good hunting to you ! Gene

 

[Gene]

That's a good method David. I outline all targets that read in the foil
and aluminum range. Not discounting any particular segment but outlining
them all. If they are fairly flat in the ground pulltabs can be outlined with a
fairly slow sweep speed. Swing too fast though and they may appear to be
more round than they are. Once a tab is more or less vertical they will seem
to be more round and I will dig them. The tabs that are fairly flat however will
be obvious with some detectors when you outline their shape. I think it takes
a little imagination to do this. Think that you can see the shape on the ground
as you sweep at least twice from 90deg angles. Use nonmotion pinpoint for
this outlining procedure. Some detectors are better than others at doing this
I have found out. Unless I am learning a new detector my most common trash
item is aluminum foil, most of which is coin sized, and very few tabs.
That's how I do it although the way you are going about it will surely get the job
done too. Everyone does things just a little different. As long as you are happy
with what you are digging, that's the important part.
Good hunting to you ! Gene

 

[dahut]

That's a good method David. I outline all targets that read in the foil
and aluminum range. Not discounting any particular segment but outlining
them all. If they are fairly flat in the ground pulltabs can be outlined with a
fairly slow sweep speed. Swing too fast though and they may appear to be
more round than they are. Once a tab is more or less vertical they will seem
to be more round and I will dig them. The tabs that are fairly flat however will
be obvious with some detectors when you outline their shape. I think it takes
a little imagination to do this. Think that you can see the shape on the ground
as you sweep at least twice from 90deg angles. Use nonmotion pinpoint for
this outlining procedure. Some detectors are better than others at doing this
I have found out.
I expect the elliptical coils and the broadest concentrics will prove the more difficult to do this with. I find there is little differentiation on the 1350 with its oblong elliptical. Thus Im hoping the snipe may prove useful for this.


Unless I am learning a new detector my most common trash item is aluminum foil, most of which is coin sized, and very few tabs.
That's how I do it although the way you are going about it will surely get the job done too. Everyone does things just a little different. As long as you are happy with what you are digging, that's the important part.
Good hunting to you ! Gene

I find foil/can slaw to be one of the two worst offenders - screwcaps being the other.
I dont mind tabs too much, unless they are breeding underground, as they do in some places. If I cannot be more than 50% confident of an items composition, I recover it. That wont change.
The goal is to approach that level.

 

[Gene]

Most larger pieces of foil or can slaw could be outlined in pinpoint.
Sounds like you are on the right track David. Hope you get your
share of the gold and then some ! Gene

 

[blake_mulder]

Whist out today I did notice several times, when I imaged a complete pulltab, depending on its orientation, it would imagine as size B, then when I rotated the coil 90 degrees it would image as size C? I need to check this out some more as I dont know if this is a reliable indicator, or if the coil is picking up another item in its field - anyone else notice this?