Metal Detecting
Discussion
Wasnt sure where to post this, here or science! but they're a funny bunch in there. 
Anyone into this? Found anything interesting?
Any tips for a complete novice, what decent kit to buy, where to go/not to go. Legalities?
Thanks in advance.
@
ETA...an excuse to use this smilie
Anyone into this? Found anything interesting?
Any tips for a complete novice, what decent kit to buy, where to go/not to go. Legalities?
Thanks in advance.
@
ETA...an excuse to use this smilie
Edited by Eighteeteewhy on Thursday 13th September 15:27
nellyleelephant said:
Adenauer said:
Right, that's it, I'm going to see a doctor. As soon as I entered the Lounge this morning my first thought was 'there's going to be a thread about metal detecting in here today'.
Seriously.
That's just too bloody weird.
Maybe you're a metal detector detector. Seriously.
That's just too bloody weird.
My neighbour does it, gets plenty of coins atc, but you'd ideally need to be interested in old coins, otherwise you might as well be collecting cigarette butts.
The military stuff can be interesting, in the forests of France and Belgium you can get old helmets and rifles (and the odd tank) and there is plenty of bits left over at old airbases in the UK where they tended to dump all scrap in a hole in the ground.
The military stuff can be interesting, in the forests of France and Belgium you can get old helmets and rifles (and the odd tank) and there is plenty of bits left over at old airbases in the UK where they tended to dump all scrap in a hole in the ground.
Ok, I'll bite. I'm not a serious detectorist (or whatever they call themselves ) but my missus bought one as a pressie last year. Mainly because our original house was hit by a plane in WW2 and apparently village folklore has it that the plane itself ended up in our back garden, so my missus had visions of unearthing a lancaster bomber engine. The folklore is probably true because we spoke to an eye-witness of the event and he described the damage to the house & outbuildings (which we can still see) & where it landed.
So what did we find ? plenty of tin cans, metal plates, toothpaste tubes, old pipes, window openers, etc, from the original house. I also found a head gasket from something that looked like a tractor, some very old coins, horseshoes, but sadly no engine block to make that coffee table with. Not even a few old bullets or a machine gun to hang over the fireplace.... shucks.
It is very handy for finding cables in the house, underground pipes, etc, in fact it's the best thing I've had yet for the job. But it ain't going to set Time Team alight and get Baldrick digging up the lawns.
Legally you need permission to use it off your own property. Beaches are very popular apparently, folks losing rings, money, etc. It's really down to where you live and if it's been inhabited for many years. For example if there's any local history of battles and the farmer lets you wander around after ploughing then again you could find something interesting. But mostly it's rusty iron that you haven't a clue what it was originally.....
) but my missus bought one as a pressie last year. Mainly because our original house was hit by a plane in WW2 and apparently village folklore has it that the plane itself ended up in our back garden, so my missus had visions of unearthing a lancaster bomber engine. The folklore is probably true because we spoke to an eye-witness of the event and he described the damage to the house & outbuildings (which we can still see) & where it landed. So what did we find ? plenty of tin cans, metal plates, toothpaste tubes, old pipes, window openers, etc, from the original house. I also found a head gasket from something that looked like a tractor, some very old coins, horseshoes, but sadly no engine block to make that coffee table with. Not even a few old bullets or a machine gun to hang over the fireplace.... shucks.
It is very handy for finding cables in the house, underground pipes, etc, in fact it's the best thing I've had yet for the job. But it ain't going to set Time Team alight and get Baldrick digging up the lawns.
Legally you need permission to use it off your own property. Beaches are very popular apparently, folks losing rings, money, etc. It's really down to where you live and if it's been inhabited for many years. For example if there's any local history of battles and the farmer lets you wander around after ploughing then again you could find something interesting. But mostly it's rusty iron that you haven't a clue what it was originally.....
Chipping in if I may - I'd like to try to find a gold ring that was lost on a gravel drive several years ago so is probably a few inches down by now. I have no idea which model of detector would be suitable; suggestions welcome - perhaps something s/h from eBay then resell after use?
b2hbm said:
Ok, I'll bite. I'm not a serious detectorist (or whatever they call themselves ) but my missus bought one as a pressie last year. Mainly because our original house was hit by a plane in WW2 and apparently village folklore has it that the plane itself ended up in our back garden, so my missus had visions of unearthing a lancaster bomber engine. The folklore is probably true because we spoke to an eye-witness of the event and he described the damage to the house & outbuildings (which we can still see) & where it landed.
So what did we find ? plenty of tin cans, metal plates, toothpaste tubes, old pipes, window openers, etc, from the original house. I also found a head gasket from something that looked like a tractor, some very old coins, horseshoes, but sadly no engine block to make that coffee table with. Not even a few old bullets or a machine gun to hang over the fireplace.... shucks.
It is very handy for finding cables in the house, underground pipes, etc, in fact it's the best thing I've had yet for the job. But it ain't going to set Time Team alight and get Baldrick digging up the lawns.
Legally you need permission to use it off your own property. Beaches are very popular apparently, folks losing rings, money, etc. It's really down to where you live and if it's been inhabited for many years. For example if there's any local history of battles and the farmer lets you wander around after ploughing then again you could find something interesting. But mostly it's rusty iron that you haven't a clue what it was originally.....
what detector did you get? ) but my missus bought one as a pressie last year. Mainly because our original house was hit by a plane in WW2 and apparently village folklore has it that the plane itself ended up in our back garden, so my missus had visions of unearthing a lancaster bomber engine. The folklore is probably true because we spoke to an eye-witness of the event and he described the damage to the house & outbuildings (which we can still see) & where it landed. So what did we find ? plenty of tin cans, metal plates, toothpaste tubes, old pipes, window openers, etc, from the original house. I also found a head gasket from something that looked like a tractor, some very old coins, horseshoes, but sadly no engine block to make that coffee table with. Not even a few old bullets or a machine gun to hang over the fireplace.... shucks.
It is very handy for finding cables in the house, underground pipes, etc, in fact it's the best thing I've had yet for the job. But it ain't going to set Time Team alight and get Baldrick digging up the lawns.
Legally you need permission to use it off your own property. Beaches are very popular apparently, folks losing rings, money, etc. It's really down to where you live and if it's been inhabited for many years. For example if there's any local history of battles and the farmer lets you wander around after ploughing then again you could find something interesting. But mostly it's rusty iron that you haven't a clue what it was originally.....
I've thought about getting one myself; I do archery and finding arrows(that were obviously loosed by someone else!) can be a royal PITA
Simpo Two said:
Chipping in if I may - I'd like to try to find a gold ring that was lost on a gravel drive several years ago so is probably a few inches down by now. I have no idea which model of detector would be suitable; suggestions welcome - perhaps something s/h from eBay then resell after use?
Might be easier to get someone from a local group to come and help you...an 'expert' with kit they are used to using is going to find something a lot quicker than you and would probably do it for beer money.For example: http://regton.com/news/uk-metal-detecting-clubs/
Gassing Station | Computers, Gadgets & Stuff | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff