Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
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Gold Nugget Detected by Richard W.
Photo by Richard W.
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Richard W. said, Since you’re doing some testing with the Equinox I thought you might enjoy looking at this small gold nugget I found last week on a mountain in Colorado with my Equinox 800. For size comparison I placed it on my watch for the photo. It really has some detail. I used factory settings, Gold 1 and sensitivity at 22. It rang up at 2 to 4 on target display. Hope to make it again next year to Wabasso for another hunt up and down the coast from there.
Richard W.
Woodland Park, Colorado
Thanks Richard. Congratulations on a nice find!
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Here are some tips from Sebastian Steve.
… I built this first rate "Test Bed" a couple years ago, to finally have an accurate place to test and tune metal detectors.
Simple rows of holes 4' between each row and each hole. It is IMPERATIVE to clean out each and every metal target in the entire test bed area before even beginning. The last thing you need is a big nail at 6" helping your dime reading, or giving you a funky double header! Go over the ground again and again, I had 87 pieces of small metal, mostly rusted nails, but some non ferrous as well (tin clippings from the soffits, etc.)
Holes are accurately dug as each plug was dug with a post hole digger, then a paint stick laid over the center of the top of the hole, with a tape measure going straight down the middle. Very accurate depth determination. Then the soil at the bottom is packed and depth re-verified. Only then is a 6" plastic disc (cut from old tupperware or the like that lunch meat comes in) laid carefully flat in the bottom. The coin is then placed on this. Depth now finalized... within 1/4" but always to the deeper side it not spot on. Now we know that with the plastic disc, that the coin will 1. no longer work down deeper, and 2., the coin will not tilt. Tilt was my main concern. The hole is carefully filled and packed solid. Be prepared to have some extra dirt to pack each hole fill and tight. Then only rain and time will be needed for that all natural feel. Granted...coins will react will and influence the soil around them, but my system gives good exposure to the surrounding soil/sands.
I have holes for an 8" and a 10" penny, same nickel, same dime, quarter is 8", 10", 12", and 14," These are all clad. Anything less than 8" deep is not worth the challenge in the "Test Bed." Then I have a 8" silver dime, and a 8" and 10" deep lead Minie'Balls. For kicks...a brass house key at 8" I planted a Civil War 10 pound projectile at 3.5 ft., right before heading north this summer. This allowed me to practice on these types of deep, large targets as well. (Note: This was the ONLY target the Minelab Equinox with the 6" coil could NOT detect).
___A well constructed and accurate "Test Bed" is an invaluable asset if you are serious about detecting.___ Allowing you to really know how your machine reacts to different depths and targets. So many different ways to tune a machine. Which is best, which combination? What does the rain really do? So many errors and malfunctions that a quick run past the "Test Bed" will quickly expose before heading out. For example a failing coil or weak batteries, or corroded connector, or not tight, that may still "look" good on the meter.
The most alarming but MOST VALUABLE experiment you will learn, is that most any metal detector when subjected to a very deep coin, even silver, will read as if the coin were -rusty iron-. Can you say GRUNT? Every time, time and again. That is one of the main issues I want to explore with a new or different machine. A proper "Test Bed" will soon humble even the most experienced detectorist...just as soon as you see a silver quarter grunt like some old rusty metal when over a foot deep! It is heartbreaking when you think..."Oh my Gosh... I wonder how many, a hundred or more signals like this, I --WALKED RIGHT ON PAST--. Makes you think and slow down. (:
Good Hunting,
Sebastian Steve
Thanks Steve!
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John E.'s mystery object is now nailed down. Mitch K. and Steve M. found the item on the internet for sale. Here it is.
- It is a 4 way battery post and terminal cleaner. It is a durable aluminum alloy construction, hardened and tempered springs steel post cleaners
- 4 Way Battery Post Cleaner is designed to give leverage when cleaning battery Post and Terminals.
- Help to removes heavy stubborn corrosion build-up on battery posts and terminals for improved electrical contact.
- Designed to give leverage when cleaning battery post and terminals
Thanks guys!
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Here is a little news from Brian M. on beach conditions north of the Treasure Coast.
I detect Daytona area and we are sanded in bad. About 4 or 5 weeks ago we had about 4 or 5 feet of sand pile on the beach..
Thanks for sharing Brain. It has been a long summer of poor beach conditions.
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| Source: nhc.noaa.gov |
From the nhc.noaa.gov:
1. A trough of low pressure located over the central and northwestern
Bahamas is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Some
slow development is possible by this weekend or early next week
while the system moves northwestward toward the Florida peninsula at
5 to 10 mph and then turns northeastward off the southeastern coast
of the United States.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...low...20 percent. Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide
