4/14/15 Report - Comparing Very Different Types of Metal Detectors For Beach Detecting.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Treasure Coast Gold Dug Yesterday.

Here is just over one ounce (1.05) of 14K gold dug yesterday.  It is marked Italy and 14K.  Acid test verifies the marking.

This is a common man's bracelet design. 

----

I plan to give a brief summary of three very different detectors for beach hunting.  I'll start at the inexpensive end today with the Garrett Ace 250.

I'll preface this by saying that for many years I was not a fan of Garrett detectors..  One reason is that my first Garrett detector was a water proof PI detector. That was back sometime in the eighties.  My history up until that point included only VLF detectors including some very good custom modified gold detectors.  The custom detectors that I used almost exclusively for years nulled iron.  That was a convenient feature when looking for modern gold and when you didn't care about artifacts such as shipwreck spikes.

 I quickly learned the pulse machine was very hot on iron, and I detected many swimming holes that had a lot of bobby pins, nails and other iron trash, but that wasn't my main concern.  I couldn't get a good smooth threshold.  I didn't know at the time that the threshold tone I was getting was pretty normal for PI detectors.  I expected something more like the detectors that I had used.  I sent the detector for repairs two or three times and nothing changed.  That was my fault, but we didn't have the video instruction DVDs in those days and I just didn't know any better, so it was my ignorance combined with a lack of good information that was the problem.  It wasn't the best choice for the type of hunting that I was doing anyway, but I like to experiment and try different things.  That one didn't work out.

Another reason I didn't care for Garrett back then is that I saw that a lot of people were using Garrett detectors and not very well.  I would see what they were missing and blame the detector.  That wasn't completely fair. 

One thing that contributed to my failure with the Garrett PI was that I ordered the detector via mail order, so I didn't see it operated before I got it.  If I had gone to a retail dealer who could demonstrate the detector and provide good information, I probably would not have made that mistake, which turned out to be a poor purchase and gave me a bad impression of Garrett.  Lesson learned.

There are a number of lessons there.  If you are a beginner, or not, it might be a good idea to get a demonstration of any detector you are considering.   Sometimes a friend will let you try a detector like the one you are considering, but if it is new on the market that might not be possible.  You can get good information and a hands-on demonstration from a dealer.  That will help you make a good decision and get started quicker with your new purchase. 

As I said before, most of what I learn I learn by personal experience.  That is just the way I am and always have been.  Anything I read or hear,  I test for myself.  I do a lot of testing and enjoy that sort of thing, but you can avoid mistakes by talking to others and reading.

This is also something that dealers should remember.  You might be able to avoid a bad customer experience by providing good thorough information. 

Back to the Ace 250.  One very good thing is the price - around $250.  It is an effective detector with target ID, discrimination and multiple hunting modes.  The coil is small but that isn't all bad. You can change coils if you want.  There are others that you can buy.  For me, the small coil works fine.  Quick and easy pinpointing even without going into pinpoint mode.

It doesn't eat batteries like Godzilla either - another good thing.

It works very well on dry sand.  Depth isn't the greatest in the world, but is good for the price.  It does a good job on small objects and gold.  Not bad for a back up or as one more tool in your personal arsenal.  Also not a bad starter detector. 

The small coil can be changed if you want.  I wouldn't change it for dry beach detecting, but maybe you want to cover more ground. 

The vast majority of good targets on a dry beach are not very deep. 

The Ace and the small coil works well close to objects such as metal beach chairs.  It is also good on small gold.

In this blog I gave you a report on my first few hours with the Ace 250, which included a number of finds at an inland site.  Wheat pennies were found within the first hour and the second day netted an 1829 large cent. It was easy to assemble and begin detecting. 

Working in wet sand requires some adjustments and less depth.  Remember this is a very inexpensive detector and can not fairly be compared to detectors costing much more.  I would, however, not feel handicapped if I were using the Ace on a dry sand beach. 

It is light and easy to swing, has acceptable target ID, and won't miss much if you use it well.  It does have a fairly small coil, which is not all bad.  In my opinion, if used well it will do nearly as well as more expensive detectors on dry sand beaches. 

What I tell you is what I've personally tried and tested.  It comes from personal experience not theory or reading what somewhat else had to say. 

I've never been one to care much about how things are engineered or supposed to work.  I only care about how they actually work, as tested and proven by careful experiment and observation in real-life conditions. 

I'll get to the other detectors tomorrow or soon. 


----

The Fishers estimate that there is still over $280 million to be found from the Atocha and Margarita.

---

On the Treasure Coast we'll have smooth seas and South winds for a few more days.  That makes for easy water hunting if you can find some decent dips.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net

2/24/15 Report - Mystery Object Quiz. Comparison Of Two Very Different Detectors - One Cost $200 Plus, The Other $2000 Plus.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.BlogSpot.com.

First a little quiz.   These are some items I picked up when looking for bottles the other day.

Do you know what the square box like object is?  I got it wrong when I first saw it.

It has some markings on the bottom but they are hard to make out.

Do you see anything in the picture that goes with the box?  I didn't know they went together until a few days later.

See if you can figure out what it is.  I'll give the answer at the bottom of the post.
--------

I've used a variety of detectors over the years including detectors made by most of the major manufacturers, including Whites, Fisher, Tesoro, Garrett and Minelab.  I've used custom made detectors even more than the detectors made by those companies.

I often get emails asking about what detector to buy.  As you probably know, that is a tough decision,  I can't make that decision for anyone without knowing a lot of details, such as where they want to hunt, what they want to find, and even knowing something about them.

I can say I wouldn't choose Tesoro for wet sand or water hunting, and you should not be fooled by their advertising a lifetime warranty.  It is not a lifetime warranty at all.  They will not honor the warranty when they determine that the detector is obsolete.  They also have other ways to get out of their "lifetime" warranty.

Anyhow, today I thought I'd compare two very different types of detectors made by the same manufacturer.   I chose the Garrett Ace 250 and the Garrett ATX.  Those are two very different detectors.

The Ace costs just over $200, while the ATX costs over $2000.  On the basis of that alone you might think that the ATX will be the far superior detector, and in some ways it is, but there are times when the Ace might be the best choice, and price isn't the only factor, there are times and places where the Ace will actually perform better.

The Ace has basic target ID.  The ATX does not.  The ATX does have a feature called "iron check" but as the manufacturer says, iron check is conservative.  It does not always identify iron.

Both have discrimination.  You probably know how I feel about discrimination.  There is nothing wrong with using discrimination, but use it discriminatingly.  That means don't use it too much.

If I were to describe those two detectors in a few words, here is what I would say.

First the Ace 250.  Inexpensive -  Easy-  Productive - Limited
Now the ATX.         Expensive - Challenging - Powerful - Rugged

The Ace 250 would be a good beginner's detector.  The ATX would probably be very frustrating for a beginner.

There are other times I would choose the Ace.  It is excellent for quickly scanning an area.

The ATX, on the other hand could drive you crazy in a junky area where there is a lot of small trash unless you learn how to effectively deal with that.  It will detect nearly invisible small pieces of iron and it takes a while to learn to effectively deal with that.  Many people would not have the patience.

Don't get me wrong.  I think the ATX is a great detector.  It is just not for everyone or every situation. 

Like I often say, "Detectors are something like golf clubs. Select the one that is right for the situation." 

If you hunt for different things at different types of sites and can afford it, you might want to have more than one type of detector in your arsenal.

---------

Answer to quiz.

Picture clipped from a web site selling vintage items.

Here is a picture of an item like the mystery object that I asked you about.  I found it online.

The object is a vintage letter and stamp moistener.  Water was put in the container and the wheel had an axle that fit into the slots.  When the wheel was turned stamps or whatever could be moistened by the wet wheel.

Picture of the found container
with wheel inside.

------

No significant change in beach detecting conditions yet.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

9/18/14 Report - How To Make A Very Portable Inexpensive Multi-purpose Sifter & Good Surfing This Morning

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com

Basic Portable Sifter With
One of Two Removable Floats.

There are times when sifting is better than detecting.  For example when targets are packed so densely that it is a waste of time to pinpoint and dig each target individually.   Sifting is also good when you are hunting non-metallic items, such as shells, sea glass or fossils.

Another time when sifting can be good is when there is a lot of junk, shells or stones or something like that, which can make finding small targets in a scoop difficult.  Just dump the contents in the sifter so you can spread it all out.


I made the sifter shown in the photo and have used it on various occasions.

You'll see other articles giving instructions on how to make a sifter, but this one is a little different from most of those.  Most sifters that you'll see are heavy and rigid and can not be so easily modified for different situations.

I prefer a light-weight flexible sifter, rather than one of those heavy rigid jobs.  This one can easily be rolled up and easily carried a good distance along with your other equipment.

Another reason I prefer this one is I can hold the sides where the boards are and by repetitively pulling the boards apart in short bursts, the sifter bounce the material which will sift more quickly that way.

The floats aren't always needed but can easily be attached or removed depending upon your preferences and the situation.  The sifter will actually float without them.  It just depends upon how much flotation you want.

The floats can be easily attached, either above or below the boards, very quickly and easily by using three plastic slip ties.  Just clip them if you want to remove them again.

A simple rope can be used to tie the sifter to a tree or some other stationary object while you detect or dig.

As you can see, I simply got some 1/4 inch chicken wire.  Cut it into a square.   Then put a small board above and below the edge of the wire, and nailed the boards together to hold the wire, and did the same thing on the opposite side.

I only did this on two sides because that allows me to roll up the sifter, and it also gives me more control over the sifter and how I use it.

I found a couple of those floats along the road one day.   I could cut them to the exact length of the boards but didn't find that necessary.

When working in very shallow water, the floats just get in the way.

The sifter can be used by one person, but if you have a partner and make it a two-person operation you'll seldom need the floats.

If you use the floats, attach them either above or below the boards, depending upon how high you want the sifter to float.  The boards make good handles.

If you plan on dumping a shovel full of heavy material onto the sifter all at once or are working alone in deep water, you'll probably want to use the floats and add boards to the two open ends

But if you are working shallow water, which is where I was the last time, you won't need that.

I'll should make a video or at least take a few pictures of the sifter in operation.


Well, it didn't look to me like we got the predicted 4 - 6 foot surf yesterday, but I found some good swells and waves this morning.  The waves were forming nicely and there were a lot of surfers.  The beaches were awful mushy though.   Very poor detecting where I was.   It seems the northern end of the Treasure Coast got more surf than the southern end, but I didn't see that.

I did see a nice old piece of shipwreck wood down by where an anchor was found either last year or the year before.  I'll have a picture of that for you by tomorrow.

There aren't any storms to watch now.

The surf is supposed to decrease the next two days.  And the tides are pretty flat now.  They aren't going down very much.

I'll have to get out to check some more beaches to see if I can find any of the effects of today's slightly higher surf.

I also need to get around to taking some more find photos.

There is one big project that I can't wait to show you, but I can't talk about it yet.  Really fun and amazing.  Someday I'll be able to show you all of those finds.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@Comcast.net