Building your own metal detector?

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NickD92

Greenie
Jul 30, 2013
11
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Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey all,

Metal Detectors look like great fun. The only problem is - they're expensive. However, I have found multiple tutorials online about how you can use a calculator and an AM radio to pick up metal detections. Is this really possible? I don't want to even waste $20 on a calculator and a radio if I don't have to.

Are there other ways to making a metal detector?
 

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NickD92 said:
Hey all,

Metal Detectors look like great fun. The only problem is - they're expensive. However, I have found multiple tutorials online about how you can use a calculator and an AM radio to pick up metal detections. Is this really possible? I don't want to even waste $20 on a calculator and a radio if I don't have to.

Are there other ways to making a metal detector?
Click to expand...


Any type home-made metal detector would be akin to something from the mid 1960s "heath-kit" or boy-scout project type toy. Whatever you can build on your work-bench, will be woefully behind even the cheapest toy you can get at radio shack. Heck, you mention $20 as a possible cost for parts to home-make a detector, but I bet for $20 you could find a craigsllist used older model detector from the 1970s. And it will out-perform anything you could make on your own. JMHO.
 

I have been toying with the idea of building a pi machine for beach hunting. Looks pretty simple if you buy the right kit. I worked on electronics for a living. Pi would give you better depth in a home built. But no discrimination unfortunately.
 

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not sure how that would turn out but ah good luck
 

I bought a Relco Metal Detector as a kit for 12$ when i was a kid. I saw it advertised in the back of some magazine so i sent away for it.

It ignored gold, but loved iron, like horseshoes spikes axe heads etc.
 

I have a Whites Classic ll I paid $100 for at a garage sale I'll practically give away. if that would help out. I found my oldest coin with it to boot. You can find a Compadre or silver uMax for cheap if you look around. The Compadre brand new is only $160. They're both great detectors that do what they're designed to do with Lifetime warranties. Then you could focus on detecting skills, all the R&D has already been done! Good luck and HH!
 

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It could be a fun project, I've thought about it because I like to tinker. But there are some things to consider....

Unless you're really smart, like have some type of degree in electric/electronic engineering, and have a lot of time, and resources: maybe like a machine shop or something, it probably won't turn out like you are expecting. You may be able to get one up and running but like Tom said it will be a "toy" or an experiment at best.

Build it with low expectations and realize that it probably won't work as good as a BH Jr. But it would be cool just to mess around with?!?!

Let us know how it turns out and post pics if you decide to go forward.
 

You can't save money on a metal detector by doing it yourself. Doing it yourself is in the realm of hobby stuff just having fun.

If you want to DIY for fun, go the pulse induction route. But only if you are equipped with an electronics workbench and have lots of experience making things work which at first they didn't, otherwise find some other hobby. The reason why I say go PI is because PI does not require induction balance searchcoils, and getting "halfway there" is relatively easy. The "Blind Squirrel" schematic posted earlier in this thread is for real and is probably the simplest PI I've seen that still stands a chance of air testing more than 6-7 inches on coins. Of course it's not going to compare favorably with reputable commercial metal detectors made in the last 20 years.

If what you really want is a cheap metal detector that actually works, you can get a Bounty Hunter for something like $100 or even less. BH has a forum on this site if you want to know more. The BH's are not high performance machines, but they are real metal detectors designed by real metal detector engineers who also design high performance machines. They're not toys designed by some 24 year old EE in China who hasn't the foggiest notion what a real metal detector is much less how to make one come off a production line.

Below about the $160 level, BH is it, we have no competitors. Above the $160 level, there are lots of choices, both from BH-Tek-Fisher in El Paso Texas, and from other made-in-USA manufacturers. In the "Made in El Paso" lineup, I regard our current economy "value leaders" as the Fisher F2, BH Platinum, and Teknetics Delta & Eurotek Pro, all of which can usually be had for less than $300.

If you want to build your own metal detector, you may be able to nickel and dime some of the bench stuff, but a 2-channel scope is a necessity and a new one will run you about $400 and you shouldn't trust a used one unless you know the source personally.

Summarizing: you need to decide what hobby you're pursuing-- electronics prototyping, or metal detecting.

--Dave J.
 

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Been lots of posts in various forums claiming the Harbor Freight $40 detector works very good.
It'll get you started. The kit route is not the way to go if you have never done it. Expensive if you have to buy the tools for assembly and adjustment.
 

When all is said and done you will spend more money and have less of a detector than a used Compadre or Silver uMax off ebay. As stated by Woof there is also the BH option or a used F2 or Alpha. All of these detectors will blow a home made rig out of the water. I do electronics for a living and would not even consider re-inventing the wheel to build something that could NEVER match the simplicity of a great working inexpensive detector like the Compadre. Just having a printed circuit board made will set you back some coin.
 

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There are some options, if you had the knowledge the Raspberry pi might be a good place to start as far as circuitry. But even then you'd have to write a program for the purpose.....

It could be fun and you e got me thinking about it, but if you are just wanting to get into the hobby I would think you could find a way to afford an inexpensive MD by going with some of the models others have mentioned.

You have a computer, or smartphone and access to the net- so it's safe to assume you have some other things that aren't really necessities;

Game consoles, RC plane or car, etc- just trade one hobby for another. $0.02
 

I would like to see a home built detector hooked to a raspberry pi and placed on a irobot roomba type device. Maybe shoot a little colored powder for all the good hits. Drop it off, go to the bar, have some dinner, then come back and dig the colored spots.
 

Hey Nick....I have located and recovered gold using a cell phone, a Walkie Takie, a CB radio in my car and a Boom Box...I have also paid a thousand dollars for devices that were not worth the powder it would take to blow it up....My best device to use is still a set of $4 Dowsing rods..If you think you would enjoy a home made device go for it....Art
 

aarthrj3811 said:
Hey Nick....I have located and recovered gold using a cell phone, a Walkie Takie, a CB radio in my car and a Boom Box...I have also paid a thousand dollars for devices that were not worth the powder it would take to blow it up....My best device to use is still a set of $4 Dowsing rods..If you think you would enjoy a home made device go for it....Art
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No he hasn't
 

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