Good detector to "see through" iron?

[Swartzie]

Good detector to "see through" iron?

I have been detecting a little more than a year now and have found my favorite places to hunt are old home sites. The kind of places where there's nothing left but the cellar hole. The problem is they are loaded with iron which tends to make my Ace250 freak out. I've learned the 250 pretty good and have dug some awesome stuff in the iron patches. But, I've been thinking it's time for an upgrade for next season.

I was really looking at a Tesoro Tejon, but now I'm thinking I may want something with a TID. Like I said, I mostly hunt cellar hole sites. Looking for coins, buttons, buckles, etc... Really, anything above iron I'll dig. But then would I need a TID if I'm digging anything above iron? Hmmm. I guess my biggest concern is to be able to "see through" iron. If I could find a detector that will signal a target surrounded by iron for under $1000 bucks I'd be sold. Any advice?

Thanks.
-Swartzie

 

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[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

The Etrac or Explorer is undisputed champ.
Here you go.


http://www.mlotv.com/view/394/circle-of-trash/

Let me know when you want me to order you one

 

[AUDuke]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

IMO the F75 is better than the Explorer in trash ( I have both) The F75 with the small elliptical is awesome in trash, both are better than the Tejon.

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

The best tool for the job is your shovel! Dig down the site 6" at a time and detect the hole and the dirt. You'll get what you missed, and won't matter what detector you use. Condition will be better too!

As for the detector, how you use it is just as imporant as what unit, and maybe even more so. I prefer the Explorer because I can work targets out not having to chase much iron. (many units give a broken signal on masked targets and keep you guessing - the explorer nulls) But I have about 9 years experience doing it, wouldn't be the same for someone new, probably not even close .... and that goes for any other detector that would be new to someone. Takes time.

 

[Shambler]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

They all have difficulty at old house sites. The F75 falses so much on iron that you have to investigate good tones about 5 time per swing, and the Explorer is horrible at recovering from a null. The best thing to do is use a smaller coil and hunt with no discrimination (if possible). The issue with the F75 is you often can't hunt with zero discrim because EMI is such a problem, so the Explorer in ferrous and a wide open screen is my choice. I kept my F75 around for a while and left the 4X6 on it because that coil is awesome in iron. I had to sell it to buy a water machine though

The MLOTV video is misleading because if you raise even ONE of those iron pieces by an inch, you'll lose the coin altogether. So if all iron is at the same depth as the coin, you'll hear it. When does that happen?

 

[AUDuke]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

Many detectors would find that coin under those conditions.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

Shambler has the best advice, IMHO so far. The F75 has lightening fast recovery speed, but "recovery speed" and "seeing through", are two different things. And yes, while it is good in trash (the fast recovery), you will deal with a lot of interpretation issues, clicks, clacks, etc...

You say you want one that sees through iron better, yet you also say you want TID. You've got to be aware that typically, whenever a machine excells at power-house depth, and great TID, you will compromise on the see-through and separation department. Likewise, the better a machine "sees through", and "separates", typically the less depth you will get. It's just the never ending compromise. The Explorer is pretty good CONSIDERING the depth and TID. But no, you will not see through (barring a lot of second guessing of muffled tones) iron.

If depth and TID aren't an issue, the Tesoro Silver sabre is good. It will see through a nail or two, to get a conductive target, no problem (assuming you've not cranked up the disc to more than necessary to loose iron). And it individually rejects those same nails with easy-to-understand clicks or whatever.

If you wanted to see through 3 or 4 nails at a time to get a coin, and likewise reject iron (small iron anyhow), get a Compass 77b. But the depth will drop to perhaps 4", and they're a bear to keep balanced, and have no other form of disc.

 

[Hosensack]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

If you don't need image id then I would say probably the Sovereign GT would be the best bet.

I swing a GTI 2500 and my spots are majority old home sites as well, it is very good at eliminating iron and hitting the goods in coin mode, but it pinpoints in all metal, which pretty much eliminates the benefit when in a high iron trash area. (the sniper coil helps this but it's not a relic coil)

 

[Treasure finder]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

Two other ways to eliminate iron!
1. Accurate Locators has a combination PI /Magnetometer detector. The mag
only reads iron so a PI signal plus a mag signal equals iron. No mag signal
means no iron. Perfect, but a little pricey.
2. Get an older (1970's) Compass TR detector such as a 94, 99, or 77 operating
at 100 KZ. You have to hold them at a constang height above the ground,
but they won't read on small pieces of iron, nails etc.
Rich

 

[U.K. Brian]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

Most confuse iron discrimination with iron see through. Modern machines don't tend to do well in the see through stakes.
The some old Compass machines like the 77b could see through a few nails and other TR's of the time that didn't have full range or any discrimination.
All had a distinct lack of depth compared to modern detectors.

Of more modern (motion) machines the Goldmountain GMT 1650 is one to lookout for or the British Red Heat XD-17 thats even better. Both no longer made and those who have them don't want to part with them. One that is around at a low price is the Silver Sabre that Tom mentions. The Tesoro has good general performance in its price range and the Red Heat very good whilst the old TR's are really specialist detectors that you would not use every day.
All can really pay for their keep on the right site.

Re the PI's with magnometers most have been developed from hoard hunters and don't do well on small coins or high trash areas.

 

[Swartzie]

Re: Good detector to "see through" iron?

Thanks to all the replies fellas. Lots of info.

It seems that it's more a matter of learning to interpret what the machine is telling you and knowing how it behaves in certain areas rather than this machine or that machine is the one needed for cellar holes.

I'll still be swinging my 250 this year (I'm definitely learning it's language) But, I think next year I'll be investing in a new machine and learning it. Awesome hobby!

Thanks again.
-Swartzie