Is the Sand Shark really this insensitive to small gold?

H

hobbit

Sr. Member
Oct 1, 2010
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Hi everyone. I am waiting for a small microphone with a preamp so that I can shoot some actual video of beach detector field tests. I have been doing some pre-testing with my Tesoro Sand Shark with 8 inch coil and the results I am getting just don't seem to stack-up with some of the stories I have been told. I took a .3g 14kt gold hoop earring and did everything I could to get the Sand Shark to respond to the target...but I could get nothing, no matter what I did with the controls. I have heard that some people regularly dig 14kt gold earring backs at 12 inches with a Sand Shark. They weigh much less than .3g... I then tested a 1.0g 10kt diamond/ gold earring and the best depth I could get was about 1 inch no matter what I did with the controls. I am also not having any luck at all with small gold chains. There is nothing wrong with my machine, I can assure you. It actually gets fairly respectable depth on larger gold and inexpensive, high conductive jewelry. There seems to be lots of that detected with the Sand Shark. I just don't want to give this machine short shrift in my upcoming video. Can any other Sand Shark users give me their input? I would especially be interested in hearing from Sand Shark owners who actually did tests with their machines to see what kind of depth they are getting on small, real gold targets. Thanks.
 

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Can Slaw said:
Is this your video Terry, it look just like the one firstbiggestmost did. Nice vidio, but I didn't see where it showed anything different that what the video Hobbit posted.
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The only real difference I saw, and I know that they weren’t the same test targets, but my 8 inch coil seemed to pick up the smaller targets better than Hobbits. I guess I should have used even smaller targets till I hit a fail point like hobbit did, but the pendant and small hoop were different, but very similar in size and my machine could pick them up while his struggled. Not earth shattering depth but still a bit more sensitive than was portrayed.

I really don’t want to come across as a tesoro fan boy and have always tried to counter the wild claims that some folks will make. My position is that the shark is a solid performer and an excellent option for a starter PI for someone on a budget. A great machine to pay your dues on an progress with that will also make a great back up machine or loner when you move on to bigger and better things.
:icon_thumright:

Oh, an Can Slaw leave Terry alone he's gonna make me rich with all the adsense money I'm making off his posts LOL I wish!
 

Firstbiggestmost, EXCELLENT post and thank you for your honesty. The SS is a good beginner machine that may become the closet queen, or a starter for someone wanting just a little bit more or maybe even their machine of choice, which is fine. I am always looking for the next step up and why i have enjoyed all but the last slide show video. I really appreciate your honesty, effort and the time it took to make an informative video and let people make that choice for themselves. I am also glad you mentioned what I could not quite see on the video....and your music was a lot nicer :laughing7: Thank you.

Then there is Terry's Acid Rock video that I am still trying to figure what that has to do with a depth test of his detector, the "deepest" detector in the world under for under $1,200.


firstbiggestmost said:
The only real difference I saw, and I know that they weren’t the same test targets, but my 8 inch coil seemed to pick up the smaller targets better than Hobbits. I guess I should have used even smaller targets till I hit a fail point like hobbit did, but the pendant and small hoop were different, but very similar in size and my machine could pick them up while his struggled. Not earth shattering depth but still a bit more sensitive than was portrayed.

I really don’t want to come across as a tesoro fan boy and have always tried to counter the wild claims that some folks will make. My position is that the shark is a solid performer and an excellent option for a starter PI for someone on a budget. A great machine to pay your dues on an progress with that will also make a great back up machine or loner when you move on to bigger and better things.
:icon_thumright:

Oh, an Can Slaw leave Terry alone he's gonna make me rich with all the adsense money I'm making off his posts LOL I wish!
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Maybe Terry just means as deep, as in, you can dive with it to 200 feet. Then it would be comparable to the other PIs which all go to 200 feet also. Maybe we just misunderstood him... :laughing7:
 

Aka Nameless said:
Maybe Terry just means as deep, as in, you can dive with it to 200 feet. Then it would be comparable to the other PIs which all go to 200 feet also. Maybe we just misunderstood him... :laughing7:
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You must be right! That explains why the SS is 2X as deep as the DF LM*O 100ft vs. 200ft. It all makes sense now :tongue3:
 

I found your post title kind of ironic for my situation. I'm deeply in love with my old White's Surfmaster PI+ [ nobody can tell me the difference between it and the PI without the plus] ...but it has some mechanical issues and needs to be repaired.

So...I bought a Sand Shark..with 8" and Clean Sweep coils. One criterion for buying the SS was if it could detect my small 1.9 gram ring. Strangely enough the PI+,"my love", could not pick it up at all! The SS sang like a bird...all the way to about 6".

Now I've found plenty of gold with the PI+ and it's deep on the larger gold. I average 12"+ on most coins. I've only had the SS for only a few months but use it almost daily. I'm getting better and deeper. BUT...still can't get the depth I could at out of "my love". A few days ago I buried a (found) nickel at 8" and it was good..a nice strong signal. Then I jumped all the way to 12" and nothing. I fiddled with the controls and listened to every possible signal it could make...like a break in threshold...NOPE nothing. In fact I lost my nickel .. couldn't ever find it again. It was on a slope and under a pier so I know exactly where and each day I keep looking for it.

I'm still hoping to squeeze a bit more depth out of the SS with experience ..but it's very strange how sensitivity to small gold and depth are actually two different issues.

There's a PI kit which uses the old Surfmaster PI circuit available for about $30 [ you still need to buy or make a coil...and a housing and rod system]...and I'm seriously thinking of going that way and getting "my love" a companion of her own.
 

I have always seen a need for a good mid range detector..... be it PI or VLF. To much depth and you could be digging a ton more iron depending on the beach. There just may not be any targets worth keeping deeper. It works the same way when dirt digging just reducing your sensitivity can get you targets that otherwise you miss because of coil shut down from hitting larger deeper iron. Even if the SS isnt deeper i think there has sure been some good finds made with it.

Dew
 

No you won't Dew... iron has a long tone, I almost never dig it... get good with a PI and you might just retire your VLF or save it for the wet sand :)


dewcon4414 said:
I have always seen a need for a good mid range detector..... be it PI or VLF. To much depth and you could be digging a ton more iron depending on the beach. There just may not be any targets worth keeping deeper. It works the same way when dirt digging just reducing your sensitivity can get you targets that otherwise you miss because of coil shut down from hitting larger deeper iron. Even if the SS isnt deeper i think there has sure been some good finds made with it.

Dew
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sand shark and small gold

Terry Soloman said:
Someone, ANYONE find a post where I said ANY of what Hobbit posted here. I think it is sad that you can't just state your opinion without typing falsehoods and slandering folks you do not agree with. Quote This: The Tesoro Sand Shark, performs as well as ANY other pulse induction unit priced $1,200.00 or less. It is the ONLY pulse induction unit costing $600.00 or less that can make that claim. It is also the ONLY pulse induction detector gaurranteed for life..
/QUOTE]

Terry he is not slamming the sand shark. He makes a valid point. Mine will not sound off on gold chains or silver chains..Why don't you prove to us that it will find gold chains? We are waiting.
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Larsmed said:
Terry Soloman said:
Someone, ANYONE find a post where I said ANY of what Hobbit posted here. I think it is sad that you can't just state your opinion without typing falsehoods and slandering folks you do not agree with. Quote This: The Tesoro Sand Shark, performs as well as ANY other pulse induction unit priced $1,200.00 or less. It is the ONLY pulse induction unit costing $600.00 or less that can make that claim. It is also the ONLY pulse induction detector gaurranteed for life..
/QUOTE]

Terry he is not slamming the sand shark. He makes a valid point. Mine will not sound off on gold chains or silver chains..Why don't you prove to us that it will find gold chains? We are waiting.
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Hey Larsmed! Welcome to an 8-year-old thread! Just depends on the size of the chain, as metal detectors only "see" individual links, not the entire chain. Extremely fine (small) chain links are invisible to most detectors. I found over $7,000.00 in melt value gold over a period of four-years with the Sand Shark, including two 14k "Cuban" chains. I found several small 18K earrings. I LOVED my Sand Shark! For the money it could not be beat.

Today, multi-frequency machines have dropped $500 in price, which makes the Minelab Equinox and Vanquish, and the Garrett Apex the new "go to" beach machines. People used to beat me up over my love of the Sand Shark, especially the Whites Dual Field owners. I don't really need to prove anything to anyone, as my finds always speak for me. Today I use the Equinox and Vanquish on Long Island beaches, because I'm 8-years older, and don't want to dig iron any longer.

In conclusion, the Sand Shark was the BEST P.I. under $600, and probably still is.:skullflag:
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Terry I hear ya! I know you have used one for years but switched over to a Minelab. I don't blame ya. The old SS is outdated technology compared to all these newer models. I think it an pick on gold ropes just fine, its just the actual gold link chains,. Happy hunting!
 

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I found one gold item today.

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