logic behind using a pin pointer?

[wingmaster]

When you have other metal close to your target it can throw your pinpointing off when pinpointing with the metal detector, when you use a pinpointer in a case like this it helps to keep from hitting your target with your shovel and doing damage to it. It does make finding really small targets easier and gets you to your next target faster. I've had some really deep targets that once you disturbed the ground by opening up the hole the detector wouldn't even pick up on the target anymore and I would pull out at least 12" of dirt maybe a little more to find a very deep coin, I know I've lost a few really deep ones before I got a pinpointer, if the target is just a couple more inches the pinpointer will pick it up so you won't miss something good. HH

 

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[blackchipjim]

* Can prevent damage to valuable targets, as such has the potential to pay for itself
* Makes recovery easier ... Not necessarily only digging in holes, but causal detecting at tot lots/beach as well

2" range is a bit much for me for a coin, I'd prefer more like 1", reason being is that its purpose is to let you know you are getting very close to a small metal object, if it alerted at 5" it would be useless. You have already pinpointed its general location with the detector, now its time to find its exact location, and a pinpointer helps do that quickly and efficiently.

I guess the logic would be to have one or set one up to alert within an inch or two. The videos I watched really didn't say which is the best, but I figured the whole idea of pinpointer is just that. Thank you xraywolf.

 

[wingmaster]

The whites TRX seems to have the best depth and the garrett propointer has good depth as well, I would pick one of the two if your going to get one. HH

 

[DFW_THer]

I detected for 10+ years without one. Now that I have one, I have no idea how I made it 10 years without one. Faster recovery = more targets found = more treasure = bliss

The Garret "carrot" is the best pin-pointer on the market imho

 

[luvsdux]

Some folks don't use or care for them, but in my opinion they fit right in with headphones and a decent digger as nearly crucial extras besides the detector.
luvsdux

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

My detector has a nasty habit of finding some of the smallest targets, like earring backs and B.B's you could go crazy trying to find those without one.

 

[boogeyman]

1. Beats the heck out of the old ice pick or tiny screw driver I used since the late 60s! 2. Since I started using a PP I've never scratched a $150 coin turning it into a $5 curiosity (X2). And as others have said it greatly speeds things up especially if you hunt early in the morning or at night. Guarantee you'll like it a lot.

 

[boogeyman]

Plus you can take it to the bar or gym. place a penny under your shirt hold it with a small strip of bandage tape. Now you just display your PP and say something like "Check out my new stud finder!" Locate the penny on your chest BEEP! then wave it on your marks chest and say "Nope no stud there" and walk away to locate a stud.

One of my buddies had a toy detector that would go off when you got it close to your body, I think it was a Wizard. He took the lettering off with acetone and changed it to "Dumba$$ detector". He'd walk up to people and wave it on himself just far enough away it wouldn't sound, then wave it at the other person real close so it'd scream. He wouldn't say a word! He'd just look at the detector with a puzzled look shaking his head, look at the person, grin & shake his head and walk away.

 

[digger27]

Logic rules just about everything in my life, also in this hobby the logic of numbers.
I am great at pinpointing, I use Tesoros and Fishers and have no problem zeroing in.
I am great at figuring out depth too, I come really close using my Tesoros and my depth meters on my screen units are pretty darn accurate in coin and ring sized objects and I can figure out bigger stuff like cans too.
Still, I got in the habit of using my Propointer on the top of the ground before I dug just about every time as a second opinion plus to zero in on the exact area to dig.
Extremely small holes and very quick recovery is the result.
I figured out how to get about 4-5" depth on mine easily so I can get extra info on most of my targets which usually are laying within that range.
In the hole deeper it tells me where the target is so I can avoid hitting it with my digger.
I had to chop down 4" in concrete hard red clay in a drought once to a high conductor but unknown target.
I chopped out a 4" wide hole and started to chop down with the tip of my Lesche little by little.
When I started getting closer my Propointer clued me in that I was near so I started to pry little chunks from around the edges of the hole and not from the center.
When I hit that 4" depth level prying up one last little chunk of dirt revealed the shiny edges of a top of a small can like Red Bull size dead center of the hole still covered with dirt in the middle.
I plucked it out and remember being surprised at the weight and when I used my thumb to rub off the last of that hard dirt I saw it was not a piece of a can...It was a 1922 Peace dollar...the one in my avatar.
If you have had any experience trying to get anything out of this Alabama red clay dirt in conditions like this without chopping the ground to bits, even shallow targets, you know how difficult it is.
I have clipped a few shallow coins trying in the past, luckily they were only clad.

In this case I recovered that lifetime find and never put a scratch on it thanks to that pinpointer...worth the price I paid for the tool just to recover that one target without coming close to hitting it...for me.

Even though I check most targets before I dig them this Propointer made me three times faster than I was before at recovery, that means I can dig three times more signals and have a higher percentage chance of finding three times more treasure.
Or one great one that I might not have had the time to go after I without the speed this gave me.
I still can usually dig more volume of targets than most others hunt with despite the tiny bit of time it takes to do all the extra things I do.

Sure I can hunt without one, but honestly I just don't want to.
It is so important to my whole process I am just too frustrated to hunt without one.

Logically it all makes sense to me and why it made complete sense for me to turn around and drive 15 miles back home on one hunt when I noticed I forgot to take it.
Perfect logical sense.

There is a reason many that use them say they finally found the "Other half of my detector", when they finally break down and try one.

 

[CASPER-2]

it helps find tiny items fast - this is a cut cob - take a dime and cut it 4 ways taking all the round off it - this was slightly smaller than that
it was known as a "bit" and could be used to purchase a mug of ale - its silver - it was blacker when found in mud in a farm field
was able to find it in seconds of getting out of the hole - would have taken forever feeling around for it

pinpointing will save some of your finds from being scratched - when you dig a plug and item is still in the hole - you can pinpoint it
and then be more careful extracting target

 

[sprailroad]

A good pinpointer is like indoor plumbing, you can live without it, but once you have it, you wonder how you ever managed without.

 

[gold panner]

N.H. bandit was right on. I too try to leave as little sign as possible. That also means not tearing apart a plug, If I can help it.

 

[Technonut]

I detected for 10+ years without one. Now that I have one, I have no idea how I made it 10 years without one. Faster recovery = more targets found = more treasure = bliss

The Garret "carrot" is the best pin-pointer on the market imho

Similar to my thoughts on the matter. I was an active detectorist back in the mid-80's-late 90's, and only used a probe when needed. After many years, and being back in the hobby again using a PP'er (Makro Pointer), I really found out what I was missing.... If I made it out to a permission now, and somehow forgot to bring my PP'er, I'm fairly certain that I would go home and get it before going out in the field..

 

[patiodadio]

Ok, I go way out into the woods today, a really long walk and the first signal I get that I am going to dig, I whip out the ol' pin pointer and the dang battery is dead. So I go on to dig several more signals and man is it a lot harder to find small stuff without my pin pointer ! I usually have an extra battery with me and I will always make double sure from now on.

 

[Kray Gelder]

Tom. Call me whatever, but it hadn't occurred to me to do a quick surface scan with the pin pointer like you suggest. Great idea! I can use this.

 

[luvsdux]

Most advantages have been covered here, but I've found that targets in range of my pinpointer are not deep and can usually be retrieved with a shallow insertion of a screwdriver without leaving a trace in the soil.
luvdux

 

[4x4x4]

I've decided I now need a pinpointer simply because of my failing eyeballs !

 

[PinPointers]

If you DONT have a pinpointer, GET ONE! I forgot mine at the house one time, that was the LAST TIME I did that. I love the Garret Carrot and the Mine Lab. Check out this link if you are having time deciding which one to get! Good Luck on your treasure quest!PinPointer Metal Detectors Top 5 Best 2017 | Review | PinPointers.net

 

[SteveOrygun]

How is this even a question? I found my first finds withe a GoldBug by passing handfulls of dirt infront of the coil...Now, I dig and sweep with the Pinpointer, faster, less digging..

 

[sprailroad]

Similar to my thoughts on the matter. I was an active detectorist back in the mid-80's-late 90's, and only used a probe when needed. After many years, and being back in the hobby again using a PP'er (Makro Pointer), I really found out what I was missing.... If I made it out to a permission now, and somehow forgot to bring my PP'er, I'm fairly certain that I would go home and get it before going out in the field..

I have done that, arrived at a place to detect about 10 miles from home, gear up, no pinpointer. Detected for about 25 minutes the old way without one, had enough, bagged it, went home. NEVER forgot it again.