Metal detecting in my attic, tips?

[MrMarsHill]

I feel like this isn't a common place one would want to detect, but I have good reason! My home was only built in 2002, so it's not old. It has had several owners in its short life and obviously some good stuff stored in the attic. Our first winter here we had a few mice scratching, so I went up to set a few traps. I noticed in the insulation was lots of loose Christmas ornaments, bags of craft supplies etc. Just about everything is treasure to me so I started to really look. I found lots of ornaments some doll house furniture and the best find of all was pretty dark and BLEW my mind. I found an old pin with a swastika on It! I researched and realized it was a pin for a member of Hitler's youth group. I went back up and found another pin, with an eagle on top of a swastika with a crossed bayonet and grenade Underneath. Research showed this was a "general assault badge". I tried to contact the previous owners that I could find with no luck, but I feel someone may not have claimed these type of items anyway. I have since searched by hand through the area, and alot more of my attic with no luck... then it hit me to use my detector! I also just got an old Garrett gtax750, which is awesome and a HUGE upgrade from my little bounty hunter. I know I should probably discriminate iron and/or I don't know? There is lots of wiring as somebody in the earlier days of internet has run wires from one side of the house to the other that I need to remove, on top of the wiring already in place. I need to research what the pins are made of, but my guess would be pewter? Nickel silver? I really don't know. Any advice is appreciated though, I know this can be done, I'm just new to the hobby and I know I can get some help. I found the items about 2-3 years ago and once I couldn't locate the owners, I didn't really want them in the house lol. They are history, and history I'm very interested in but not something I want around. I researched and sold them properly. I have pics on an old sd card somewhere and I've posted them online, somewhere lol. I can find the pics, if they are allowed to even be posted? Any help is much appreciated! This is the attic in the home I own outright, I can search it right now if I feel like it, lol. I can instantly test theories or tips and need no permission etc. I have my "new to me" Garrett gtax750 , my old bounty hunter detector and a pinpointer at my disposal. I will get up there and mess around myself either way eventually, but I know you guys could help my chances before I even start wasting my batteries lol. Thanks in advance!
Jim Brown
Bonez Customs and Collectables

 

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[Older The Better]

You might be better off with a strong magnet. If your insulation is in batts then put on a mask and some baby powder on your arms peel them up cell by cell and see what shakes out. blown insulation is a nightmare for us that renovate houses if that’s the case yeah maybe a detector learn the wires and nail signals and focus on the outliers... I tried to take my detector under my house once. I gave that up almost immediately. Just too many problems to be worth it, I did pull out a full sewing machine and some other things I found by just poking around haha, good luck

 

[Tom_in_CA]

When it comes to searching walls of houses, the old all-metal-TR's (like a 77b), or an old BFO, are actually best for the task. Ironically, the old mantra of "more sensitive" is NOT what you want. If you are suspecting caches in walls, then the old insensitive all-metal TR's (which ignore small iron, yet beep just fine on a soda-can sized object), is what you want for hunting walls of structures.

 

[MrMarsHill]

I've run a magnet through and had no luck, that was my first method trying to attack this situation. I'm still new to this hobby, would my gtax750 be an ok candidate? Maybe my little bounty Hunter? I am pretty sure both of these will alert on iron, unless I discriminate it out, correct? I hate to ask questions you've already answered, but I really feel there must be something else to find up there. I guess the best way would be to climb up and do a little experimenting! I look forward to any more tips and I'll keep the post updated if I find some more! Thanks guys!

 

[TheRingFinder]

The pin pointer is your best bet, on the lowest setting. I've recovered rings in attics this way, regular detectors have too much range and you'll be hitting on nails and or screws constantly. Good luck and let us know if you find anything else interesting.

 

[boogeyman]

First! Dust mask dust mask dust mask!! For ceilings work from the bottom (ceiling). I used to do almost exclusively building searches. If you search the ceiling from down below it's easier. We used to use bicycle spokes to mark with. Crawling through attics especially newer construction almost requires some sort of hard hat. (The military surplus skull cap types ($8-$10) are A+++) Roofing nails in the top of the noggin aren't fun. As far as detectors go a cheap TR is all you need. I'm still using an old B & B Technology Bob Cat model 200-C. for buildings Perfect machine! small box and a three section shaft that'll reach most ceilings while holding the handle / box at your waist. Pay attention to hairline cracks etc. they are good tell tales someone has been up there. Don't pass up what looks / sounds like a conduit that doesn't terminate in a box or something. Example searching an old 1940s house my old hunting partner detected what he thought was a pipe & blew it off. Next weekend he decided to check it out. Turned out it was a .22 rifle laid right up against a rafter. Luckily the demo crew didn't get that one. While you're in the ceiling, put a small box fan ($10 at 99 cent stores) up in front of the gable vent blowing out & open a door. Amazing how much dust it'll suck out of your way! Now for the most valuable hint! Don't put off searches. Stuff I used to do like crawling through attics & under floors like a monkey are almost out of reach now that old age has set in. Oh, if you have roll insulation, just flop it to the side don't try to roll it up. Less dust & less work putting it back.

 

[MrMarsHill]

Boogeyman! Sounds like you've been in my shoes before for sure! The face mask advice is priceless, luckily I'm not new to crawling around attics crawlspaces etc lol. I actually have raised my head too high with no protection and got a roofing nail to the scalp. Tore a nice little hole! I never even thought of coming from the bottom either! I'm gonna give the pinpointer a shot for sure. My previous method was just kind of digging around up there so checking pinpointer hits is atleast a little less intensive lol. I will report back for sure, I feel there has to be something else up there. I am really intrigued by who owned the pins and why they were left/if they were lost. Thanks for the tips, I'll let y'all know what turns up!

 

[A2coins]

Be carefully or you will be itching for a long time good luck

 

[Older The Better]

Baby powder helps reduce the itch tremendously, don’t know why it works but I was given the tip by a client and now I put it on every time I’m hanging insulation. a hard scrub with a wash cloth gets the rest

 

[boogeyman]

Fiberglass itchies Jump in a hot shower with a bar of soap. The cheap hard as a rock stuff works best. Soak for a few minutes in the hot water to open the pores. Drag the soap down your body like a squeegee for one pass. Wipe the bar off with your hand and repeat. Hot water opens pores & the fibers stick in the soap bar. The guy that taught me this (God bless him) would come home after installing insulation. I swear you could actually see it glinting on him if the light was right! One of the top ten hints I've gotten over the years!!

 

[boogeyman]

Boogeyman! Sounds like you've been in my shoes before for sure! The face mask advice is priceless, luckily I'm not new to crawling around attics crawlspaces etc lol. I actually have raised my head too high with no protection and got a roofing nail to the scalp. Tore a nice little hole! I never even thought of coming from the bottom either! I'm gonna give the pinpointer a shot for sure. My previous method was just kind of digging around up there so checking pinpointer hits is atleast a little less intensive lol. I will report back for sure, I feel there has to be something else up there. I am really intrigued by who owned the pins and why they were left/if they were lost. Thanks for the tips, I'll let y'all know what turns up!

The guy that I did a lot of searches with would rub my head when I got poked & exclaim Yup! There's still some vacuum left you're OK! One other hint for your tool box I left out. Now days you can get a snake camera at Harbor Freight cheap. Works better than the old mirror on a stick inspection mirror for walls! Coolest thing is the hole is small enough a finger of drywall mud & a rub with your palm will hide the hole nicely. Do keep us updated! Be interesting to hear even if you come up with nothing but mouse mummies!!