Metal detectors - How many is too many?

[SilverFinger]

Please tell me I'm not the only one obsessive compulsive about this hobby.

Here lately I've been living and breathing MD'ing. I already have 2 machines. An MX5 and a Delta 4000.

I had 3 but I sold one of them (the Compadre 5.75) but don't think I'll rest until I own a higher-end Tesoro. Would love to try a Vaquero. Is that crazy? Anyone else out there like me? Popping in and out of treasurenet constantly? Eating and sleeping metal detecting?

How many detectors do -you- own? Should I buy a Vaquero or wait to see what the Cazador is all about?

Do I really need a DFX just 'cause I found a good deal on it? Is that old Teknetics Mark I on eBay for $125 really something I need?

 

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[Papalittle]

I has 5 at once but decided to sell 2 of them since it made no sense to have them sitting here not being used when there is someone out there who wants one but could no afford a new one,

 

[Msbeepbeep]

When you have to move out of the house because the detectors have taken it over, like the cat lady. Then maybe that's a few too many!
We are all obsessed with detecting. When driving around I see possible detecting sights, wondering how old that house is, or "OMG! There's a sidewalk rip out!!!!!" ...scared the stuffing out of hubby! Lol!
I have 2 my older one isn't working but I can't give it up....hoarder!

 

[Fletch88]

Yes, you're the only one with this problem. You may need professional help to get over this "disease" !!!! Lol. I'm also pretty obsessed with the online part of it more than actual hunting! The wife may kick me to the curb if I don't quit studying all the different forums and doing research on places to hunt.

I think you may as well try a Tesoro if you never have. I would try the Vaquero, since I doubt the eagerly awaited "cazador" will have anything other than a new knob or switch.

 

[Dixiegal]

We have 5 plus an Arc Geo Mini. We use all of them. If we identify a possible target we hit it with every machine. Each one tells you something unique.

 

[Frankn]

Hay, you have to think about it! It all depends on what you are looking for.
You can blow a lot of money buying junk if you don't think first.
OK , I have been detecting since the '70s and I have purchased with a reason for each detector. I made some excellent choices so I am still using 13+ year old detectors that find everything.

My general purpose detector, a Whites XLT, can actually do it all, but I have added specialty units to cover some holes. I added a Whites Surfmaster PI for beach detecting and nugget hunting. I added a Hayes 2 Box to go deep and wide while evading the junk on cache hunts. I have added a Vibratector, a small hand held unit to search walls in old buildings.
The XLT goes app. 2', the PI goes app.3'+, the Hayes goes over 6', and the Vibratector goes app. 6".
This combo covers all my needs. Your needs may vary, but there is no need to have a closet full of detectors, that is unless you are a collector. lol Frank...-

 

[roaddust66]

I hunted for years with one or two machines. I got out of it for a number of years and this time around one of the thing I want to do is to enjoy a number of detectors and the enjoyment of finding a good signal and picking another machine to see how it does as well. My wish list is very long. The Casador will probably be high dollar. A good used Vaquero is about $325. I love mine. I would also build a collection of detectors I have owned in the past. So to answer your question. YES !

 

[Silver Searcher]

You usually find the people with several detectors, are the ones who can't find anything, so they go and buy another thinking the new one, will be better, and will find them that pot of Gold

SS

 

[Frankn]

You usually find the people with several detectors, are the ones who can't find anything, so they go and buy another thinking the new one, will be better, and will find them that pot of Gold


SS

Good point! The longer you use a specific detector, the better "it" gets. Frank...-

 

[luvsdux]

Some of us just can't resist a good deal on another detector, especially it it's compatible with the coils we already own. I have a bunch, mostly purchased used, over a few years and should peddle a few of them. IMHO most of us could make a case for at least one quality general purpose detector for coins and relics, a water machine if you're near rivers, lakes or ocean beaches, and a gold machine if you are able to seriously prospect, and possibly one more general purpose machine for the wife, taking a friend, as back up etc. Considering how many folks have multiple fishing poles, fire arms, and other items, why not detectors? as long as you can afford them.
luvsdux

 

[Silver Searcher]

It's like horses for courses, you wouldn't expect a grand national winner to pull a plough, and you wouldn't expect the clydesdale to jump beeches brook.

SS

 

[Frankn]

I truly suspect that the person that can't resist a bargain on another detector is not truly happy with his present detector. When you have something good and are in tune with it, why start over? Frank...-

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I whittled mine down to 5. .... was up to 11, i bought them to play with and learn as much as I could...






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[gunsil]

Some folks have different detectors for different uses. My Safari is my main dirt hunting machine, AT Pro as a back-up/loaner and freshwater beach and stream hunting, Excal for the salt beaches that have a lot of iron junk, and Infinium for salt beaches that have little iron junk. The Infinium is also a quite passable gold nugget hunter should I make it to any areas where these are found. And I can't get rid of my first detector, a 1970 Garrett BFO which found so many goodies when the sport and I were young and all local sites were virgin. Coils are also important for different situations, and I have a total of ten for the three machines which I can change coils on, and three for my old BFO.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Some folks have different detectors for different uses. My Safari is my main dirt hunting machine, AT Pro as a back-up/loaner and freshwater beach and stream hunting, Excal for the salt beaches that have a lot of iron junk, and Infinium for salt beaches that have little iron junk. The Infinium is also a quite passable gold nugget hunter should I make it to any areas where these are found. And I can't get rid of my first detector, a 1970 Garrett BFO which found so many goodies when the sport and I were young and all local sites were virgin. Coils are also important for different situations, and I have a total of ten for the three machines which I can change coils on, and three for my old BFO.

True, I have 2 custom excals for in the water, Sov GT for wet sand when surf is too high, ETRAC for land and Fisher 125 for completion hunts...






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[huntsman53]

It seems that many of us Detectorists are obsessive compulsive and I am probably one of the worst of them (I would hope that it would be considered "the best of them") as I own 10 metal detectors at this time. I am currently selling one to get another one but may also have to trade one or more to get what I want. Hey, I like to cover all bases concerning terrain, soil, mineralization, trash and water environments one could encounter plus what I am searching for (i.e. Gold, Silver, coins, relics, tunnels, caves, voids in the ground, etc.). I guess if a metal detector was built to search the stars, then I would eventually own one...LOL!! When I started out, I usually metal detected 3 to 4 days out of every week for nearly 5 years and usually spent between 2 to 4 hours each outing. That dropped off to nearly no time metal detecting when I moved from Florida to West Virginia with my job. Due to not knowing really good places to go that had not already been hit hard and no time to metal detect due to being on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (366 for Leap Years) when I wasn't at work, I eventually sold my' two metal detectors (my' first and really the best MD I ever owned when it came to making deep finds and the second one I owned) and was out of the hobby for quite a long time. After moving pretty much back home to Tennessee with my job and getting interested in Gem and Gold prospecting and due to so much Civil War skirmishes and battles fought around here, I started picking up a few metal detectors over the years. In doing so, I found that I could often purchase units cheap, clean them up, make minor repairs if needed, then resell them for a profit. These sales aided me in being able to purchase some better metal detectors over the years as well as more. If I had kept every metal detector as well as hunting bows that I ever purchased (yeah, I had the same knack when it came to hunting bows), then there would not be any room for me to sleep, eat or even move around in my' home. I can't give you real totals but I would have to say that I have bought, re-sold as well as owned more than 30 metal detectors and probably well over 100 huntings bows. I currently own 10 metal detectors and only one bow and I won't even tell you about the guns, other hunting items, collectibles, coins and many other items...LOL!!


Frank

 

[Hot zone]

My DeLeon lacked adjustable ground balance and I was only finding clad, added the Quattro and found some silver and relics, added a tiger shark for salt, fresh water and rain, lots more clad and with no frills, silver ring... Just added the Tejon to use for dry sand, relic and a nugget trip... I finally have the time now that I am retired...
Whenever I get to feeling like I am not finding enough I stroll through the what is it forum... I always feel better when I see someone post an obvious worthless piece of junk, like what I just deposited in the dumpster, or tries to figure out what gun fired some bullet lead, all I find are melted to make new bullets!

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

I only got 3 (well 4, considering the one me and a friend share sometimes) and considered myself a lightweight.
I'm not obsessive about acquiring them, I try to remember,
I can only use 1 at a time.

I do appreciate my machine running top notch and doing it's job well.
That's what matters to me.

 

[thrillathahunt]

Please let me say this: If you want to find "deep" old relics, you should do yourself a favor and try the Vaquero!

If you ask my wife, she will say she has one already. Old relic that is. lol.

 

[Hot zone]

It is not hard to like your newest detector! It is the one you are using and finding with! That being said, the Tejon that you simply toggle to all metal to check grnd bal or if pinpoints different location indicating nail... Or toggle to alt disc with a keen ear and a little thumb action thrown in; gives all the info u need... It is so much more efficient than pushing buttons, waiting for signal to clear, protecting the readout screen and changing modes, that I am selling the minelab! The kendel book for vaquero/Tejon is the bomb!