My dues are all paid up at the "Beep and dig club"

[Slingshot]

Over 5 decades of digging with a host of detectors I've come full circle and entered the KISS phase. Now I'm digging with a Harbor Freight 9 function detector, $39 out the door, and have dug with guys using top of the line units, and pretty well keeping up. It's about personal satisfaction, and keeping my fun within a budget, and putting cash in my pocket instead of paying for a high end unit as mine has actually paid for itself and I'm living in the profit phase now. A couple of years ago I was digging a tree yard and having success with 2 walkers and a nice heavy mans silver ring along with other goodies when a guy came walking by and handed me $2 and told me to go get something to eat, I took the money and thanked him, added it to my days take, and kept on digging, lol. Doesn't matter to me what anybody thinks about me or my machine, but I think most people suffer with extreme consumerism, lol.

 

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[can_slaw]

There's prejudice on both ends of the high-dollar / low-dollar detector scale.

I am sure this is a issue on a two way street. The dialogue this has opened up is very surprising and humbling. There is a lot of very good detectorists chiming in with both types of machines. The general concensus is not what I originally perceived from other posts I read. Thank you ALL for chiming in the facts, your thoughts, and opinions. It has meant the world to me, and hopefully if someone else in the future is feeling the same way, they can pull from this thread what I have. That there is a great group of very supportive people on here, who are passionate about what they love to do. Metal detect.

 

[can_slaw]

Over 5 decades of digging with a host of detectors I've come full circle and entered the KISS phase. Now I'm digging with a Harbor Freight 9 function detector, $39 out the door, and have dug with guys using top of the line units, and pretty well keeping up. It's about personal satisfaction, and keeping my fun within a budget, and putting cash in my pocket instead of paying for a high end unit as mine has actually paid for itself and I'm living in the profit phase now. A couple of years ago I was digging a tree yard and having success with 2 walkers and a nice heavy mans silver ring along with other goodies when a guy came walking by and handed me $2 and told me to go get something to eat, I took the money and thanked him, added it to my days take, and kept on digging, lol. Doesn't matter to me what anybody thinks about me or my machine, but I think most people suffer with extreme consumerism, lol.

That's is impressive! I have a nephew with a harbor freight machine. I will have work with him to learn it's abilities. Thank you!!

 

[can_slaw]

Over 5 decades of digging with a host of detectors I've come full circle and entered the KISS phase. Now I'm digging with a Harbor Freight 9 function detector, $39 out the door, and have dug with guys using top of the line units, and pretty well keeping up. It's about personal satisfaction, and keeping my fun within a budget, and putting cash in my pocket instead of paying for a high end unit as mine has actually paid for itself and I'm living in the profit phase now. A couple of years ago I was digging a tree yard and having success with 2 walkers and a nice heavy mans silver ring along with other goodies when a guy came walking by and handed me $2 and told me to go get something to eat, I took the money and thanked him, added it to my days take, and kept on digging, lol. Doesn't matter to me what anybody thinks about me or my machine, but I think most people suffer with extreme consumerism, lol.

That's is impressive! I have a nephew with a harbor freight machine. I will have work with him to learn it's abilities. Thank you!!

 

[Slingshot]

Make sure it is the 9 function rather than the lackluster 6 function unit, and the 9 function that runs on 6 AA batteries and not the older 9 function that ran on 3 9v batteries. Here is a video I did after 81 actual hours with this unit in the field. Note, just a couple of weeks after I did this vid, the handle broke off, but was an easy repair, lol, made in China...

 

[smokeythecat]

My daughter bought a "Star Wars Science" metal detector and is tearing the State of NY a new one with it. $39. Who would have thought?

 

[can_slaw]

My daughter bought a "Star Wars Science" metal detector and is tearing the State of NY a new one with it. $39. Who would have thought?

I am getting a harbor freight machine for my 4 year old. Looking for a 9 function like Slingshot suggested, and hope he digs it.

 

[smokeythecat]

My daughter is in her 30's.....

 

[can_slaw]

My daughter is in her 30's.....

I am hoping my 4 year old can swing it.... does your daughter ever get to detect with you smokey?

 

[IDXMonster]

Let's just all take a deep breath here. The national average for a keepable target is 6" or less. You don't have to have a lot of the machines advertised here on the forum and on Youtube.

If I thought back to the majority of coins I’ve dug(since I’m strictly a coin hunter) this would be correct. And the VAST majority were “stand alone” targets...in other words,obvious. High resolution target ID is nice,along with other features. But site selection is by FAR the most important,if it’s not there it won’t be found. A good researcher always does better than Mr. Fancy at a truly worn out site. What you’re running is just fine,learn it well if you haven’t and have fun doing it. Beating yourself over the head about getting a “better” machine makes no sense,but getting onto good sites makes all kinds of sense.
Where ya at in WI?

 

[can_slaw]

If I thought back to the majority of coins I’ve dug(since I’m strictly a coin hunter) this would be correct. And the VAST majority were “stand alone” targets...in other words,obvious. High resolution target ID is nice,along with other features. But site selection is by FAR the most important,if it’s not there it won’t be found. A good researcher always does better than Mr. Fancy at a truly worn out site. What you’re running is just fine,learn it well if you haven’t and have fun doing it. Beating yourself over the head about getting a “better” machine makes no sense,but getting onto good sites makes all kinds of sense.
Where ya at in WI?

This is great advice good sir. I am in Prairie du Chien, right next to the Iowa border.

 

[smokeythecat]

Yes, Can_slaw, I made the mistake of taking her to coin beach, Delaware. If I remember right I got skunked that day, it was a year after Sandy, maybe a little longer. They were dredging sand onto the beach for replenishment and were not following the rules. They would dump out the basket of larger objects because they got lazy and we would come up upon a huge signal of sinkers, sometimes 5-10 pounds in one hole with the can slaw, fishing line, etc. My daughter went through one of the "dumps" from the screens they were supposed to have removed from the area and found two 8 reales and a 1/2 escudo. If memory serves, I got nothing. She still has them. We were using two Tesoro Cibolas at the time (I think that was 2013).

 

[IDXMonster]

Yeah I forgot you were over there,we were discussing that in another thread before....

 

[smokeythecat]

That's ok, I forget what day it is and then I realize its 2018 and I'm getting blasted OLD.

 

[can_slaw]

Yes, Can_slaw, I made the mistake of taking her to coin beach, Delaware. If I remember right I got skunked that day, it was a year after Sandy, maybe a little longer. They were dredging sand onto the beach for replenishment and were not following the rules. They would dump out the basket of larger objects because they got lazy and we would come up upon a huge signal of sinkers, sometimes 5-10 pounds in one hole with the can slaw, fishing line, etc. My daughter went through one of the "dumps" from the screens they were supposed to have removed from the area and found two 8 reales and a 1/2 escudo. If memory serves, I got nothing. She still has them. We were using two Tesoro Cibolas at the time (I think that was 2013).

Mistake? Must be because of the skunking you got on the reales. I am really glad to hear you have a hunting buddy like that. Glad mine are hunting buddies too!

 

[smokeythecat]

I actually dig with quite a few people. One or two from a local club, and some from Tnet and other clubs. We get around, it works out pretty well.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

My machine is a couple of notches below yours, but my finds on the beach or in the woods hang with my friends swinging Xcals, F75's, CTX 3030's, Deus's and ATPros.

Research, understanding your machine and just getting out a lot is key.

Here's to hoping you get lots of those sweet, tight, deep, "round" beeps baby!!!

 

[can_slaw]

My machine is a couple of notches below yours, but my finds on the beach or in the woods hang with my friends swinging Xcals, F75's, CTX 3030's, Deus's and ATPros.

Research, understanding your machine and just getting out a lot is key.

Here's to hoping you get lots of those sweet, tight, deep, "round" beeps baby!!!

Beep, dig, repeat!!!
Good luck out there and happy hunting!

 

[can_slaw]

I actually dig with quite a few people. One or two from a local club, and some from Tnet and other clubs. We get around, it works out pretty well.

LOL. I was referring to also having your kids as hunting buddies. My kids are still pretty young; 12, 8, and 4. But they are getting their independence more every year, and are finding less they need from me. Metal detecting is something that I hope to God sticks with them. When I hear gentleman like yourself talk about detecting with the kiddos, it definitely gives me hope though. I bought a Tesoro Compadre from the classifieds forum, and cannot wait to present it to my son's. I really think they will have an easier time than they were with the Ace 300.

 

[Tpmetal]

My daughter is in her 30's.....

Perfect, meets the criteria. Female, 30's, detects, with a bonus of a cool father in law. Ill trade you 2 horses and a months salary.