My first find ever

[smt24219]

So I've been wanting to get into metal detecting for years. I finally bit the bullet and got a Ace 350 from Bart at Big Boys Hobbies (great experience, btw!). I got it yesterday but due to it being snowy out, I couldn't really do anything. Well, today I went out into my back yard to practice and get the hang of finding things as well as digging correctly. I found a pretty good area that the sun had hit and melted all the snow and started swinging. In 30 seconds, I had my first find: a '89 Lincoln. Not impressive, I know, but I was excited The 350 pinpointed it very well and had the depth on the money. I dug a plug about 2x2" and found the penny, then refilled the hole and you couldn't even tell I had been there. My second find was not so smooth. I had the disc set to include everything, because I had read on here to learn how your detector reacts to everything when you are starting out. I was getting a weird bing-BONG back and forth between iron and foil and it would jump between 4" and 6", but it was hard to pinpoint. So I dug another 2x2" plug where I thought it was, but I was a little off, so I had to widen it and I finally found a bolt with a hand tightener on it. Where I had to widen the hole, the plug wasn't as well fitting as my first one, so you could definitely see where I had been: no bueno. So I have to work on that. Do you guys have any suggestions as far as how to widen a hole that you have already taken a plug from?

Here are my riches:

 

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[treblehunter]

Practice, practice, practice. Try to put it back in the hole and beat it vigorously around the entire area to pack outside the lines too. Soil conditions, water conditions, and sod conditions all are very different everywhere. pounding it all over, then brushing with a open hand, kind of works it all back in and smooths it all out. Practice.

Good luck, the more you do it the better you will become. Watch videos on youtube also. You will see many different techniques.

 

[smt24219]

Thanks for the advice! I'll take a look at some vids and keep practicing.

 

[BigWaveDave]

the bolt may be from a lawn mower... good start and good luck. I have the same machine, and I love it, you will too.

 

[Pointman]

Cut the plug parallel to the ground and not taper it, and then carve it out with a hand digger as needed to retrieve the coin. Keep the grass/roots intact as much as you can and overshoot the target as you dig so you don't nick your coin (I did it the other day on a silver quarter, unfortunately).

 

[smt24219]

Cut the plug parallel to the ground and not taper it, and then carve it out with a hand digger as needed to retrieve the coin. Keep the grass/roots intact as much as you can and overshoot the target as you dig so you don't nick your coin (I did it the other day on a silver quarter, unfortunately).

Yeah, I did the same thing this evening. I found a silver dollar, but I put a gouge in it

Thanks for the advice!!

 

[Pointman]

I nicked a Walking Liberty one time. Put a scratch clear across it. Only good thing was, it was worn pretty smooth to begin with.

 

[jimmatt_43]

Good luck

 

[park pirate]

Learn your machine well, it gets much better..

 

[Davers]

Yeah, I did the same thing this evening. I found a silver dollar, but I put a gouge in it

Thanks for the advice!!

So would the Silver Dollar be your 3rd find or did you plant it (for practice) ?
There are not many things I despise more than striking the piece that i'm digging.

 

[smt24219]

So would the Silver Dollar be your 3rd find or did you plant it (for practice) ?
There are not many things I despise more than striking the piece that i'm digging.

It was actually my fourth find. I haven't tried actually burying stuff myself. My back yard is full of stuff so I've just been practicing there. It was registering as a silver dollar (can't remember what depth, but it was accurate) and I tried to use the pinpointer feature. However, when I dug it and flipped the plug up, the dollar was in the side of the plug and I had nicked it I was still happy with the find though.

 

[Msbeepbeep]

When you have a little more time learning with the machine retrieval should become easier.

When the signal jumps around like it did on the bolt the target is usually something odd shaped not like a coin.
Do you have a 12"x12" plastic or cloth you can pile the dirt on that comes out of the hole? Makes dumping it back in easier and neater, when you digging an odd item and have to enlarge the hole. GL. HH!

 

[smt24219]

When you have a little more time learning with the machine retrieval should become easier. When the signal jumps around like it did on the bolt the target is usually something odd shaped not like a coin. Do you have a 12"x12" plastic or cloth you can pile the dirt on that comes out of the hole? Makes dumping it back in easier and neater, when you digging an odd item and have to enlarge the hole. GL. HH!

Cool, that's good to know about odd-shaped targets. Thanks!

Yes I have a little towel that I pile the dirt on. I watched a video on some techniques and it said that was a good way to keep it neat. I was making my plug too small as well so once I started making it bigger it was easier to do.

I appreciate the help! Keep the good advice coming

 

[CoilyGirl]

A silver on your first dig is pretty sweet say!

 

[DW Dirt Whisperer]

i use a screw driver to poke the ground for my target first. then cut the plug. it helps with making smaller plugs and holes.

 

[smt24219]

i use a screw driver to poke the ground for my target first. then cut the plug. it helps with making smaller plugs and holes.

Does using a probe scratch coins up?

 

[StevePa]

Keep at it and you will find lots of treasures. Practice makes perfect.

Good luck and have fun.

Steven

 

[RobRieman]

Does using a probe scratch coins up?

Oh yeah