New to this

Lilwiggles

Jr. Member
Dec 22, 2021
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I'm new to this metal detecting thing. I bought a Garrett at Gold. I'm an impatient person, so I bought a bounty hunter pioneer to get me by until my Garrett arrived. But the pioneer I dug tons of iron and some pennies. I got my Garrett last night. I went out today took a bunch of pull tabs, quarter, nickel several pennies. I also got a earring I'm not sure if the diamond is real and two rings. I have noticed, there will be times. That I will get several different readings anything from 20 up to 80. I would dig these spots and I wouldn't really find anything. I am curious, say there's a few different targets and they're reading at 20 to 30. At any time would my metal detector add these numbers to give me an 80?
 

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Works for gold, silver, bronze, silver/nickel coins. Another process used by shipwreck hunters for artifacts is called electrolysis. Some good threads already on the subject in shipwreck forum. It is done with direct current to 2 electrodes (one is holding your encrusted find) in water with a lot of salt added. One electrode can be your find with copper wire bent to hold it. This tends to eventually start to dissolve copper wire. Don't attach a clip because it will disappear in a hurry. Of the most durable of metals, can work for the other electrode, stainless steel is on top of high end. Attach your copper wire to stainless steel object and lower down in salt solution. Depending on how encrusted your object is, salt solution could become depleted and need fresh solution added to replace it.

Any plug in AC/DC converter device will work for the direct current. The one I still have, came from Radio Shack years ago.
 

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I'm new to this metal detecting thing. I bought a Garrett at Gold. I'm an impatient person, so I bought a bounty hunter pioneer to get me by until my Garrett arrived. But the pioneer I dug tons of iron and some pennies. I got my Garrett last night. I went out today took a bunch of pull tabs, quarter, nickel several pennies. I also got a earring I'm not sure if the diamond is real and two rings. I have noticed, there will be times. That I will get several different readings anything from 20 up to 80. I would dig these spots and I wouldn't really find anything. I am curious, say there's a few different targets and they're reading at 20 to 30. At any time would my metal detector add these numbers to give me an 80?
WElcome to the hobby. Its a superior path with a gateway to history. Good exercise and you will meet new people. To answer your question, a detector will never add numbers from two seperate targets. It if does, the detector is severely broken.
Swing slow, and as a newbie I would dig every target. Thats what I did. Circle a target and swing over it from another direction, usually if the VDIs change more than 5 numbers, its either a relic or trash. As detectorists we are mainly after items that are round, as in coins, buttons, tokens ect...they will give consistent VDIs no matter how you swing.
Bury a few different items and listen to the tones and VDIs. Its a patience game.
looking forward to postings of your first great find. Good luck !
 

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