Questions about PI machines

[cavador del oro]

I'm looking for good deal on a used PI machine.
What brand/model would you suggest I watch for and why?
Thanks
--Snowy

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[mlayers]

Are my hunting Salt water or fresh water. Or will you be doing both.....Matt

 

[cavador del oro]

Are my hunting Salt water or fresh water. Or will you be doing both.....Matt

Hi, mostly fresh water and beaches. I have super deep land machines already. I was just curious what a PI would do.
--Snowy

 

[cavador del oro]

Welcome to TNet !!!

I cannot offer any assistance with choosing a PI since I don't use one..

But, Be prepared to dig... A Lot...

Look at the picture below... he wasn't able to dig fast enough..

I'm to Old for a PI.

Thanks for the welcome and I'm not very young myself. I'd use the PI in a very limited sense. Maybe just to work back over a productive small area after going over it with a VLF machine.
--Snowy

 

[chipveres]

You could look for a Garrett Sea Hunter. I use one and it's solid. IHMO Garretts always give you more than your money's worth. But MT Pockets is right, they ring any metal no matter how tiny.

Chip V.

 

[petersra]

I have a Tesoro Tiger Shark (VLF) and a Whites Duel Field (PI). Both are waterproof. I use them both on the salt beaches in and out of the water. I have been told that the Tiger Shark works better in fresh water than salt, but I really haven't had the opportunity to find deep targets in fresh water so I can't confirm that. The Whites PI air tests on an average size man's gold wedding band at about 13" max. The Tiger Shark about 11" max. However, the PI had to almost touch a thin gold earring to make a sound. The Tiger Shark was sounding off at about 8". You can forget about thin gold chains with the PI unless there is a heavy clasp or a pendant on it. The duel field has an inner loop of about 6" and an outer loop of 11". the inner loop is suppose to see the smaller targets but not quite as deep and the outer loop is suppose to see the larger targets deeper over the whole 11" diameter. I think that part seems to be accurate, but the inner coil does not see the thin, small gold. Supposedly, Whites Duel Fiend PI detector has been programmed to pick up gold better than older models, and have a quicker response time so you do not have to sweep it as slow as older PI models. Can't sweep as fast as a VLF but faster than older PI models. I have found gold with both machines close to a foot deep. I have also found bobby pins and pennies at 18" deep with the PI. I also found a heavy silver bracelet at about 2' deep with the PI. With the PI, I dig 5 pieces of trash for every clad find. Gold is few and far between, but enough to keep me interested. If it ain't there, you're not going to find it with any machine. The PI is more stable in black sand on the beach and no ground balance is necessary whereas the Tiger Shark is manually ground balanced and less stable in black sand. Based on what I have read, I would probably have bought the Minelab Excalibur instead of the Whites PI, if I had it to do over again. The Excalibur goes almost as deep but nulls on iron so you are not digging bobby pins at 18". But then if I was using the Excalibur I would not have dug the $500 dive watch I wear now because it would have nulled on the stainless steel. You give some, you get some. your call. Hope it helps. Ralph

 

[Monty]

I had a Garret PI machine and used it for fresh water lakes. It is a very deep, dig everything machine with very little discrimination. Mine was a Seahunter II and was guaranteed waterproof to 200'! I went on several club hunts with planted coins and easily kept up with the other machines. The only problem was it picked up existing very deep targets that did not even register on their VLF machines! It also would pick up very small deep targets. Therefore I spent too much time digging targets that were not part of the hunt. Since I used it mainly for club hunts in fresh water lakes and since I was nowhere near salt water I traded it off for a Fisher 1280X. It should work better for my club hunts and as well on the few lakeshore hunts I may go on also. The Seahunter was great but just does not fit my needs. If you plan to go into salt water or if you dive, or if you are willing to occasionally dig 18 to 24", the Seahunter should be your cup of tea. Otherwise I would stick with a VLF machine. Monty

 

[cavador del oro]

I have a Tesoro Tiger Shark (VLF) and a Whites Duel Field (PI). Both are waterproof. I use them both on the salt beaches in and out of the water. I have been told that the Tiger Shark works better in fresh water than salt, but I really haven't had the opportunity to find deep targets in fresh water so I can't confirm that. The Whites PI air tests on an average size man's gold wedding band at about 13" max. The Tiger Shark about 11" max. However, the PI had to almost touch a thin gold earring to make a sound. The Tiger Shark was sounding off at about 8". You can forget about thin gold chains with the PI unless there is a heavy clasp or a pendant on it. The duel field has an inner loop of about 6" and an outer loop of 11". the inner loop is suppose to see the smaller targets but not quite as deep and the outer loop is suppose to see the larger targets deeper over the whole 11" diameter. I think that part seems to be accurate, but the inner coil does not see the thin, small gold. Supposedly, Whites Duel Fiend PI detector has been programmed to pick up gold better than older models, and have a quicker response time so you do not have to sweep it as slow as older PI models. Can't sweep as fast as a VLF but faster than older PI models. I have found gold with both machines close to a foot deep. I have also found bobby pins and pennies at 18" deep with the PI. I also found a heavy silver bracelet at about 2' deep with the PI. With the PI, I dig 5 pieces of trash for every clad find. Gold is few and far between, but enough to keep me interested. If it ain't there, you're not going to find it with any machine. The PI is more stable in black sand on the beach and no ground balance is necessary whereas the Tiger Shark is manually ground balanced and less stable in black sand. Based on what I have read, I would probably have bought the Minelab Excalibur instead of the Whites PI, if I had it to do over again. The Excalibur goes almost as deep but nulls on iron so you are not digging bobby pins at 18". But then if I was using the Excalibur I would not have dug the $500 dive watch I wear now because it would have nulled on the stainless steel. You give some, you get some. your call. Hope it helps. Ralph

Wow! Thanks Ralph. I learned a lot.
--Snowy

 

[cavador del oro]

I had a Garret PI machine and used it for fresh water lakes. It is a very deep, dig everything machine with very little discrimination. Mine was a Seahunter II and was guaranteed waterproof to 200'! I went on several club hunts with planted coins and easily kept up with the other machines. The only problem was it picked up existing very deep targets that did not even register on their VLF machines! It also would pick up very small deep targets. Therefore I spent too much time digging targets that were not part of the hunt. Since I used it mainly for club hunts in fresh water lakes and since I was nowhere near salt water I traded it off for a Fisher 1280X. It should work better for my club hunts and as well on the few lakeshore hunts I may go on also. The Seahunter was great but just does not fit my needs. If you plan to go into salt water or if you dive, or if you are willing to occasionally dig 18 to 24", the Seahunter should be your cup of tea. Otherwise I would stick with a VLF machine. Monty

Excellent! Thanks much Monty. I agree.
--Snowy

 

[cavador del oro]

You could look for a Garrett Sea Hunter. I use one and it's solid. IHMO Garretts always give you more than your money's worth. But MT Pockets is right, they ring any metal no matter how tiny.

Chip V.

Thanks for the tip.
--Snowy