So...is it possible to start a business locating metal...

call me insane...but i'm seriously thinking about printing up some cards and goin' for it. what the heck.

LD
 

In my area, there is at least one company that specializes in finding buried water and electric lines, septic tanks, property survey stakes etc. As far as finding lost jewelry, you'd probably have to charge by the hour with no guarantee of finding the item. If I had lost valuable jewelry before I got into MDing, I would have looked into renting a detector.

Here's a link to a page with stories about renting detectors:
http://www.prostockdetectors.com/Rental.html

....and the saga of a couple who lost a wedding ring:
http://ask.metafilter.com/58593/Recover-my-wedding-ring

I talk to people often who have stories about losing something and thinking about using a detector to find it, but either never got around to it or were intimidated by what they considered the difficulty of quickly learning to use one. Unfamiliar technology has a tendency to freak out a lot of people.

If you start a finding service, put a lot of thought into how to effectively advertise it, without it costing you an arm and a leg. Getting referrals from retail detector sellers would help. There will also be liability issues, licensing and insurance to consider. You may even need to get bonded. Good luck.

scrubber
 

Yes, but I'd advise against it. Turning an avocation into a vocation, causes a loss of the love that made it an avocation to start with. Then it just becomes another vocation, with rules, time limits, pressures, deadlines etc.... :-\ :P :'(
 

I'm so glad I asked about this.

I never thought about that. Licensed, bonded, insured, authorized, sanctified, stamped approved and hermetically sealed for everyone's protection. :tard:

I actually have been reading a book about turning avocations into vocations--there are likely better ways to go with that.

Probably best to keep MDing fun. :)

I'm headed back to the RR tracks with my trusty coyote. :wink:

LD
 

ldablo said:
I never thought about that. Licensed, bonded, insured, authorized, sanctified, stamped approved and hermetically sealed for everyone's protection. :tard:
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to dump cold water on you. I hate it when people do that with ideas I'm excited about. Approach the idea slowly with the idea of it being an extra-time gig and it might work.

MD Dog is right. There's no better way to ruin a fun hobby than to make a job out of it. I loved playing music, so in my 30's I decided to join a working band. Result -- the clubs I liked to go in to tip a few and dance on weekend nights became my work place. And I chose not to drink before or during work, so the luster wore off pretty quickly. We worked 5 nights a week. Imagine having to play a song you hate over 250 times a year. :sleepy4:

Yes, ideally we should all work at something we love, but sometimes it's better to let a job be a job and keep the special things special.

scrubber
 

thanks scrubber,

actually i'm gonna take all the advice. i'll start slow and see what shakes (if anything) and if it looks like it could turn into something i'll work it as it goes--but keeping it FUN is still going to be the no. 1 priority. :)

LD
 

I've done nothing but metal detecting for 28 years. Recovery for insurance companies and for private losses from rings to keys. Paid field testing for prototype detectors and other equipment (this often means a free detector). Inbetween you do your own searching.

Its a job as you have to pay bills so for years I was out six days a week even if its driving rain and even now I never go out without a detector even if I'm just going shopping in case I see a farmer ploughing or a site being cleared for a new house.

At least in the U.K. there's no worry about health thanks to the Nation Health system but your not building up a pension on the cheap or being allowed to offset equipment, fuel costs etc as you can in countries where your taxed on finds and allowed to be a "true" business.

Scrubber has summed things up very well. Best to keep things a hobby but the odd card in a shop window offering your services can bring in extra cash and more importantly can lead to permission to detect on ground you would not normally get on.
 

Funny, I was thinking it might be worthwhile too . . .
(Thought don't quit your day job!)

I tried putting an ad in on CraigsList.
No takers, so I gave up, but I think with a carefully worded
ad I might have more success.

I would think you'd have to offer the land owner something too,
like "All jewelry, and 1 out of 4 coins go to you, and I keep the rest."
Of course you could pocket the really valuable coins yourself.

Trouble is, figure it out - it might take an hour to do one house, and
you'd be lucky to find one dollar.

The only real chance of "making it" would be to contact people who
have actually lost known jewelry (or valuables) in a specific area, and ask for a
percentage or flat fee reward.
 

So...is it possible to start a business locating metal...the answer is a big resounding YES.

Its a matter of approach and attitude...

Many businesses started as a result of a hobby or interest, some very successful and an unknown number as failures.

Hewlett-Packard began as a garage hobby as did numerous others.

As an example, my ex made bisque dolls and wanted to start a business...instead of making a business plan and analysing all aspects of the business...she forged ahead and made several large sales...and was unable to meet the commitments...did not have the inventory...did not have the materials...process too slow to make the delivery...etc

The importance of success is to generate a sound business plan and take into account all potential problems...

In your case there's equipment (spares), travel costs, vehicle costs, gasoline / maintenance / auto insurance, advertisement, business stationary & cards, telephone, mail & shipping costs, rent (% of residence), insurance, funding for a minimum of 6 months...and so on...

In otherwords, don't attempt to jump off of the end of a pier and expect to learn how to swim...

Good luck
 

I think one of the things I learned operating a very successful Tree farming business for 15 years before being forced to retire last year due to health problems is having more than one face and to diversify. I not only sold the trees wholesale but I also retailed through numerous outlets. I had specialty trees and specimen trees. We grew American Bosai's and mature hard and soft woods. we harvested valuable hard woods for the Lumber industry. Everything has a value even our saw dust was resold. During the Christmas season we sold pine and spruce boughs. We even when times got tough could turn everything into a fire wood operation. So my point is you'll have to find more than one market and use your brains to invent some but if you do you can certainly make a living, how good of a living well that is an unknown for now. Still my first advice still holds, I wouldn't want to do it for a living since that will most assuredly rob tyhe fun right out of MDing but If your determined to go this route then it can be done IMHO. ::) :P
 

WOW!!!

This has turned into a really interesting thread. Thanks everyone for the phenomenal info.

Actually the "finding" service is just one of many income streams I'm going to try to stir up. It doesn't have to fly on its own and I can keep it small and still fun. If and when it stops being fun (or worthwhile as an attempted "enterprise"), I'll just continue to hunt for the occasional gold bar :D.

I've been brainstorming and actually have a rather long list of things I can do for income. My goal is to try and stay very busy doing a lot of things on a fairly small scale that I enjoy a lot. We'll see how it goes.

Some of your insights in this thread have been extremely helpful...once again a truly sincere thanks. :thumbsup:

LD
 

Here's the bad news. To be in business finding lost items, in nearly all states (including Texas) you must be licensed as a private investigator. Pretty much anyone in the business of treasure hunting for a fee for others would fall under these laws. (Only six states don't require PIs to be licensed.)

I think these idiotic laws were in response to people used public records to locate people's unclaimed balances from businesses, utility company deposits, banks, etc., and then they'd offer to split the money with the rightful owner.

A licensed PI who sees your card, advertising or hears about you probably wouldn't hesitate to protect his or her turf by reporting you to the state. Anyone else could also report you.

Texas law is as follows:

Sec. 1702.104. INVESTIGATIONS COMPANY.

(a) A person acts as an investigations company for the purposes of this chapter if the person:

(1) engages in the business of obtaining or furnishing, or accepts employment to obtain or furnish, information related to:

(A) crime or wrongs done or threatened against a state or the United States;

(B) the identity, habits, business, occupation, knowledge, efficiency, loyalty, movement, location, affiliations, associations, transactions, acts, reputation, or character of a person;

(C) the location, disposition, or recovery of lost or stolen property; or

(D) the cause or responsibility for a fire, libel, loss, accident, damage, or injury to a person or to property;

(2) engages in the business of securing, or accepts employment to secure, evidence for use before a court, board, officer, or investigating committee;

(3) engages in the business of securing, or accepts employment to secure, the electronic tracking of the location of an individual or motor vehicle other than for criminal justice purposes by or on behalf of a governmental entity; or

(4) engages in the business of protecting, or accepts employment to protect, an individual from bodily harm through the use of a personal protection officer.

(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(1), obtaining or furnishing information includes information obtained or furnished through the review and analysis of, and the investigation into the content of, computer-based data not available to the public.

Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 906, Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2007.
 

Wow.

I knew about having to be a licensed PI to be involved in assisting people with getting their "lost" money back. I had no idea it extended to property and such. These are badly conceived and implemented laws. You realize also that this means (as I read it) if you find someones lost jewelry it is "technically" illegal to return it to them unless you are a licensed PI. That is just stupid. :icon_scratch:

Hey plehbah, just think about that corn field for a minute--you could find Clark Kent's glasses--that would be pretty cool.

LD


Author's note: My bad...it's technically illegal to return any lost items if you accept any compensation for doing so. If anyone pays someone a reward for the return of a pet or jewelry, etc. they have broken the law? Weird.
 

I agree the restrictions are just plain stupid. Of course, people help others 'informally" all the time. I suspect state enforcement authorities probably have better things to do and would only get involved if someone complained.

Another thought - you do a recovery for someone and they refuse to pay a previously agreed upon split because you're not licensed, which the client knows from having checked the state's website for your credentials.

Sadly, it's all just another example of regulation to limit competition combined with the prevailing nanny state mentality, but that's another thread . . . .
 

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DONT toss the "trash" while in the field!

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