Water Metal Detecting Tips

		Quote:			Posted by Songman
	I was scanning the replies to this thread and sure hope that JCPinCt was talking about indian head pennies.....  Just thought it was funny that he dug up 50 indians.   I found lot of indian head pennies when I was in western Oregon, but they were so corroded from the salt air that the dates and some of the features couldn't be seen. :'( Songman You are not allowed to view links. Please Register or Login Idaho Treasure Hunters

Right, Indian Cents/pennies I had put cents in near the beginning of my post. I find mine in the salt water and therefore the post about bad sounding targets. I imagine when finding them on land, that they might sound the same way as in the water if they are as corroded. True, some are hard to make out, usually the wreath can just be seen on the real bad ones. I don't get the same sound from old wheat pennies out in the water. They sound pretty much like on land finds.

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,1283.msg29838.html#msg29838

I do the dragging my scoop when on land also. When walking in the water, I use a scoop with a wooded handle so it I lose it, the handle floats and I have no problem grabbing it. I also have a plastic basket which has a circular ring of the kids styrofoam around it, to keep it floating. The plastic basket is about 2 foot across, and has small holes in it that a .22 caliber or simular size object, won't go through. I bought the basket in one of those Dollar stores, than attached the foam ring with tie wraps. In the center of the basket, inside it, I put a round magnet which came from the back of an older car speaker. Secured it down with a few tie wraps. It keeps it weighted down and it catches the iron items. Can be built for about 3 dollars or less. I tied a cord to it and I let it follow me in the water about 8 feet behind me. When I get the thin or small sounds or readings from the detector, I pull the cord and the basket comes to me, then I pull up the scoop and quickly dump it in the basket so I don't lose the small stuff. I shake it out and find the item that would have slipped through the larger holes in the scoop. Saves a lot of time from trying to find items that keep falling through the holes of the scoop.

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,1283.msg30820.html#msg30820

Tried the string idea at my favorite beach but I kept getting tangled up with all the swimmers.
Would you believe some of them got a little mad about it?
Anyhow, a lifeguard came out and told me I had to roll up the string and leave.
Oh well ... it was a good idea.


Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,1283.msg36518.html#msg36518

		Quote:			Posted by aussie
	Hi JCPin               The cord on the scoop is pretty well what I do although I have'nt used he magnet idea yet must try it.

I drilled a 1/4" hole near the top of my scoop handle which is wooden, I put one of the larger tie wraps through it and it is much easier to hold than a cord and it doesn't hurt your hand by cutting in to it.
As for the Indian Cents and other coins I dig up in the water, they are just a by product of mainly hoping to find gold and silver in the water. I do even find the antique blop top soda and beer bottles in the water, they have a metal stopper inside the top and the detector picks these up. I have also seen parts poking out of the sand of old porcelain cups and other glassware so I just dig around them carefully to try to bring them up whole when they aren't broken. This old dinnerware is often marked with the restaurants names which were very popular before the  1940s, and the items are collectable and sell well. Recently found an old spoon marked on the handle with the name of one of the old restaurants. I occasionally find very old small toy items that kids would win at the games back in the early years. This old stuff was from a now long gone amusement park area which was started in the 1880s and ran till the 1960s. Pickins are getting alot slimmer than several years ago, but when there are some storms in the winter, it uncovers new areas by moving the sand bars. I can only work this area at low tides, and mainly at very low tides, so I don't have more than 2-3 hours at most to hunt in the water before the area is too deep to work. It limits me to hunt about 10 days a month at most. Hurricanes have demolished the old piers back in 1920 and again in 1938, so there is junk in the water also, never know what you might find in areas like this. Fun, but it sometimes feels like hard work after a couple hours.

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,1283.msg41214.html#msg41214

If you hunt fresh water beaches keep an eye out in your scoop for arrow heads or other odd shaped stones, i have found some arrow heads and a friend i hunt with found a nice spear head. Check out my post, Happy Hunting!!! DW

Linkback:

You are not allowed to view links.
Please Register or Login

http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,1283.msg41834.html#msg41834