i need some tips

trashcanman

hi folks,
ive been lurking around for some time but i need some advice on using a metal detector.
i managed to lose my wedding ring while cutting wood at the huntin shack this weekend. I have a good idea where it is, but theres so many leaves on the ground i gave up looking after a hour on my hands and knees.
my boss at work has a dector he said i can borrow to look fot it next weekend, but if anyone can give a newbie any tips on how to go about searching id be gratefull...thank you

phut

Don't use much discrimination, if any. Scan the area that you think it is until you get beeps and kick(gently) the leaves around. If the target moves check the new spot. You shouldn't have to dig unless it fell in a gopher hole

CROCKofCOINS

I would set up a grid. Hunt it in each direction--- N to S, S to N, E to W and W to E.
It will not be deep. So just pick up every target that sounds off.
That makes it sound easy, huh?

Jerry

DesertRat

Once you get the detector home. Let us know what type it is. That will make it easy for someone to walk you through the settings to find your ring.

trashcanman

thank you all for the tips, i will post another thread when i find out what kind of detector it is...i think i should be able to find it if i go slow and be patient.

MPeter

Were you using a chain saw or an axe? Forget the leaves, check out the sawdust pile. Were you carrying handfuls of wood and stacking them? Could have come off your finger and got hung up on the tree bark. Take the search coil up and down the wood stack. Of course as the last ditch effort, check in the fireplace. Throw a few logs on the flames and off comes the ring. I'm guessing the wife wasn't with you, since you only spent ONE hour on your hands and knees looking!!! haha

JJ69

If you have the approximate location it should be a snap to find.
Assuming that there is not much of anything metal in the ground, just set up some mental grids of the area and swing the coil slowly, and be sure to overlap your swings - Its very easy to miss a small metal object if you don't overlap.
If you are getting junk hits, I would notch out dollars,half dollars,quarters and iron.
Rings sometimes regsiter as pennies/dimes, they often register as nickels, and sometimes they register in the foil range also.
Thats assuming the detector has notching capabilties.
You might also want to back off of sensitivity a bit if your receiving trash hits - A target like that would ring out like a bell even on low sensitivity.
As an alternative, I would also consider going out at night with a bright flashlight and a blower.
Lightly blow the leaves away, and the glint of gold reflected in a bright beam of light should be very noticable at night.