metal detectors

May 12, 2005 7:58 AM

Buying advice for a good starter metal detector.

There are a wide range of prices for metal detectors. I don't want a toy, but I'm not prepared to drop more than $300, and there are a lot of rigs that are priced higher than that. It doesn't need to be waterproof... I'm just looking for something to get me going and decide if I want to pursue the hobby further.

posted by crunchland to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (5 answers total)

I bought a cheapie White's for about $150. It seems to work fine. No fancy display and it collapses nicely. I bought it from
this store

I wouldn't spend more than $200 if I were you. It's a stange hobby. Do you have somewhere in mind to use it? I used mine in my backyard and am now at a loss where else to go. Most people don't want you digging up their yard, and using it in any public place immeadiately draws the attention of authorities who are worried you're either going to dig up the park or are up to something nefarious like locating undergroud gas mains for a terrorist cell.
posted by cosmicbandito at 8:12 AM on May 12, 2005

And stay away from potential sites of archaeological interest. An archaeologist friend in England constantly bemoans amateurs with metal detectors who destroy potential dig sites by digging them up themselves. (I told him he was a nag, but I also think he has a point.) I'll stop derailing now.
posted by goatdog at 8:17 AM on May 12, 2005

Aren't beaches the customary site for recreational metal detection? With spare change, watches, etcetera, you might be able to supplement your income.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:33 AM on May 12, 2005

Response by poster: Funny, goatdog, it's actually all of those british archeology programs (Time Team and Meet the Ancestors) on the History channel that have sparked my interest in metal detecting.

I had presumed I could use it on public lands, like parks and beaches, etc. and old churchyards and construction sites. It hadn't occurred to me that I'd have troubles doing it.
posted by crunchland at 3:25 PM on May 12, 2005

This is great timing, as I was just at the tool rental store last week renting a rototiller and saw one of thse on the wall. I said "throw it in," as it was only $15 bucks for the day. From this experience I learned that even a cheap model (this one looked lower-end) will be pretty fun, especially if you're using it with kids. The backyard, the beach, and public parks are the best places to go....where there's turf, bring a squared off shovel and a little piece of tarp so you can dig out a nice neat square, put the dirt on the tarp for sifting, and replace everything nice and neat when you're done.

In our yard we found an old hinge, an old penny, a pop-top (ask your parents) and a treasure map folded up around about $4 in very recently minted coins, planted by my wife five minutes prior to its discovery, or else by pirates, one or the other. This went over VERY big with our five-year-old boy.

In the U.S., you shouldn't have much trouble in parks or other public spaces, unless they're old battlefields or historic sites. Just be sure to leave the condition of the property as you found it.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 4:45 PM on May 12, 2005