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Metal Detecting

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JEBar
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Metal Detecting

Post by JEBar » Tue Jun 04, 2019 8:07 pm

just wondering how many of our members are interested in metal detecting .... we have a 10+ year old White's DFX metal detector that I enjoy using but somehow don't find time to do so .... we keep it in our camper and have used it at various locations across the country .... I've found a few coins and a nice ring down at the NC shore
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Mistered
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mistered » Tue Jun 04, 2019 8:53 pm

just wondering how many of our members are interested in metal detecting
Been 'swinging one' since I built my first BFO (beat frequency oscillator) based unit in about 1973!
Been through many since then and now have a modern, digital White's unit.
I hunt regularly and spend time researching old townsites, homesteads, historical areas etc.
It's kind of my 'quiet' hobby!
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markiver54
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by markiver54 » Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:12 pm

Have often thought of trying one...never know what you will find.
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Mistered
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mistered » Tue Jun 04, 2019 9:26 pm

Have often thought of trying one...never know what you will find.
Successful metal detecting is a combination of a lot of homework and ensuring you are patient and can spend long periods of time alone.
Sure, you can break out your detector on a public beach or park (if legal) and find some coins and maybe jewelry or other stuff but most of the hunting I do is relatively remote in out of the way areas.
You will dig a lot of trash for the occasional nice find but that is a BIG part of it!
Recently I have started to detect a temporary logging railroad bed not far from where i live. So far about every ten feet or so I get a large 'hit' and dig a spike! I keep bringing them home anyway for possible future projects.
This railbed happens to be near what was a 'temporary' logging town established by a logging company in the early 30's and lasted for several years as a 'company town'
I only discovered it a few years ago when researching some old Forest Service maps and saw it. Being it was pretty close to me I took off and and spent an afternoon trying to locate the site and finally did after a lot of searching but when I did I came across many acres of old junk, cabin foundations and basically just lots of trash.
It would not be an very good area to detect in as the area is littered with old trash, tin cans and other metal garbage.
The residents were mostly vagrant, lumber workers who didn't have much to begin with so there is not really going to be much of anything historically worthwhile.
This is me at an old wood stove that was in one of the cabins at the time.
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Railroad Spikes
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Mags
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mags » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:01 pm

I have a 20+ yr old Radio Shack cheapy that gets very little use. Most rewarding use was helping my distraught daughter find a ring lost in the grass. Also used it from time to time to find people's iron staked property corners. A friend of mine used his to find a late 19th century 20 dollar gold piece where the bleachers used to stand in a field that was once a rodeo ground.
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Mistered
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mistered » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:12 pm

A friend of mine used his to find a late 19th century 20 dollar gold piece where the bleachers used to stand in a field that was once a rodeo ground.
Did he find the Double Eagle in Oregon?!?!
If so this is a VERY RARE find as the typical history of Oregon does not include any particular 'riches' as Oregon has had what is historically a 'hardscrabble' existence by those who ultimately DID choose Oregon as a 'home base' and a large part of this did not take place until the late 1800s through the early 1900s.
Oregon was typically bypassed for the riches of California early on.
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Mags
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mags » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:31 pm

.
This was a few years ago. I don't remember that detail. It was a big deal find of a rare $20 gold coin is what I remember.
Mistered wrote:
Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:12 pm
A friend of mine used his to find a late 19th century 20 dollar gold piece where the bleachers used to stand in a field that was once a rodeo ground.
Did he find the Double Eagle in Oregon?!?!
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Mistered
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mistered » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:46 pm

I have a 20+ yr old Radio Shack cheapy that gets very little use.
'sarcastically' I am glad to hear this as it keeps metal detecting under the 'radar' for those of us who are 'serious' about it.
Probably about 98 % of metal detectors wind up in a closet or sold.
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Mags
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mags » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:50 pm

.
Mine 99.999999% of the time unused. Just another tool in the proverbial tool box in time of need or stirred up curiosity.
Mistered wrote:
Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:46 pm
I have a 20+ yr old Radio Shack cheapy that gets very little use.
'sarcastically' I am glad to hear this as it keeps metal detecting under the 'radar' for those of us who are 'serious' about it.
Probably about 98 % of metal detectors wind up in a closet or sold.
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UPDATES: OR passes 114, "one of strictest gun control measures in U.S." https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 34#p213234

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Mistered
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Re: Metal Detecting

Post by Mistered » Tue Jun 04, 2019 10:58 pm

Mine 99.999999% of the time unused.
Metal detecting is NOT for everybody.
It takes a combination of an interest in history, the outdoors, and an uncommon 'feeling' of appreciation for those who were 'there' (in the area you are hunting in) and an ability to reminisce on the item you found.
I once found a kitchen woodstove iron plate handle at an old homestead. I could not (and still cannot) get past who might have have it in their hand, and when the last time it was used. Kind of haunting actually.....
On the bottom is the plate handle - the item above it is a hand forged lemon press I found at the same location - very rare as lemons weren't real common in Eastern Oregon in the 'early days'.
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