EightInchesDeep
New Member
Hello all,
I am new to the forums and metal detecting. I'm glad to be a part of the community!
About three months ago, on a whim, because it was a shiny new object, and my A.D.D. needed a new obsession to hyper-focus on, I bought the Harbor Freight 9 Function detector. I already had the HF pinpointer for woodworking, but I took it and modified it to put in a vibrating motor and some of the other mods I had seen online. I started in my front and backyard (my wife is a Saint) and got to know the HF machine. It did fine and I felt I quickly got to know its personality. The pinpointer worked, but the common button issue happened and it wasn't holding up. The detector was pretty awkward to use, ergonomically. I though about modifying it, but that would be another rabbit hole I'd probably never come out of.
Instead, I did some research and decided on the Teknetics Delta 4000 for a good beginner machine. I ordered it on Amazon for $215 after taxes and a day before it came, I found someone selling a Minelab 705 in near mint condition with Koss headphones, the Minelab digging tool, the 9" 7.5kz concentric, the 5"x10.5" DD 18.75kz coil, and the minelab carrying bag for $350. So, I decided to get it because of everything I have read about it and the amazing reviews. I also upgraded to the Garrett Pro pinpointer (the price is a hard pill to swallow, but that really is an amazing tool). So I now have that, the HF 9 Func, the Delta 4000, and the Minelab 705 Gold Pack + extras. I haven't really used the Teknetics yet and a buddy of mine used it and offered to buy it for what I paid. I am definitely not keeping all three.
The Minelab bundle for $350 seemed like a good deal and I felt that if I didn't take to it, I could always sell it for near that if not more than that. I was aware there would be a learning curve but figured I could grow in to it more than the Delta 4000. I've already read the manual 10 times and the Randy Horton guide a few times. I understand it all, but am finding when tinkering with it, putting the concepts in to practice is obviously a different beast. I have been going out in various areas for 3-4 hours a day before/after work to practice (with the Minelab). It seems awesome, but it has frustrated me a lot more than the HF one did. Trashy areas, figuring out if I should dig, just digging everything, etc. I found a lot more coins/etc with the HF. And I went with my buddy, who borrowed the HF and had never detected before, and he found much more on the same field than I did with the Minelab. I've spent a week or so using both of the Minelab coils, tinkering with settings and it is making more sense, but in "trashier" areas, it beeps like 15 smoke detectors all needing a new battery at once.
So, did I make the right decision on going with the Minelab and returning/selling the Delta 4000 at this point? Was the Minelab deal too good to pass up? If you were a beginner, would you sell/return the Delta 4000 and keep the Minelab and go through the learning curve? Am I setting myself up for failure?
Thanks for any advice or suggestions!
EiD
(Note: This is a copy of a post I put on another forum before I found this site and this seems to be a lot more active for MDing than the other one. Sorry for the cross post)
I am new to the forums and metal detecting. I'm glad to be a part of the community!
About three months ago, on a whim, because it was a shiny new object, and my A.D.D. needed a new obsession to hyper-focus on, I bought the Harbor Freight 9 Function detector. I already had the HF pinpointer for woodworking, but I took it and modified it to put in a vibrating motor and some of the other mods I had seen online. I started in my front and backyard (my wife is a Saint) and got to know the HF machine. It did fine and I felt I quickly got to know its personality. The pinpointer worked, but the common button issue happened and it wasn't holding up. The detector was pretty awkward to use, ergonomically. I though about modifying it, but that would be another rabbit hole I'd probably never come out of.
Instead, I did some research and decided on the Teknetics Delta 4000 for a good beginner machine. I ordered it on Amazon for $215 after taxes and a day before it came, I found someone selling a Minelab 705 in near mint condition with Koss headphones, the Minelab digging tool, the 9" 7.5kz concentric, the 5"x10.5" DD 18.75kz coil, and the minelab carrying bag for $350. So, I decided to get it because of everything I have read about it and the amazing reviews. I also upgraded to the Garrett Pro pinpointer (the price is a hard pill to swallow, but that really is an amazing tool). So I now have that, the HF 9 Func, the Delta 4000, and the Minelab 705 Gold Pack + extras. I haven't really used the Teknetics yet and a buddy of mine used it and offered to buy it for what I paid. I am definitely not keeping all three.
The Minelab bundle for $350 seemed like a good deal and I felt that if I didn't take to it, I could always sell it for near that if not more than that. I was aware there would be a learning curve but figured I could grow in to it more than the Delta 4000. I've already read the manual 10 times and the Randy Horton guide a few times. I understand it all, but am finding when tinkering with it, putting the concepts in to practice is obviously a different beast. I have been going out in various areas for 3-4 hours a day before/after work to practice (with the Minelab). It seems awesome, but it has frustrated me a lot more than the HF one did. Trashy areas, figuring out if I should dig, just digging everything, etc. I found a lot more coins/etc with the HF. And I went with my buddy, who borrowed the HF and had never detected before, and he found much more on the same field than I did with the Minelab. I've spent a week or so using both of the Minelab coils, tinkering with settings and it is making more sense, but in "trashier" areas, it beeps like 15 smoke detectors all needing a new battery at once.
So, did I make the right decision on going with the Minelab and returning/selling the Delta 4000 at this point? Was the Minelab deal too good to pass up? If you were a beginner, would you sell/return the Delta 4000 and keep the Minelab and go through the learning curve? Am I setting myself up for failure?
Thanks for any advice or suggestions!
EiD
(Note: This is a copy of a post I put on another forum before I found this site and this seems to be a lot more active for MDing than the other one. Sorry for the cross post)
