Compact detector for specific, commercial use?

Nope, that hand scanner is used for scanning people at security checkpoints, you want to find metal objects buried 6-8" in the dirt.
See the problem?
Two completely different applications.
You would look pretty silly looking for metal contraband hidden on people with a normal metal detector plus it would be unwieldy and take too long and if you think you are going to get 6-8" into the dirt to find anything with that hand scanner I got plenty of bridges for sale if you are interested.

That hand scanner is made to run close to people's bodies and will hit on metal, other applications might be scanning logs and cut wood looking for shallow small hidden nails and staples before you run them through saws and wood planers, or maybe close to dirt or rock filled driveways to find nails but that's about it.
Security scanners aren't known for having much depth.

Most regular metal detectors break down into a few pieces and can be carried to remote sites but not all of them can get 8" deep into the dirt, especially many of the cheap ones.

I really don't know exactly what you are looking for and I am sure a few people will come on here and give you some recommendations but depth on detectors depends on many factors, design, power, coils and the kind of dirt you are hunting in.

A Tesoro Compadre with an 8" coil might, might be able to hit those targets you are looking for, maybe, but even in great dirt that 8" Mark will be near the very end of that scanning field.
In bad dirt it might not even get to 6" and neither will many others that are more expensive.

You have some knowledge to acquire before you purchase anything, guessing will be a waste of time and your money.

The more info we have the more help we can be here.
Where in the country are you needing to do this?
Sand is good, black loam is good but mesic denotes alkali properties and in our world we call that mineralization...enough of that, or the wrong kind, can easily kill depth.

Then there is the density of your targets.
A fork is one thing and hard enough to find, some kind of wire configuration might be much harder.

Per your parameters...the AtPro would do it...We find SS forks and spoons all the time on the beaches and in parks...Now I understand your target is comprised of an open wire mesh kind of configuration..similar to a narrow strip of welded wire 'hardware cloth' I imagine...thats even better for a signal!...

I am intrigued...Ive been a Damage Control Trapper and a trap builder for many many years...you can PM me if you would like...I will sign an NDA and test my Pro out on your target for you...or find somebody in your AO and do something similar...just bury your target and see if they can 'Hit it'...they dont even have to see what it is...Good Luck!

Where's the nearest brick and mortar detecting store? Take your item in a bucket buried in the same dirt your searching. You can rent detectors as well.
My ATPro has found big stainless nuts and washers 8" deep. I've found a bunch of 1/4" stainless washers in the 0-6" range.

I would think any of the mid range machines where you could discriminate out everything but your target would hit a 1" SS washer at 8" That might be to deep for 1/4" washers. The shape of your target has a lot to do with the signal strength.

Wildlifers said:

Hey everybody!.

I'm trying not to get too specific for a reason, as it's somewhat proprietary.

!

Click to expand...

Mud-puppy Per your parameters...the AtPro would do it......Now I understand your target is comprised of an open wire mesh kind of configuration..similar to a narrow strip of welded wire 'hardware cloth' I imagine...thats even better for a signal!...

I don't know what they are, but i'm going to start looking for them. $$$$$$$

I don't believe an AT Pro is what you could call relatively inexpensive.

One product I like would be.

Now I have the other products mentioned in these posts but the Compadre will do it. Especially, if you have one with the larger coil. They work and are as he is looking for cheap.