I've met 2 "detectorists" this year...

Foragist · May 16, 2019

They both do the pendulum swing, with the coil barely touching the top of the grass in the center of the swing, and raising up from there on each side of the swing. I tried to help the first guy. His sensitivity was turned way down to where a dime would not read at more than 2 inches. He said he didn't like all the noise from the junk signals. I got him to turn his sensitivity up to double the depth, and told him to keep the coil flat to the ground. As I walked away, he was happily pendulum-swinging away, with his coil now lifted even higher!
The second guy was on my home turf with an Equinox 600. I talked with him for a couple minutes, but didn't offer any pointers. :pirate2:

AquaHunter · May 16, 2019

I'm a league bowler (2 leagues), and over the years I have learned that people in general do not want bowling advice.

And in the rare times when people ask for advice, they don't follow it.

Sounds like the same is true with detecting for some people. Now I don't offer advice unless requested.

Numil · May 17, 2019

Amen. Been down that road as well. I no longer offer advice unless specifically asked and even then I’m wary

markinswpa · May 17, 2019

At least you tried. Me I'll take all the help I can get, anything to up my game I will give it a shot. I have been hunting with the Equinox since they came out in Feb.of 18 and still read everything posted on settings and the like. HH Mark

Silversmith45 · May 17, 2019

I met a couple in a local park digging with a large shovel. They said they were just starting. I told them to begin with to get something smaller to dig with and to cover their holes. They said they would but the next time I saw that they had been back and hadn't learned anything. i spent my detecting time filling the holes they had left. I haven't seen any more of them. I think they gave up detecting because they weren't finding much. I found several coins next to their holes because they couldn't pinpoint them.

georgeinsc · May 17, 2019

I detet the beach a lot and see folks with every kind of metal detector. Most of them have no idea what they are doing and do not want any advie from an old Geezer. (That is what my Granddaughter has called me since she was first learning to talk.)

I do enjoy detecting behind those folks who emulate Tiger Woods with their swing digging targets that they missed.

marcuss112 · May 17, 2019

I think a lot of people pretty wouldn’t mind advice but don’t know how to to ask for it. We should wear a hat or shirt that says “open for advice.” Tips are welcomed.

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Foragist · May 17, 2019

N6BY said:
I'm a league bowler (2 leagues), and over the years I have learned that people in general do not want bowling advice.

And in the rare times when people ask for advice, they don't follow it.

Sounds like the same is true with detecting for some people. Now I don't offer advice unless requested.

I've seen this enough times too. It's just natural instinct for me to try to teach when I am experienced, and they are making rookie mistakes.

Numil said:
Amen. Been down that road as well. I no longer offer advice unless specifically asked and even then I’m wary

I guess I should probably back off in the advice offering sometimes. :lol:

markinswpa said:
At least you tried. Me I'll take all the help I can get, anything to up my game I will give it a shot. I have been hunting with the Equinox since they came out in Feb.of 18 and still read everything posted on settings and the like. HH Mark

Thanks. It's smart to be open to advice about something you are doing. Even if you just learn one thing.

Silversmith45 said:
I met a couple in a local park digging with a large shovel. They said they were just starting. I told them to begin with to get something smaller to dig with and to cover their holes. They said they would but the next time I saw that they had been back and hadn't learned anything. i spent my detecting time filling the holes they had left. I haven't seen any more of them. I think they gave up detecting because they weren't finding much. I found several coins next to their hoiles because they couldn't pinpoint them.

The leaving holes in a park thing would get me fired up! Especially oversized holes. :mad:

Some people need to switch hobbies...quick!

georgeinsc said:
I detet the beach a lot and see folks with every kind of metal detector. Most of them have no idea what they are doing and do not want any advie from an old Geezer. (That is what my Granddaughter has called me since she was first learning to talk.)
I do enjoy detecting behind those folks who emulate Tiger Woods with their swing digging targets that they missed.

I suppose this type of thing is a common occurrence at the beaches. Just not used to other people detecting around here. Your Granddaughter's vocabulary sounds pretty cute! :lol:

marcuss112 said:
I think a lot of people pretty wouldn’t mind advice but don’t know how to to ask for it. We should wear a hat or shirt that says “open for advice.” Tips are welcomed.
I could probably tell if a person is open to learn, or not, by talking to them. No sign needed. I need to pay closer attention to that.

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Foragist · May 17, 2019

Proper swing technique...

In case someone is reading this, thinking "what are they talking about?" or "how am I supposed to swing my detector?", there are lots of online instructions, videos, diagrams, etc. Many detector manuals also describe proper techniques.
Here is just one video by "Calabash Digger" that discusses a few things about swing technique any good detectorist needs to know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tOeP25YX5M

tinsmith · May 18, 2019

I've also seen the poor swingers out there and to be honest, I'm happy someone is missing a few targets.
I saw a family detecting. A dad with his 3-4 kids, a couple yellow detectors swinging all over but never slow n low, but.....what disturbed me was they were on a historical farm. Right in the front yard of the main 18th century house. Big spade shovel, dirt flying around.
I was in the car at the bank. I think the guy was in the historical society as the front door was open. I'm pretty sure the town owned the farm and maintained it. Still I was shocked by the sight. Well, probably more jealous than anything else. :digginahole:

ROBOTCOP13 · May 18, 2019

One of the worst "swingers" I've seen is Terry Shannon who is one of the most successful beach hunters with his Minelab Sovereign. He has physical disabilities but check out his detecting videos.

Stiffwrists · May 18, 2019

I'm learning that "coil control" is much more important than I realized when I was starting out. Swing speed, overlapping, etc..

GKL · May 18, 2019

Hey if they don't want to benefit from your advice then they simply will be less competition to you :lol:

Foragist · May 19, 2019

tinsmith said:
I've also seen the poor swingers out there and to be honest, I'm happy someone is missing a few targets.
I saw a family detecting. A dad with his 3-4 kids, a couple yellow detectors swinging all over but never slow n low, but.....what disturbed me was they were on a historical farm. Right in the front yard of the main 18th century house. Big spade shovel, dirt flying around.
I was in the car at the bank. I think the guy was in the historical society as the front door was open. I'm pretty sure the town owned the farm and maintained it. Still I was shocked by the sight. Well, probably more jealous than anything else.

I bet if you asked about detecting there, they would say "Oh it's already been detected, so..." :laughing:

Maybe you have a shot at it?

ROBOTCOP13 said:
One of the worst "swingers" I've seen is Terry Shannon who is one of the most successful beach hunters with his Minelab Sovereign. He has physical disabilities but check out his detecting videos.

Wow! Just watched some of those vids. Astonishing collections he has. Good advice on reading the beach. Makes you wonder how much more he would find with a better swing technique. I don't get it. Even when I was a newbie reading the manual, I wondered why they even have to show the pendulum swing as "how not to swing". Seems common sense, but I guess many people don't think of it that way...especially after watching and learning from someone like Terry.

Stiffwrists said:
I'm learning that "coil control" is much more important than I realized when I was starting out. Swing speed, overlapping, etc..

Me too. There's more to it than just the basics. Still learning. Then, after each long winter, I have to learn it all over again!

GKL said:
Hey if they don't want to benefit from your advice then they simply will be less competition to you

...and there's the bright side! Guy #1 I certainly don't have to worry about, but guy #2 has decent equipment, and he was in MY park! :lol:

It's OK. there's not much left there, and the good stuff is usually not easily found.

dirt dick · May 19, 2019

A few years ago, a guy I know asked for help and pointers...
he wanted me to help "show him how to learn his machine"
as he said, that he's has read the directions over & over again,
and that machine goes crazy when he turns it on.
I stopped by his house one day, I looked at his older bounty hunter,
The 1st thing I saw was that his coil was on backwards,
mounted under the shaft, & was held on and attached to the shaft,
by a metal bolt and wingnut........... :facepalm:

pryan67 · May 19, 2019

I met a couple of fellow detectorists in a local park earlier this year. I noticed their swings, and asked if they minded a little advice. I gave it to them, and they seemed to follow it (at least that day. Who knows if they keep it in mind). I'm happy to help as much as a I can. I look at it as a payback for all the advice I have received here.

Scooterjim · May 19, 2019

OLD guy, at my closest park swings a few foot up in the air with every swing. Antique looking machine covered in duct tape. He said he had been hunting for 30 years. I wanted to ask him if he had found anything yet. He was surprised the groundskeeper would let me use a leshe style hand digger, said they told him he couldn't use anything except a screwdriver. I'm assuming he was making a mess and the guys were to nice to run him off. I'm guessing he's 90 years old. His wife drives him there and sits on a bench reading and drinking coffee. They always offer a cup and bring extra cups with them. Really nice people. I haven't seen them this year and am worried something might have happened. I have had coffee with him a dozen times and every time I talk to him he asks if I have hunted the park before. I pretend it's the first time we met even when we have talked 3 times in the last week. I suspect his wife is throwing a handfull of change. There are always surface coins after they leave and I just leave them.

diggin4clad · May 20, 2019

I see quite a few so called detectorists out there when I hunt and I just basically mind my own business. One time I made an exception because the guy was tearing up a small park in my hometown and making a HUGE mess. He was digging every signal with one of those pick ax things that rock climbers use. When I suggested he be more careful he pretty much told me to mind my own business and kept on "picking" away at the turf. As for the pendulum type swingers...…..I won't be offering any advice, let them learn by trial and error. If they ask....maybe I'll try to help. Maybe...…. :laughing:

Silversmith45 · May 20, 2019

dirt dick said:
I looked at his older bounty hunter,
The 1st thing I saw was that his coil was on backwards,
mounted under the shaft, & was held on and attached to the shaft,
by a metal bolt and wingnut...........

My Original Tesoro Silver Sabre has a metal bolt. It came from the factory like about 36 years ago that and it is one of my best detectors.

georgeinsc · May 20, 2019

A few years back I was at the beach with my Sovereign GT. Met a guy swinging a Safari. I dont know how many times he told me that I had a good machine but his Safari was the best machine Minelab ever made. Later I saw him with an Xcal and Lastly he is swinging a NOX. Still swinging like tiger woods. I try to avoid him when I see him because he will follow you down the beach talking to you as you detect and it is extremely rare that he has found anything. When I see him me and my xcal find another area of the beach that needs our attention.

I've met 2 "detectorists" this year...

Foragist

AquaHunter

Numil

Elite Member

markinswpa

Silversmith45

Elite Member

georgeinsc

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marcuss112

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Foragist

Foragist

tinsmith

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ROBOTCOP13

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Stiffwrists

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GKL

Foragist

dirt dick

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pryan67

Scooterjim

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diggin4clad

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Silversmith45

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georgeinsc

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