detecting a career

metalmarbles

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Joined
Apr 7, 2014
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7
Location
san jose ca
was thinking of trying to make a career out of metal detecting. Looking for items that people have lost. Is this something hard to do? And where might I start?:?:
 
You can do it if you are on food stamps and live under a bridge. Not joking. No way can you support yourself on metal detecting. Not a chance.
 
Part of the problem is there are websites now like RING FINDERS that makes it very difficult. I doubt seriously if you could compete with them and make enough on returns to live doing it locally. Even supplementing it by hunting just wouldnt provide enough income no matter how conservative you are. You would have to find a way to sell found gold making way more than melt. Equipment up keep, fuel, and living expenses and just the lack of finds eat up most of anything you make. I certainly wouldnt quit my day job.... and im retired. My suggestion..... try the hobby doing it part time and do some bean counting. Believe me.... you will find this is a HOBBY and nothing more.

Dew
 
You can do it if you are on food stamps and live under a bridge. Not joking. No way can you support yourself on metal detecting. Not a chance.
X2

A minimum wage job at McDonalds' would bring in greater money and more stability than metal detecting as a job. Why would you ruin a great hobby by making it work?
 
Road kill is a career detectorist's friend. I have a day old bread store by the house too. I did eat a bad possum once. I could do a number two through a screen door for a week! Steer clear of Armadillos since they have leprosy:lol:
 
Road kill is a career detectorist's friend. I have a day old bread store by the house too. I did eat a bad possum once. I could do a number two through a screen door for a week! Steer clear of Armadillos since they have leprosy:lol:



Thank you Larry as I was enjoying my oatmeal :lol:
 
Road kill is a career detectorist's friend. I have a day old bread store by the house too. I did eat a bad possum once. I could do a number two through a screen door for a week! Steer clear of Armadillos since they have leprosy:lol:


That's the last time I am inviting you over for dinner!!!... You told me it was an interesting meal... I even cleaned up all the sand in my twin refrigerator box "home" behind the 7-11 before you arrived.

Getting late, need to get detecting, oh um... I mean "work" ;)

~SSC :p
 
You enjoy oatmeal?????? Man that's rough. :wow:

If that doesn't answer the OP's question about making a living scooping up sinkers nothing will. :laughing:

I love oatmeal... I enjoy it every morning... :D You enjoy your greasy eggs and bacon :laughing:


As to the OPers question... maybe in the 70/80's one could have made a living but those days are over unless bottlecaps and pulltabs will feed and house you :D
 
If you want to make metal detecting a "career," I suggest you open a detector/scoop/accessory retail business instead.
 
was thinking of trying to make a career out of metal detecting. Looking for items that people have lost. Is this something hard to do? And where might I start?:?:

Back to the original post.....if you wanted to do this, regardless of the other comments, you would need appropriate equipment for the area you wish to hunt. Most people would agree the worse-case scenario (most expensive route) would be outfitting yourself for hunting salt-water beaches. Using that scenario, you would need the following:

  • Waterproof (PI) or Multi-frequency detector. $650-3,000
  • Well constructed beach scoop. $150-230

If you want to test the waters, I encourage you to rent a metal detector before buying. Then you can learn the different pro's and con's to each type and brand of detector and beach scoop as well as see just how much work is involved in this hobby/career. Utlimately, I think you will find it is a rewarding hobby, but difficult to yield a profit.

Best Regards,

-David
 
Been talked about many times and tried! I think it was a member from Australia who tried it for awhile and kept us up to date.
Since this is in the beach section and you are over in San Jose, if you think doing it on the beaches over here, good luck!!:roll: There are so many of us crazy people swinging detectors you will starve!!:laughing:
 
You may look like this a few months in....
 

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