Tips & Tricks
76-90

76. Whenever looking for an old house site or just out walking in thewoods, look for flowers or plants that seem out of place. These flowers could mark the edge of a walk or sides of a long gone house.

77. I think the best tip is to find other people using metal detectors where you live and learn from their experience. Call up a local club. Check with Tom for a hunting buddy. Two heads are always better than one, especially if the other head has been treasure hunting longer in the area.

78. Well have I got one for you.If you live in a small city and have those nice old brick buildings that were built in the early 1900s or before most of those places had dirt basements no covering. I have found my best finds in these old places All you have to do is get permission.The coins come up looking like the day they were minted plus the nice old tokens and even some nice old bottles with the old metal caps on them.

79. When I hunting a large area like a football or soccer field,and I want to do it from different directions over a period of days(weeks). To avoid having to "redig" those mangled cans that have such a good sound but you really don't want to dig a crater to recover simply use a golf "tee" to mark the spot, push it well down in the grass

80. Heres a good tip - Learn your poisonous plants.Once while searching an old homestead site that was heavily overgrown,I was unaware that the plants all over the ground and on the trees was Poison Oak until I broke out with blisters on my hands and face .So before you go to unfamiliar territory make sure you know what Poison Oak,Ivy and Sumac looks like - If it has three let it be! (Happy Safe Hunting).Vic R

81. Having trouble reading dates on your coins.Try rubbing the coin with a pencil eraser. It will remove the dirt and even put a little shine on it without scratching. I do this with wheat pennies, older nickles and the newer coins that are tarnished. It also works on some jewelry.

82. Hi everyone out there, try this when you find a coin that needs cleaning and you don't have a coin tumbler. Take a brass brush and gently brush the coin, all the dirt will come off and will leave the dark looking old color, it will leave minor scratches but nothing bad, you don't want to do this on any silver coins, just pennies(wheat/indian heads/large cents etc, seems to work on nickles too and even works on relics like old buttons war metals etc. Try this on a Indian head penny and i think that you will agree that it really works great. The brass brush is no bigger then a tooth brush.

83. Instead of the various aprons offered to place detected objects into, consider wearing a pair of Army Camo Pants purchased at the local military supply store... They are strong, tough, have many large pockets and are relatively inexpensive... I have two pair, one set that fits normally and one set that is large enough to fit over dress clothes for the times when you are on the road and discover some "sidewalk construction' (hint, hint!) or old cellar hole!

84. If you have clad or silver coins which have been discolored from tumbling with copper coins, you can clean them using "Westley's Bleche White" (white sidewall tire cleaner). Use in place of your regular cleaning solution along with aquarium stone or whatever you normally use. Tumble for an hour, check and tumble longer if needed.

85. I put a piece water pipe foam insulation on the length of the shaft of my detector. This protects the shaft and cable when in heavy brush or under bushes etc. Fasten with electrical tape.

 

86. If you shallow water hunt in mud bottom and hip mount your control box fasten Styrofoam (approx 1"x2"x6") to shaft as close to coil as possible. Fasten another piece (same size) at opposite end of shaft. Your detector will now float when you let go of it and you can break off chunks of dirt or mud in your shovel to pass over coil to check for target. I use electrical tape to fasten styrofoam.

87. Very inexpensive scoop: Went to a farm supply store and bought a plastic feed scoop. Cost was $2.99 and plastic won't interfere with your detector. Then drilled several holes in bottom and sides just smaller than a dime. Countersink holes to remove any burrs. Dry sand will sift through the holes and if sand is wet then I swish it in a couple of inches of water and sand and small rocks are gone in no time at all. I've been using mine for 4 years now and it's still holding up really good.

 

88. When searching areas with squirrel or gopher holes, always check the dirt the little critters dig out. I have found many good coins this way.

89. Battery tip: A large percentage of us use AA's in our machines. At least one of the major warehouse clubs (hint: the nation's favorite Uncle has the same name) carries a 40 pack of alkaline AA's for 9 or 10 dollars (fear not, it's a quality brand). That's a SERIOUS discount compared to what most of us pay in the average store.

90. When I go out I always leave my watch in the car and never know what time it is. When the boss says I should be home at a specific time I'm always late!!! and you know what that means. Problem solved!!! Go to any store and buy one of the cheap stick on clocks (with a big enough display) and stick it on the detector where you can see it!!!! Now, when I'm late I just say it was to dark to see the clock.