Metal detector

[Richard Dooling]

Anyone using a metal detector to check wood? I'm most concerned about "yard" wood where nails and screws may be present. I found a missing nail with my chainsaw a while back. Someone once told me that from about three to about seven feet off the ground are suspect as this is where people put up hammock hooks, wind chimes and wanted posters.

I've seen the modestly priced ones in woodworkers catalogues but they don't seem powerful enough for processing logs.

Any thoughts about the detectors used by beach combers? There are usually a number of used ones available around here.

[John K Jordan]

Anyone using a metal detector to check wood? I'm most concerned about "yard" wood where nails and screws may be present. I found a missing nail with my chainsaw a while back. Someone once told me that from about three to about seven feet off the ground are suspect as this is where people put up hammock hooks, wind chimes and wanted posters.
I've seen the modestly priced ones in woodworkers catalogues but they don't seem powerful enough for processing logs.
Any thoughts about the detectors used by beach combers? There are usually a number of used ones available around here.

I use a Lumber Wizard with my sawmill for yard and farm trees (trees from farm fence lines often have embedded barbed wire up to about 4' from the ground.) The two worst things I found in a log: a an old ceramic electric fence insulator and a railroad spike. The metal detector couldn't find the insulator but it the saw blade sure did!

I've never used one for wood on the lathe. I have found metal in wood I was about to turn but so far I've caught it by the distinctive streaks of discoloration.

A "normal" metal detector can be quite sensitive. (I have two, one for underwater use - I once found a gold ring in 30' of water) Note that unlike the Lumber Wizard, some metal detectors are tuned by default to ignore the wire, nails, and other steel you will typically find in trees. Most people are looking for coins and jewelry. My best detector is actually a bit difficult to optimize for steel, as I found out when scanning for rebar property boundaries!

BTW, I once cut a tree that had been used by a generation of boys to hold a treehouse. The trunk was hollow and looked like an inside-out porcupine - there must have been hundreds of nails pounded in over the years to hold ladder sticks. I wish I had saved a piece - instant "art".

JKJ

[Roger Chandler]

I also use a Lumber Wizard. I hit a barn spike with my chainsaw cutting down a large Catalpa tree a few years ago...needless to say, I had to do some sharpening to bring my chain back to where it would cut.

[Richard Dooling]

Two votes for the lumber wizard.

Thanks John. I didn't know that some metal detectors are detuned for things that wouldn't interest a someone looking for coins and artifacts but it makes sense to weed out false positives. A good point on looking out for discoloration. I'd have liked to see the pin cushion tree!

Hey Roger, "What's a barn spike?" the city boy asked.

[Roger Chandler]

Hey Roger, "What's a barn spike?" the city boy asked.

Think a large spike about 10 inches long and 3/8" diameter. Made my day for sure, don't ya' know! :eek::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Dale Miner]

I use a Lumber Wizard with my sawmill for yard and farm trees (trees from farm fence lines often have embedded barbed wire up to about 4' from the ground.) The two worst things I found in a log: a an old ceramic electric fence insulator and a railroad spike. The metal detector couldn't find the insulator but it the saw blade sure did!JKJ


Same here. I have a circular Sawmill. A nail or two damages the teeth but they can usually be resharpened and only lose some of their life. The porcelain insulators wipe them out. 50 teeth x about $1.35 each = ����

[Steve Schlumpf]

I use the Lumber Wizard. Works great and I keep it in my chainsaw case so I always have it. Have found screws, nails, barbed wire and even bullets. I have also used a Whites metal detector on downed trees. The Lumber Wizard is not as awkward to use.

[Bob Bouis]

If I am cutting with a chainsaw or turning on a lathe I don't bother. Chains are cheap and usually can be reground (or will work with missing teeth!); and turning tools are harder than 99% of stuff you'd find in a tree and can cut them just like they cut wood.

We usually don't even bother when using the mill. The bands are about $25 apiece and usually just have to be resharpened if you hit a nail. It's just not worth the trouble and not particularly reliable at finding metal anyway.

[Richard Dooling]

Thanks for everyone's input.

I know there are a lot of variables but can anyone give examples of the depth of reading I might expect?

Steve, which White detector do you use?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Richard, I believe it is the 1000. Picked it up many years ago for my Dad and then inherited it when he passed. Haven't used it much but it sure does work well!

[Scott T Smith]

White makes some really nice ones.

I just went down this path seeking information regarding a replacement detector for our sawmill operation. The previous unit - a Minelab Soverign GT - was extremely sensitive and a real pain to use. There are some really high end detectors made expressly for checking logs at sawmills, but they start around 2K.

What I ended up buying after doing a lot of research was a Garrett Ace 250. What I liked about it over the Lumber Wizard was that the Ace 250 could detect much deeper in the log (6" - 8"). Since we frequently cut thick slabs, the depth of detection was an important issue, but so was not having something that was simple.

Thus far my staff has been pleased with it.

[John K Jordan]

What I ended up buying after doing a lot of research was a Garrett Ace 250.

That would be useful. With the lumber wizard if I see any discoloration I usually check it on the mill before each cut. (Of course, this is farm/hobby, not production!) Even this doesn't work so well when the cant gets thin since it will pick up the steel frame of the mill. I'll have to check my high end Minelab detector and see how that works.

JKJ

[Richard Dooling]

Thanks for the good info everyone.

Scott the Ace 250 looks interesting. The Tesoro Silver U Max ($254) was recommended to me also.

Anyhow this is what I need to get started. Since I'm looking at turning blanks, I need more depth than I believe the Lumber wizard provides.

Steve I'm not sure how that White number relates to their current lineup but I found their website.

Seems like there's always something to research!!

Imagine what this would be like without resources like the web and Sawmill Creek.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve I'm not sure how that White number relates to their current lineup but I found their website.

We bought the metal detector as a birthday gift for my Dad back in 1999 or 2000 and at the time it was top of their line. Most likely things have drastically changed as far as technology and abilities but it is still one heck of a detector.

[Richard Dooling]

What I ended up buying after doing a lot of research was a Garrett Ace 250. What I liked about it over the Lumber Wizard was that the Ace 250 could detect much deeper in the log (6" - 8").


Scott, I may have a line on a good used Ace 250. Can you please give me a little more info? "6" to 8" deep in what wood? Green I assume? Also say at 6" how big a piece of metal?

Again I realize there are lots of variables but any guidance is appreciated.

Thanks again for your input Steve.

[Scott T Smith]

Steve, it will usually pick up a nail in dry oak 6" deep (reclaimed beams).

[Richard Dooling]

Thanks for the info.

I feel like I'm headed in the right direction now. Also Garrett has some good videos on the settings.

[Randy Heinemann]

Just started to consider metal detectors and have a question concerning depth of detection. The Lumber Wizard guy indicated that the effective depth for the new lumber wizard would be up to 1 1/4" or so for tiny pieces like staples, but more (somewhere around 2"+) larger pieces, like 1/16" nails. If you scan both sides of a 4" thick board a significant piece of metal like a nail should show up if it is more toward one face or another. Am I correct? Just trying to get a better sense of whether it is worth the $150 for a new Lumber Wizard 4 (or $120 at Amazon for a Lumber Wizard 3).

[Richard Dooling]

Just started to consider metal detectors and have a question concerning depth of detection. The Lumber Wizard guy indicated that the effective depth for the new lumber wizard would be up to 1 1/4" or so for tiny pieces like staples, but more (somewhere around 2"+) larger pieces, like 1/16" nails. If you scan both sides of a 4" thick board a significant piece of metal like a nail should show up if it is more toward one face or another.

Randy,

That's how I interpret the specs.

After the responses I got to my original question I'm favoring something like the Garret 250 but I haven't looked at them in a while. For me the Lumber Wizard seems too limited for the money. Many modestly priced detectors can be tuned for sensitivity and even metal type. Plus for turning I'd like to see into thicker pieces of wood. From the reviews I've read, most people using the Lumber Wizard line are scanning flat lumber - doh! Some really like them though.

The ones I'm interested in are more expensive than the Lumber Wizard so I hope to find a good used one. It seems like the kind of hobby the many people would get bored with.

[Randy Heinemann]

Randy,

That's how I interpret the specs.

After the responses I got to my original question I'm favoring something like the Garret 250 but I haven't looked at them in a while. For me the Lumber Wizard seems too limited for the money. Many modestly priced detectors can be tuned for sensitivity and even metal type. Plus for turning I'd like to see into thicker pieces of wood. From the reviews I've read, most people using the Lumber Wizard line are scanning flat lumber - doh! Some really like them though.

The ones I'm interested in are more expensive than the Lumber Wizard so I hope to find a good used one. It seems like the kind of hobby the many people would get bored with.
eat
Seems to me that the problem with metal detectors made for regular use in security or outdoor metal hunting aren't designed for woodworkers and it's unclear to me whether they would actually work as we would want them to. Plus, most higher end metal detectors are even more expensive than the Lumber Wizard. Amazon sells the Lumber Wizard 3, which isn't sold by Wizard Industries anymore, for $120 and, I can't seem to get a handle on what the differences are (except that the 4 has a laser which doesn't really seem like it's needed for the wood detecting). I was hoping that someone would be an expert and be able to help concerning the differences between regular metal detectors and the Lumber Wizard and whether a high end detector is even needed for wood.