Do metal detectors work?

[Keith Outten]

Most treasure hunting metal detectors are adjustable to discriminate for or against finding iron. Some treasure hunters use them specifically to find iron artifacts, it depends on what you are searching for and if you are looking for a specific area such as an old dump site or mechanical parts in a field. I found a complete plow under the ground behind my old barn that was designed to be pulled by a horse or mule.

I have never scanned wood with my detector but I will give it a try, I am interested in hoe deep it will find metal objects. My home is about one hundred years old so there are probably metal objects in some of the older yard trees. My barn has some pretty large timbers and lots of the old style square nails.

Has anyone tried a pinpoint detector, the ones used for treasure hunting?

[Tom M King]

I think this is today's model of the same one I bought probably 20 years ago. I don't keep a battery in it, and it still works as good as new.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/hobb...1.uts?slotId=0

I originally bought it to find surveying stakes, back when I did a little real estate developing. It's been used more for finding metal in wood than anything else. It does a fine job. I don't know how deep it scans. The only standing logs I've scanned with it were from an old yard Walnut, and it did find what metal was in it, but none was deep like buried in a crotch.

[John K Jordan]

Has anyone tried a pinpoint detector, the ones used for treasure hunting?

I've used mine in the pinpoint mode for finding small pieces of iron in the ground but not at the sawmill. I had to turn off all the discrimination first. I may have had to set the Iron Mask mode (MineLab Explorer), can't remember exactly. I remember having trouble detecting iron on another one of my detectors, an underwater Garrett I used while scuba diving.

I have a line of huge trees on the property line with known barbed wire deep inside from old fencing. That would be an interesting thing to try with the MineLab.

[johnny means]

This guy, here, gets plenty of use. We actually have to be careful about what we support the lumber on because often it whil pick up on fasteners in the sawhorses.

[Michael A. Tyree]

I have been collecting wormy chestnut lumber by tearing down old barns and houses for over 40 years-done a bunch of them! I tried a small hand held metal detector but disliked it as it missed too much and wasted my time.
My eyeballs in the presence of good sunlight are by far the best device I know of. I cleaned the bigger nails as I tore down the building then went after the tacks, etc. later. I use lumber crayons & chalk to mark and prefer the small, flat steel prybars made for finish carpentry over any other tool unless it's a large spike or nail- I sharpen the edges to a knife sharp edge. I also keep a small cheap 1/2 chisel nearby with a hammer.
Have I missed stuff, yes.