DetectingWales.com

Danny here from old colwyn in north wales.

I had an accident a few years ago and subsequently lost my job, well now I'm doing OU physics and chemistry.  My shoulder is now getting back to normal almost but my physio suggested a new hobby so thought about metal detecting.

I have saved myself a little budget of £400-£600 for a detector.  Any advice on a good one please? I have read around at different sites and reviews but everyone seems to have such different ideas.  I was looking at a Fischer goldbug dp but not sure now as some say its rubbish but others rave about it.

I ask on here as its real people to chat to and not just reviews.

Also anyone from around here?

Cheers,

Danny.

Welcome aboard Danny.

That's a very large can of worms kind of question. Everybody has an opinion and your likely to end up more confused
than when you started  :D   Do your research, have a think about the type of detecting your likely to be doing the most of
and that way you can eliminate some kinds of detectors straight away.
I'm currently selling my X-terra 705 plus two other coils for £600 but will not refuse a sensible offer around that mark. Even so,
what I said about doing your research still counts as I would not like to sell to someone without them knowing what their getting
and whether its going to suit their needs.

Mike

Hello Danny and welcome to DW. ;D

As Mike said, consider where you are most likely to detect, either beach or land before you make up your mind. If it's a mixture then you want something that is a good all-rounder. A lot depends on your budget of course but I would suggest 2nd hand. You can usually pass on a 2nd hand machine for as much as you pay when you want to up-grade. (and you will)

What about your shoulder. Is it the one you're going to be swinging with ??  Weight could be a consideration if it is. That's one problem a lot of us have, shoulders, wrists, backs and knees. They all take quite a bashing when detecting.

Best of  luck with your choice.     Val

Hi Danny, I'm in the same boat as you, thinking about taking up the hobby but don't know what gear to get. I'm hoping at some stage to meet up with local guys to watch them in action and get some opinions. The one thing I've noticed is that a lot of md'ers seem to have a Garrett of some sort. By the way I live in Penrhyn Bay so near to you. Cheers Julian

Ah cool, not far at all!!

Well I know I will be using it mostly in fields but will also VERY OCCASIONLY take it to the beach as there is so much around here.

Like it has been said by both Mike and Val, loads of choices but so so confusing.
We all have different preferences, I have worked a Minelab ex2 which was brilliant but hard to learn as i was green to detecting.
 I now work a Whites DFX and find it exactly what i was looking for but its not everyone,s choice.
 Hard decision but like Mike said research a bit more, and if you can get out with locals you can make your own hands on choice.
Saying that though my 8 year old son uses a Garrett which works well for him.

as a first detector I would recommend a garrett 250 or euro ace.

are you sure you want to use a detecter if your shoulder is bad mate? :o

Very sure, it's on the mend but need to strengthen it back up with a repetitive motion, physio said it should soon come on with detecting a couple of times a week. Though I was warned there will be pain in the process - no pain, no gain she says and I agree.

I have been looking right into a goldbug dp and a fischer f70.  They both seem to get good reviews!

Thank you everyone for all the help in my quest to join the ranks.

Danny.

Are there any members I your area? Maybe willing t take you out for a few hours for a swing? T give you an idea of weight of machines and type of movement used in the swing?
If your going do beaches you could go for minelab sovereign gt or sovereign elite as you can at least chest mount if weight gets too much..
Good luck,
  Mark..

Good to see another monkey on here ;)  

If you have a bad shoulder a minelab  would probably be a bad choice for you (apart from the X-terra, which is nice and light and may be OK on the beach as its a minelab, but I've never tried one on a beach myself, single frequency machine, so I have no idea how well it would perform...), if I were you I'd start with a light machine, Garretts are good, but not so hot on the beaches (OK on dry sand), DFX is great all round, but heavier than the Garrett, do you want a display or are you happy with a sound only machine ?

Not sure if there are many up here, I did stop on the prom in colwyn bay yesterday to chat to a guy detecting who looked like he knew his stuff.  I said good morning, I have been looking into starting myself... But just as I am about to say my next word he says "look mate I can't be ar$¥d with your type so just pi€€ off". WOW I was shocked, normally my response to something like that would not be, ahem, to kind but I thought ah well, stuff you. I'm sure that its a one off idiot giving the hobby a bad reputation.

I know I will manage the repetitive swinging.  I carry a horrendous amount of fishing gear a few miles sometimes when I'm carp fishing. It's more a case of building certain muscles up in my shoulder.

I have already gotten permission from a couple of landowners I know to dig there undug fields. I am in the very fortunate position of knowing a few decent landowners between here, Anglesey and Wrexham from my fishing. So very excited already.

I would like a meter on the machine too after reading around it can help to identify/confirm.

It's great been a monkey, gets me into all sorts of mischief with a great get out clause hahaha.

There will be a time when you first start Danny, when the pain will be very tiresome but you have to get past that. I found stopping every few minutes (if just for twenty seconds or so) really helped to take the edge off. I can go a few hours now without too much discomfort but I usually take some pain killers with me which makes a full day detecting a lot easier.

Starting off, my advice would be to buy a second hand detector. A good place is

www.staffsmetaldetectors.co.uk (http://www.staffsmetaldetectors.co.uk)

A Laser Hawkeye is a nice machine. Easy to use and fairly light. They're similar to the Garrett Ace but more refined.

But, as said, do your own research by reading reviews and taking your time. Maybe even going out detecting with someone local who has a spare machine.

Isn't there anyone in the NWDD who lives somewhere around there ??  If Danny could get thumbs up from one of his Farmer friends he could take a volunteer with him for a demo.

Just a thought  ;) ;) ;D ;D

Val

To be honest I am kinda hoping to ask if anyone wants to come with me when I get a detector to show me the ropes.  It should work well as you will get the chance to try some new grounds?

Dan.

Come on NWMD someone help him out here, he has already been told to go away on the sea front.
If you were down south buddy not a problem, your welcome on the permissions I have.

Hope you get some luck.

Cheers buddy, the offer is there if your up this way to come along on any of mine.

I just remembered that when Hubby and I were looking around for property we went to look at a place up your way (roughly) and we were quite keen. Unfortunately we got lost and ended up at the end of a Farmers track-way. He came down to see what we were about and I told him where we were looking for and that's when we deceided we didn't want to live up there if they were all like him.
From what you said about the Guy on the Prom and the lack of response from the NWDD members I think we made a sensible decision.
I would have thought someone up that end would have been only too happy to spare you a couple of hours and detect on some new land at the same time.
Anyway best of luck to you and baycityroller in you choice of detector and new venture. It will be like the blind leading the blind. Could be good fun.

Val

I don't think you're wrong there Val!!

Danny look out for a N. W. D. D meeting it will probably be in a couple of weeks. Come along and have a chat , I'm sure you will be welcome.  Do I sense a North South divide with some of you?

He posted his enquiry a day and a half ago and we're getting a hard time from some people because we have'nt responded yet?  Priceless!

However I'm not going to bite.

As Dungbeetle has said Keep an eye on the NWDD forum for info about a meeting and you are more than welcome to come along. Alternatively you can pm me for some info if you like.

Agree with Hotmill here guys, I've chatted a lot with the North Wales guys and they are a very friendly and appreciative bunch. Give them a chance to respond. Some people do have lives outside Detecting Wales you know  :)

Thanks Taff

Thank you guys n gals.  Fortunately the welsh are a good ol bunch of people, just like the bunch I left from where I'm from in Devon.  Unfortunately just like everywhere on this wee little globe we call home, earth, there are the odd idiot that tarnish the rest of us nice people, I.e. the guy on the beach.  And to be honest, judging by the way EVERYONE on here has treat me, he really is just a one off idiot, know it all. 

Do they not realise everyone has to learn somewhere.

Thank you all again.

I am from South Wales and once dated someone from Anglesey (Ynys Mon), North Wales. I visited there on several occasions and was always treated with great hospitality. It never mattered at all that I was from the South.

Hi Danny, I am new to the hobby and I found a Pinpointer as well as a detector an essetial item, I got a Garrett Ace 250 and a Garrett Pro Pinpointer both excellent beginner machines, if you are budgeting I would keep £90 to one side for a pinpointer as they save you hell of a lot of time.

You will need to get liability  insurance from NCMD   http://www.ncmd.co.uk/liability%20insurance.htm (http://www.ncmd.co.uk/liability%20insurance.htm) and a crowns fore shore permit http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/coastal/metal-detecting/. (http://www.thecrownestate.co.uk/coastal/metal-detecting/.)  ;) . The NCMD IS ABOUT £8.00 a year. You will need there membership to go on detecting rallies plus it includes liability insurance. The crowns foreshore permit is free and allows you to detect on beaches owned by the crown estate.

If you  get Ncmd membership and can get some land to detect on I will be more then happy to come down at let you try my detector and you can keep what you find lol.

Thanks Little_bro. Hope you had a good day today

You obviously managed to escape back down south before they got you into the wicker man  ;)

  :D

 :) :) :) :) :)