A miner find today testing a Whites Surf Master PI

[Neil]

I purchased a Whites Surf Master PI in the summer from a long standing DW member and thought this morning as I was wide awake by 7am was the day to test it out. Thanks go to the seller - love trying a new machine.

I have never used a PI before and apart from a few minor beach tests after I bought it, today was the first time I took it alone to to the local beach.

On arrival the beach seemed to have a Welsh Dog Walking convention on it, which was fine although several tried to help me with the digging!

The first thing that struck me with the PI is the amount of iron I was digging and at quite serious depths. Now I know it doesn't discriminate that well and I wasn't too bothered as some of the pieces of copper and iron were tiny at 10 inches plus.

I managed to find a few bits of modern currency and a Vicky half pence dated 1892. I was pretty pleased with the machine and then got a 2 way signal that was quite faint I guessed due to depth. As I dug the hole I could see gold shining at me, but alas it was not to be as it was the helmet of what I believe to be a brass Welsh miner minus his axe. A nice find to make and a bit of an odd one to say the least.

All in all I am more than happy with the PI, but I think a less iron contaminated beach would be a real test for it as I must have dug 50 signals in 2 hours.

Anyone have any tips for this machine?

cheers
Neil

[Chef Geoff]

Well done Neil and they look as if some of those coins have been there a wee while. Those Pi's are different aren't they?lol.
Your right tat they are more easily lived with on the more remote (away from industry) beaches.
Now the question has to be asked, could you have found those finds with the Explorer?

[Neil]

I would have found all of them with the explorer Chef easily. I do think though that the PI is a worthwhile purchase for a less contaminated beach. Some bits were tiny that were coming out. I think the Explorer would have missed a thin gold chain if it had been there, but I don't think the PI would have.

I also think you reconditioned this one for the previous owner - works like a charm - good job matey.

Neil

[Chef Geoff]

Oh they are good Neil especially as you say on low conductors (if you get your timings right) and if you regularly do a smallish beach then using the Explorer and a Pi you know your getting everything that's realistically available.
And if your ever lucky enough to find a hoard of any sort then they are a must to check the area.

[melonhead]

nice finds but just a thought could a pi machine be a two man job if the pi machine shows a signal and then the second man go's over it with a discrim machine and if it shows iron leave it but if no signal is recived it must be out of range and possibley iron but might be a good one it could save unnesasary digging ive been giving beach detecting a bit of thought lately and after trying it and think it could be a job for two as you need someone to go over the sand you dig out as the sides sometimes fall in to quick                  

[Neil]

I was thinking exactly the same thing in terms of a hoard when I bought it Chef. It won't miss much if you know you are in right area. I wish I could have used it on an old site I had 3 republican deanrii off now, but alas my access to the site has gone. God knows what else could have been waiting. I think I told you about it around a camp fire once.

Neil

[Neil]

I like the idea Mark - and I certainly think its worth a go. I am toying with a beach hunting break for a few night camping in March if you fancy it. Hopefully a few storms and and a bit of wind to shift the sand. AWe'll tie it in with a full moon as well.

Neil

[rjm]

Well done on getting out with it.

Nigel at Regton rates the Whites PI (not dual field or 2) and one of his prolific beach detecting customers
who used an Excalibur changed to it and found it even better.

I looked out for one for a while and couldn't find one - they're like gold dust!

In the end, after a lot of research I bought a Tesoro Sand Shark PI.

I will be using it next month for under water detecting so I hope I get on okay as it's totally
different from a normal detector.

The Sand Shark is the machine of choice for the Americans who do a lot of beach detecting so I'm
hoping they know what they're on a about!  

[Neil]

Cheers Bob - Are you scuba diving with it next month as that was another of the reasons as like a few on here I am Paddi qualified, but not got wet for 2 years.

Failing that I would imagine snorkelling it with a sand scoop or sand fan could be an idea.

Where you off now - Mauritius again?

Neil

[Chef Geoff]

Yes Mark two men would be a good idea. Gordon Heritage has a video on MLO TV where he is looking for remaining coins from a hoard and he uses the Etrac and GPX. He goes over an area first with the GPX (Pi) and marks the spot with yellow road spray marking then does the same area with the Etrac and like you say, any signal that are positive or no signal at all he digs.
Bob for shallow wadding the Pi's are good but I would prefer the Excalibur if I was diving as digging iron is no fun at anytime and underwater it's a pain, plus depth of detection is something you just don't want when underwater, anything deeper  than 7 or 8 inches you'll never get at, unless its pebbles.

[Neil]

The Excalibur is what a lot of the guys on an American forum I frequent use - they swear by it for surf and scuba detecting. Its not cheap though for a occasional beach hobby machine. That said though they have very little tidal difference in Florida. A friend of mine has given up his living as an accountant over there and has agreements in place to detect the private beach hotels along the Florida coast . He's clearing $100K plus a year - you probably know who I am talking about. He's living the dream getting paid to detect for a living - I'll ask if he'll let me post some of his ring finds although the insurers may have an issue with it. Some of his fiinds are literally breathtaking.

Neil

[IFINDNOTHING]

I bought a Whites. Pi a few weeks ago and been out 3 times so I am still trying learn this machine. There is no discrim so as you know dig it all, but what I am surprised at is the low amount of iron compared to the good targets you should be digging. I thought I would be digging ten times the amount of iron but this so far is not the case so far . Obviously this depends on which beach you are on.
What I have noticed is if you get a double hit it usually turns out to be wire shaped.
I have nicknamed mine the "back breaker" due to the depth of a PI. This genuinely picks up modern penny's at 10-12" deep in wet sand. I have not found anything good yet, but I am gaining confidence with this machine, now need the luck to go with it.
As far as going with 2 detectors, you may find that you can't get within 15 feet of a Minelab! They really don't like each other.
Well done on your finds too.

[rjm]

Cheers Bob - Are you scuba diving with it next month as that was another of the reasons as like a few on here I am Paddi qualified, but not got wet for 2 years.

Failing that I would imagine snorkelling it with a sand scoop or sand fan could be an idea.

Where you off now - Mauritius again?

Neil

Yes, Mauritius again!

I will be wading out with it, and a stainless steel foot assisted sand scoop. Got my wet gear
ready. There's not much tide in Mauritius and not too much rubbish. I know I will have no
trouble finding coins but will have to dig many to find the good stuff. They have a ritual of
throwing coins in the sea 

I'll just be happy to have something to do as sun worshipping does my head in......the wife
is happy to stay at the hotel and let me go off for the day.

It's all inclusive so I'll come back looking like The Doc!! 

[rjm]

Bob for shallow wadding the Pi's are good but I would prefer the Excalibur if I was diving as digging iron is no fun at anytime and underwater it's a pain, plus depth of detection is something you just don't want when underwater, anything deeper  than 7 or 8 inches you'll never get at, unless its pebbles.

I know next to nothing about under water detecting so can't argue with what you say. I was looking at an
Excalibur but was talked out of it by Nigel at Regton, advising me to get a PI, and that the Whites (older
model) was highly recommended. He has a customer who is prolific at beach/under water detecting and
was using Excalibur and went to PI and his finds have increased.

I wasn't keen on the multi sounds of the Excalibur, or the price!, so went down PI route.

I'll see how I get on and take it from there. Another article for TH will offset some of the cost!!! 

At the end of the day it's just fun for me and I'll take whatever comes. A bit of gold will be a bonus.

[win]

Glad to read you're enjoying the Surfmaster Neil. I've used mine for about 15 years now. It misses nothing, as you say, tiny pieces of copper or iron from 10 or 12 inches. I've learnt a bit about its discrim over the years. If you get a signal that finishes with a ssshh like the sound if cymbals, it'll be large iron. Also a wide signal will always be iron, if I'm in doubt I just stop still and slowly move the coil in the arc, noting where the signal starts, then do the same from the other side. if the two points are more than two foot apart I don't dig. Double signals are also iron though might well be 1ps or 2ps but no loss there. On one occasion my surfmaster kept giving me signals from a small outcrop of rock, I couldn't figure what it was. Had to switch off and get on my knees, discovered a Geo V farthing wedged on its side in a crack in the rock, that's how good a machine it is.