Cheap underwater metal dector

[river_sand_bar]

Ok, Please forgive me if this has been ask before, but I cant seem to find much info on Scuba Board about it.

Here is what I am thinking about... there is a place that I know of, thats in about 20-30 feet of fresh water in which I KNOW there is a tons of stuff to be found. I dont want to spend allot of money on a metal dector... so any suggestions would be GREAT.

Ok, I'll give it up... its a cliff near the Colorado river where a bunch of Army guys go to cool off and get drunk. They are always diving off the cliff and loosing all kinds of stuff. Might as well take my dive gear there and see what I can find.

 

[airsix]

Before you go buying a metal detector why not just dive the site first and see what you find. My brother in Idaho dives a site like this every year without a metal detector and always come up with more than he can carry. Usually it's a bunch of Timex digital watches, car keys, and jewelry - stuff the cliff-jumpers (bridge in this case) loose when they hit the water.

-Ben

 

[octotat]

And if your visual search turns up nothing, sift through the mud bottom (assuming it's that) with your hands. They make a very cheap metal detector. Wear gloves though, as bare hands make a very effective broken glass detector. Be mentally prepared for the silt out that will result also.

 

[blacksambellamy]

No such thing as a cheap underwater metal detector. You are looking at spending a minimum $600.

I own 2 so i know what im talking about

 

[Diver Dude]

u/w metal detecters are difficult to use u/w. I bought one with every intention of diving with it. I dove with it twice and gave up. Now I use it at the beach while wading in the water.
If you still want one try ebay.

 

[blacksambellamy]

I have no problem with mine at all u/w. You just cant use them around madern day wrecks made of metal because the machine will never shut off. The best use for them is around swimming holes and older wooden wrecks

 

[Diver Dude]

Blacky,here is what happens to me. I find a target and start digging. Vis goes to zero from all the particulate in the water. The digging action pushes me away from the hole because I don't have anything to hold on to. When I find the hole again it is filled in because in the ocean, I am digging in sand.
Can you tell me what your technique is? I would love to dive with this thing!

 

[doghouse]

Just a thought if you want to go on the cheap:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=94138
29.95

Use a foodSaver to put it in a vacuum bag. You do not want to pull all the air out, just enought to so you can just work the buttons.

Ok so you now spent a night out for some daytime fun. Not a total loss, you have an excuse for getting wet.

 

[blacksambellamy]

not a chance it will never be able to penetrate far into the sand. Not to mention the high concetration of mineralization in the wet soil. If its salt water you can forget about it all together.

 

[blacksambellamy]

Blacky,here is what happens to me. I find a target and start digging. Vis goes to zero from all the particulate in the water. The digging action pushes me away from the hole because I don't have anything to hold on to. When I find the hole again it is filled in because in the ocean, I am digging in sand.
Can you tell me what your technique is? I would love to dive with this thing!

Are you using a scoop?


I use a plastic scoop so the detector wont go crazy. I am also over weighted and crawl on the bottom. Yes the Viz will get bad at times but you just have to wait for it to settle. Push the scoop into the sand slow. Its the excited thrusts into the sand that begin to push you away from the hole. I also have my scoop on a string and attached to my BC so i can let go of it. Try fanning the sand also a scoop isn't always necessary