Checking gold by id #

[JimGilmore]

I did something today just to be nosey. I have the (2) bracelets I found when I was in Ca and tried testing them with the GB to see what signal they gave. Now I am indoors and disconected the lower rod and coil from the main detector because there just is no room to swiing the coil other wise.
I placed the braclets on top of an all plastic kitty liter bucket. Bother bracelets gave me good solid repeatable numbers.
They both read 49.
What do you think.....
I realize that this is not a definative test but most other metals that are NON magnetic seem to read higher...

also I am guessing I need to keep looking for items that read lower than 50 to find the gold.

 

[sgoss66]

Jim --

Sounds about right to me. Something like a bracelet (or a gold nugget, or an earring) should read low like that -- likely under 50 in many cases. A gold ring though, due to its shape, should generally read 50 or above, and certainly a larger piece of 14 K or 18 K gold, like a cross pendant, or something like that, should also read above 50. A chain/bracelet is a fairly low-conductive piece, and tough for a detector to hit (especially with depth).

Steve

 

[JimGilmore]

Bother braclets are fairly heavy and thick....was surprised that they were under 50.

 

[sgoss66]

Yeah, I hear you Jim. As I understand, it's the way detectors "see" certain metals. Metal "type" is important -- and as gold is a "lower" conductor, it reads generally low. But, shape is also important, as a "lower" conductor, when in a round shape, will conduct better (and thus hit "harder" on your detector) than the same low conductor in another shape. So, the bracelets reading "low" is actually closer to how gold should normally read. It's the fact that gold rings are round that allows them to read as a higher-conductivity item in some cases. Interesting test you can do, is to take a junk ring, which reads, say, "70" and then cut the ring and bend it a bit into a "c" shape. Now, run it under your detector, and that same ring might read 55. Bottom line is, how a machine reads any item depends on how well it conducts current -- current that is induced by the EM radiation emanating from your transmit coil. And how well these items conduct depends upon metal TYPE as well as SHAPE.

Steve

 

[pasttom]

My first and only real diamond ring hit a solid 45 in dry sand 8 feet from a trash can. I so thought it was foil, but I had committed myself to dig every hit. I am glad I am stubborn!
Tom

 

[Digga03]

like a coin hit by a mower will read lower or not hit as hard even time in ground with dirt stuck on coin as opposed to a fresh one will read different, like old beaver tail tabs without tail will read high as they are roundish get the same item and cut it and will drop much lower reading as its only hitting the metal not the roundness and metal together.

its good advice i think set your disc and commit to dig everything that's lockable. might dig some junk but will get treasure too.

Digga

 

[pasttom]

I have fairly easy dirt I guess, but I find its faster to just dig a solid hit than stew and screw around trying to figure out if its a cap or a tab. Nails and wire bits are pretty obvious most of the time, so I usually pass on under 20.
Tom