M6 VDI Question: Does Gold Jewelry Bounce Around Or Is It Steady?

[Ohio Coinhunter]

Hello again,

OK ye wise masters of recovery: when your targets are in the 0 to 20 range or up in the tab range, will the gold rings, etc, be more of a steady VDI reading or will they bounce around like the trash targets? Most of the trash bounces between several VDI's. Example would be a small piece of can slaw that reads lets say 8-12-18-14-12-6 or a partial tab that reads 6-10-12-8 after a few sweeps. Now some trash targets read steady VDI's that lock on and only move slightly like 18-20-18-20-20-20 with the sweeps from different angles.

I'm digging everything anyway just to learn what the machine is telling me. But when I get my coil over that first gold target will I know it by a crisper tone and steady VDI? Or am I consigned the rest of my hunting days digging every scrap my detector sounds off on? The manual states that junk targets will bounce around and give inconsistant audio but some junk does sound and look good.

I DO EXPECT to fill my 1-1/2 gallon bucket with tabs, foil and other trash by the time I find my 1st ring and know there is no magic formula... but should I only dig the trash reading that gives steady VDI's and audio? I'd like to know your experience.

Thanks & Happy Hunting,

Jim

 

[Flintstone]

Hi Ohio, I have found a few golds, but i think they locked on,maybe 10,10,12,10, but stayed close to the first #. I have found a large mans ring that hit 72 and locked i though it was a deep Penney. So if the # don,t very much dig it. Good Luck Dean

 

[BarberBill]

I'm thinking the number may bounce a bit, but don't expect different pieces to always have the same number. seems to vary by size, shape, etc.
BB

 

[Larry (IL)]

That will vary for many reasons Jim, so the answer is yes to both. Smooth or plain bands will sound great with a steady VDI, even at depth. Rings with stones is a different story especially when the head "mount" is facing upwards. You will more often get a trashy audio and the VDI will jump around a great deal. The VDI will also jump around more the deeper the target is in the ground too. These can be air tested to tell the difference in just how the orientation in the ground can make.

Bracelets and necklaces are almost always very trashy sounding and reads very low on the VDI scale, often single digits. Because of all of the links, the detector sees each link as a very small ring and lots of them, persistence will find them though. Here are a few of the ones I found, all in black dirt.

[attachment 159877 TABS.jpg]

 

[Phillip_in_NM]

Every gold ring I've found with the M6 has been solid as a rock on the VDI. In fact, that's why I don't mind running through a pulltab area. If I'm using my 4x6 and the VDI is solid, I always dig it. I've been very pleasantly surprised on numerous occasions. In all the air tests I've done on gold jewelry with stones the VDI's are either solid or vary only by one number on every pass. I've never found nor air-tested a gold chain - don't know why - just never thought of it (till now!).

I corresponded with a guy that ran one of those gold-hunting expeditions in Alaska. He said most people there used machines made for gold-hunting, but his personal favorite was the M6!!! That told me all I needed to know about what a great gold machine the M6 is.

 

[TheOtherLeggoHead]

Same here...


Rings will almost always waver a little. Dig everything and you will find rings. You'll be mad at yourself for all of the signals that you failed to dig before.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Certain patterns and lets not forget audio variances cut down the odds..Remember a gold ring usually weighs much more than the junk that imitates it so should be a tad different in how long it holds the tone but all in all no way to be sure unless you dig...If you have a jewelers scale just weigh a tab and a piece of foil and then a gold ring that falls in these areas and you will see what I mean...

 

[Critterhunter]

Not sure about the M6. We did scan in a bunch of gold rings on one but I wasn't the one watching the screen. Look for the VDI number chart we posted in this forum from several months back. I can say all the gold rings (over 100) we scanned in for the Sovereign GT tended to lock into one number. They might bounce by a digit or two here in there but for the most part are real stable and sound warm/round/smooth/soft, where as most trash will bounce much more and sound more harsh, tinny, scratchy, and so on. I've played with several gold rings on my GT by standing them on end and on their side and they still don't really change in VDI/sound. Very sold with very few exceptions, such as real tinny/thin rings that have a bunch of holes carved into them. That being said, I'm of the opinion (at least on my GT) that the VDI should lock in or only float by a digit or two here and there, sound great (warm/round/smooth/soft), and not change from one direction to the other. Most are going to be laying flat anyway so that mostly eliminates any potential of the odd ring that won't read the same standing on end due to the crown. Then again, this GT is darn good at picking coins out that are standing on end so that might be a strength of these BBS machines. A large portion of various trash targets WILL give you clues that it is NOT a ring. You have to learn the VDI and audio response of various items and then compare that to a "good" gold ring signal. Practice and you'll soon pick up clues to tell them apart.