Newbie looking for corner pins

[greg_m]

Hello all... I'm a newbie here for please excuse me if this is posted in the wrong place.

I want to get an inexpensive used detector to help me find some buried corner pins. According to the LD they are iron pipe or rebar.

I know surveyors use a magnetic locator, which is an entirely different technology, and quite expensive, so I want to try to use a metal detector.

I'm hoping that even an old analog machine will pick up iron pipe or rebar that's probably less than a foot deep. Is that a good assumption?

I see a few fairly cheap machines on eBay... Jetco Hawks, Whites, etc. Should all of these be able to pick up the iron pipe or rebar that I'm looking for?

THANKS IN ADVANCE for your help and patience with a newbie!

 

[Digger]

I've located quite a number of corner pins with White's, Minelabs, Fishers and Tesoros. Most pins I've found are less than a foot deep and made of rebar with the aluminum surveyor cap on the top. But most of the detectors I've owned wouldn't be considered cheap. If you have no intention to use it after finding the pins, I'd suggest you look in the local yellow pages for a metal detector dealer. If he won't rent or loan you a detector, he may at least point you to a few locals that have them, and who might be willing to hunt for those pins. No sense buying a detector if you only intend to use it once. Good luck in your search.

 

[HRife]

Using a "cheap" detector to locate these pins could be fruitless. If the pins are 12" or more in the ground and have not been there a very long time, the cheapies may not pick it up since it is in a upright position. I agree with contacting a dealer or club and see if someone with a decent machine can help. The surveyer detectors are magnetic detectors and can pick a 18" pin up to 7' deep! If you were near Knoxville, TN I would help. l just happen to have a Schonstedt detector.

 

[greg_m]

Thank you both for your replies. I'm sorry I did not respond sooner, but I've been involved in a terribly hectic project and we've been working exhausting 10- to 12-hour days.

I'm in a small town and don't know of anyone other than Radio Shack who might sell metal detectors. None of my friends seems to own one.

Under the circumstances, and despite your comments, I think I'm stuck buying a cheap used machine, and hoping it will do the job. If I can't figure it out when I receive it, I'll post some specific questions [hopefully in an appropriate forum].

Meanwhile, thanks again for taking the time to share your knowledge!

 

[icrsaa]

Greg, just get a Bounty Hunter. Make sure it has a all metal mode. You can find them for about $10 - $50 at flea markets, garage sales and so on. It is the most common and cheapest used detectors that will work for your needs. hh, icrsaa