put in a test garden

[leroy1937]

I'm thinking of putting in test garden.
I thought one at 10" with a coin and nail next to it in same hole.
See which of my 6 detectors can find it.
What do you think

 

[Nauti]

I think you might be disappointed with the results.It all depends on the size of the coin compared to the nail.....if it is a large coin and small nail you may pick it up.I think what it will show you though is that a lot of claims that you hear on detecting forums are utter rubbish.Make sure that the coin is not touching the nail when you bury it.Good luck.

 

[DirtAngler]

A test garden is a good way to test detectors and coils and allows you to set up indiviual target tests such as you mention. Just be aware that it will not give you the true findings that a coin and targets in a real world hunt will give you due to the ground matrix being disturbed and no halo effect or leaching of the target into the ground. After a few years of not disturbing the test garden area your testing will be more accurate. They still are a good testing ground for detectors even when just done though. JMHO.

 

[WV62]

I think a test garden is a good thing to have for testing detectors. I guess I am lazy I only put 2 coins in my garden just last month, a pre 1982 copper penny and a nickel both at 7". Why 7", well it seems that around here the silver coins are down about 6", so I thought if I could hit a penny at 7" I should be in pretty good shape for getting down to the silver. Also I only went with the penny because if I can hit that I shouldn't have any problem hitting the larger coins so I didn't feel the need to plant a bunch of different coins.

Keeping track of where you bury them has been a problem, this time I took a yard stick and put one end on a fence post and the other end is a target. I also marked the two fence post what, when and where the coin is. At my age you can forget.

I was surprised that my F75Ltd with all 3 coils will not hit either coin, and it was equally surprising to find out my Tesoro Tejon will hit both coins with both coils, the stock 9x8 and the 5.75 concentric.

I also think most will tell you that a test garden needs to have some age like at least a year or 2 before it starts to act like a naturally buried coin.

Your quarter / nail could work as a good test down the road, but I would also think a quarter / nail at 5 or 6 inches may give you something to work with while you wait a couple of years on the 10"er to ripen.

Good luck,

Ron in WV

 

[mudpuppy]

You know whats funny about a test garden? one of these days in the future, after you or some other guy with a test garden dies, some metal detectorist will stumble across your test garden and write a post about what a strange day that was! It will be some noobie who winds up living in your house, buys a detector, goes out in the backyard and BANG!
Mud

 

[skookum]

Hi leroy,
I think that you would be very sad, if you were to find out that none of your 6 detectors are able to find either coin or nail regardless of which coil you mount.

Greetings
skookum

 

[Nauti]

I agree with you skookum......i think that he will have a problem at that depth.

 

[MarkCZ]

I agree with you skookum......i think that he will have a problem at that depth.

And by the time the garden goes to seed (actually detectable) the target will be deeper than 10"

I have basically three main test gardens,
3" (three coins)
6" (three coins)
8" (three coins)

Then off from the 3" I added nickels @ 4" 5" and 6" This turned out to be especially interesting in that the nickels go up the conductive range as they get deeper, the 6" hits WAY above the screw cap range. I was trying to research nickels and why they are so evasive, my test so for shows that nickels in the ground do not act anything like other coins and that's we several types of detectors. These nickels have came close to a one year timeline for being buried so this year it will tell even more of a story.

Then just off from the 8" garden I planted two 8" nickels, this is my newest garden and late this year it should go to seed and be usable. At last check these are still not detectable with any reliable results, it will take until near 2014 or early 2015 before they really become a good testing aid.

Now I have found that shallow test targets down to maybe 4" or so seem to do okay pretty quick but they are only really good for sampling out of the box detectors, they can with hearing an audio report, reading depth and in general help you get ready for that first hunt.

Mark

 

[leroy1937]

thanks ever one 4 the feed back

 

[skookum]

Hi leroy1937,
Please read this article :
Go: http://www.detectorprospector.com/resource-library/metal-detecting-and-prospecting-library.htm#.UQQy5_JZrFw
go to the Metal Detecting part then klick Head-to-Head Comparison Testing
(the direct link was censored)
Just some food for thought

Greetings
skookum

 

[fongu]

Stick some coins in on their edge instead of flat and see what happens.