I got up early today for a little 'tecting. I say "got up early", as I'm working graveyards these days (11p-7a) 
. However, rising early, seems to be a solution to my problem of being unable to hunt during the week - just get up early on the days when the wife works late. Put on some chili or something, go detecting for a few hours and then come back home for a long nap 'til she comes home . Well see how this works out.
I'll only do this for my permission only sites, not for general 'cruzin' - well, that's the plan. Today was my frst trial. Are there any other night-work vampires out there and how do you handle this problem?
Here's the sites I cruized today:
Site (1): The back side of a school built in the 50's. This area happens to be a dirt parking lot for a nursing home across the street. It has also yielded Barbers, Tax Tokens and other elder goodies. I always come away with something from this one.
Today a guy came rushing across the street from the home to accost me, thinking I was messing with his truck in the parking lot. I'm sure he's the maintenance manager for the elder-care home, as I recall - we've met, but he wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. He was hot and ready to go 'til he saw that I was up to no harm. Then he just went away and that was that...
Site (2): Bethany Cemetary in Aiken. This site covers about 30 acres, only half of which is in gravesites. The rest is just "old acreage", dating way back to the Civil War. I concentrated on an old oak, down the hill from the grave area.
When I arrived, there was a case of empty beer cans scattered around from someones "beer bash" the night before. So I cleaned them up and carried them out with me. I also found the jewish section, which was only recently de-brushed and made presentable - after decades of neglect.
Site (3) An old school built in the 50's. During the 50's the Savannah River Nuclear Energy plant moved in to the area and a massive building spree ensued. Much of the town dates from this time -this school was no exception.
However it is smack in the middle of one of the oldest sections of town (120 years), which is currently undergoing municipal beautification. Lots of old houses coming down, vacant lots being torn up and dirt everywhere. Paradise!!
The Finds:
Nothing earth shattering, but all nice to come home with.
Each item is numbered with the corresponding site number where it was found.
Upper left (3) = An emblem from a Chevy. I make out the letters, "L E" (from 'Chevro-L-E-t') and "--omaster", which I think means "Flomaster." Neat to find, although valueless.
Lower left (2) = Shotshell bases.
Also valueless unles you consider that they have a unique, traceable history and can help date a site. One of them is a plain base UMC Co. "New Club", which was last made in the early part of the 20th century. UMC was absorbed by Remington in 1934, so any head stamped with UMC is at least from that date backwards. The plainer ones are the older of the runs, as well.
Here's a cartride/shotshell headstamp dating guide - use it in good health!
http://members.shaw.ca/cstein0/heads.htm
Top Center: 1920 Wheat Ears Cent (2), above some 3 pre '65 Mem Cents (3).
Lower Center: Various Mem Cents from 70's on (1), (3).
Nothing earth shattterin' here, but it's always nice to find an elder coin or two. The re is promise of more at all these sites, of course....
Top Right: Clad quarters (1), (3)
Center Right: 1959 nick (1)
Bottom right: Clad dimes (1), (3)
Fun stuff. I havent shown the trash I collected, from bottle caps to sardine cans, pull tabs to iron "whatses" - as I ran out of camera battery power while afield.
For the most part the 1350 was set at a SENS range of 6-9, but, as is often the case with the Green Meanie, the higher SENS levels are un-needed - sort of like driving in a fog with high beams!. I just used them when the sites were clean, as happened in some spots.
I have also gotten quite used to hunting on ZERO DISC and I suggest you practice it, too. It is quite eye opening to understand the full picture of whats below the surface - when you arent DISC'ing out the iron elements. With only three adjustable-pitch tones, it's not at all uncomfortable to listen to, either
Finally, I am a right hander and have finally gotten the hang of swinging the detector with my left arm/hand. It was very awkward at first, but the more I do it the more I like the feel of digging right handed.
Thanks for reading this long post...
"The Trash Man",
. However, rising early, seems to be a solution to my problem of being unable to hunt during the week - just get up early on the days when the wife works late. Put on some chili or something, go detecting for a few hours and then come back home for a long nap 'til she comes home . Well see how this works out.I'll only do this for my permission only sites, not for general 'cruzin' - well, that's the plan. Today was my frst trial. Are there any other night-work vampires out there and how do you handle this problem?
Here's the sites I cruized today:
Site (1): The back side of a school built in the 50's. This area happens to be a dirt parking lot for a nursing home across the street. It has also yielded Barbers, Tax Tokens and other elder goodies. I always come away with something from this one.
Today a guy came rushing across the street from the home to accost me, thinking I was messing with his truck in the parking lot. I'm sure he's the maintenance manager for the elder-care home, as I recall - we've met, but he wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. He was hot and ready to go 'til he saw that I was up to no harm. Then he just went away and that was that...
Site (2): Bethany Cemetary in Aiken. This site covers about 30 acres, only half of which is in gravesites. The rest is just "old acreage", dating way back to the Civil War. I concentrated on an old oak, down the hill from the grave area.
When I arrived, there was a case of empty beer cans scattered around from someones "beer bash" the night before. So I cleaned them up and carried them out with me. I also found the jewish section, which was only recently de-brushed and made presentable - after decades of neglect.
Site (3) An old school built in the 50's. During the 50's the Savannah River Nuclear Energy plant moved in to the area and a massive building spree ensued. Much of the town dates from this time -this school was no exception.
However it is smack in the middle of one of the oldest sections of town (120 years), which is currently undergoing municipal beautification. Lots of old houses coming down, vacant lots being torn up and dirt everywhere. Paradise!!
The Finds:
Nothing earth shattering, but all nice to come home with.
Each item is numbered with the corresponding site number where it was found.
Upper left (3) = An emblem from a Chevy. I make out the letters, "L E" (from 'Chevro-L-E-t') and "--omaster", which I think means "Flomaster." Neat to find, although valueless.
Lower left (2) = Shotshell bases.
Also valueless unles you consider that they have a unique, traceable history and can help date a site. One of them is a plain base UMC Co. "New Club", which was last made in the early part of the 20th century. UMC was absorbed by Remington in 1934, so any head stamped with UMC is at least from that date backwards. The plainer ones are the older of the runs, as well.
Here's a cartride/shotshell headstamp dating guide - use it in good health!
http://members.shaw.ca/cstein0/heads.htm
Top Center: 1920 Wheat Ears Cent (2), above some 3 pre '65 Mem Cents (3).
Lower Center: Various Mem Cents from 70's on (1), (3).
Nothing earth shattterin' here, but it's always nice to find an elder coin or two. The re is promise of more at all these sites, of course....
Top Right: Clad quarters (1), (3)
Center Right: 1959 nick (1)
Bottom right: Clad dimes (1), (3)
Fun stuff. I havent shown the trash I collected, from bottle caps to sardine cans, pull tabs to iron "whatses" - as I ran out of camera battery power while afield.
For the most part the 1350 was set at a SENS range of 6-9, but, as is often the case with the Green Meanie, the higher SENS levels are un-needed - sort of like driving in a fog with high beams!. I just used them when the sites were clean, as happened in some spots.
I have also gotten quite used to hunting on ZERO DISC and I suggest you practice it, too. It is quite eye opening to understand the full picture of whats below the surface - when you arent DISC'ing out the iron elements. With only three adjustable-pitch tones, it's not at all uncomfortable to listen to, either
Finally, I am a right hander and have finally gotten the hang of swinging the detector with my left arm/hand. It was very awkward at first, but the more I do it the more I like the feel of digging right handed.
Thanks for reading this long post...
"The Trash Man",