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Will a metal detector, detect a grave site?

K

krazybob

New member
I haven't yet purchased a metal detector. As a beginner, I'm really not sure which brand or model I should buy. In Idaho, I'm sure there are many opportunities to search for various things, but my question today is this: I have a great grandfather who is buried in a family plot of six graves with no headstone. He is the only one buried in this family plot, and I'd like to install a small headstone on his grave, if only I could figure out which plot he is in. Are there any metal detectors that are capable of detecting a grave location?
Thanks,
krazybob
Mtn. Home, Idaho
 
Here's what you need. Much cheaper and more sure than any detector. It's called a vault probe and find wooden coffins, brick or slate vaults. I've used them myself.



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I did a search and found one cemetery supply company that carried them, but no information as to how they work. My question is, how can you tell if you hit an old casket that was most likely wood that was buried in 1911 ? I would think that the wood would have rotted away by now. They show a 4ft and 6 ft probe. I see from another internet site, that there is a machine called a GPR that can find a grave, but I'm sure that would be a very expensive operation :-(
Krazybob
Mtn. Home, ID
 
If it is a pine box and you live in an area with a goodly amount
of annual rainfall chances are there is nothing left.
The ground should either be raised or a dip where the burial
plots are.
The probe mentioned above can be tried first, it wouldn't hurt.
 
Is there metall down there? How large? How deep? I get a call every so often from a plumber friend to find a well head, or septic tank cover. With my GTI 2500 I manage them most of the time. I use all metal mode and have found large chunks of metal down to about 3 feet. It's amazing how you can plot an object's outline. I use spray paint and can very accurately outline most of them.

I think you should use a very long probe provided the ground isn't too hard. Good luck.

Chris
 
on the depth that the coffin was buried. I was asked by a friend who helps maintain local pioneer cemetaries to bring a detector to a cemetary that he was working on for a family dedication. We installed pasts and chain around the perimeter of the site. We determined the perimeter with the use of my Fisher 1280x which was set at high sens and low disc. While digging one of the post holes, we hit a large piece of concrete. Digging down about 4 inches, we discovered the stone which supports the headstone. I then took the detector and went across the top where the stone was found, then down one side, across the bottom and back up the other side. How did I know? Well, I got an iron signal all the way along each side which I can presume to be the halo iron effect from the nails in the coffin. We discovered that he had re-installed head stones facing the nort when he should have installed them facing east which is the direction of the sunrise. True story.
 
You sure do not want to stick that probe into old great grandfather, now do you? What this country needs is a more mobile and lighter GPR rig that costs less. Do you know of any people who are Dowsers? There was a story in the newspaper years ago about an old dude that would take a dowsing rod and find people's graves for them. Good luck. It's nice to be remembered.....
 
You need some kind of metal in the grave for the detector to pick up and it has to be at a distance the detector can reach.

Bill
 
[size=medium]Unless he was buried in a "Fisk Metal Coffin" you won't find anything,in most cases. The dowsing idea is very good. I have a friend that has found soldiers graves that were buried at "Antietam Battlefield" for the park service. He can even tell which end is the head of the grave. He is located in the Baltimore area if you're interested and I can get you his name.[/size]
 
n/t
 
krazybob said:
I'd really like to know more about how to do this, and what kind of rods to use. Maybe brass welding rods?
Krazybob
Click to expand...

Brass welding rods are too soft. I'd use stainless 1/4" rod you can get relatively cheap. Drill a hole in a 3/4" rod about 7" long to make a T handle. I spent about an hour building up the tip of mine so it would push into the ground easier, but I use mine a lot.

Not for graves, I'm too superstitious for that.
 
I think he's wondering about the dowsing, not a probe.. According to most dowsers,
almost anything can be used for rods. Many use the L shaped rods, which could be
made from almost anything. Even coat hangers. Some use the Y shaped sticks..
Some use little wiggly spring danglers with a weight on the end..
According to most, it's not the rod, it's the tiny influences on the rods caused by
the dowser.
Do I think it works? I dunno.. I'm kinda skeptical.. I've never seen anyone do it
live in color. There are examples on u-toob, but most don't actually dig what they
claim to dowse..
For example, some claim to stake out graves, but without probing or digging, how
does one know for sure they are right? Even using ground probes could be sketchy
as you don't know what you are actually hitting.
I'm pretty skeptical when one claims they can tell which is the head of the grave.
Now, BCD seems to be fairly level headed, so that he claims to be able to do it is
kind of interesting. But to be convinced, I'd probably have to see it in person, and
then verify by digging to see the real results. Like I say, I'm kinda skeptical..
But on the other hand, people have claimed to be able to do it for years and years,
so maybe there is something to it for some people.
 
I'm with NM5K, I don't believe much in dowsing as far as finding metal but
I have heard reports that it can be used successfully for finding water supplies
which might be possible.
As far as finding graves with dowsing, I am at a loss to how that would possibly
work.
 
My Dad and my Grandmothercould find water that way. They called it "Witching water". My Dad was asked several times to tell someone where the best place to dig a well was and as far as I know, he never failed. I saw him several times locate water lines and sewer lines that way. The gift did not pass down to me howevr. He could also buy warts from someone. He would give them a penny and tell them that they should put it somewhere where it wouldn't get lost or spent. Within a few days the wart would disappear. Luckily, he never actually had to take possession of them.

MrGee
 
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