Newbie - But Defo Hooked!!!! need a little help to please

[MidasTouch]

Evening All,

What can I say, I decided that since I live in such a lovely place, beaches, settlements roman roads etc, as well as being top friends with local farmers that I would give detecting a go.

Boy did I have fun!

So after reading for a while and doing some research I ended up on a Ace 250 – Was going to go with a mini Vista but the Ace seemed to me and other reviews etc to be the best match. I could not be happier with the company “Detector Distribution” Why? Well mainly because I order the unit on Thursday it turns up on Friday, WITH freebies – I got a coil cover, Garrent treasure sound headphones, various books including Collections, identification best use of detector etc. Was over the moon !!

So far so good. Today decided that my 6 yr old son and I would brave the Cold (and it bloody was) and hit a local beach, (got my permit) and off we went with a home made sand sieve made out of a 10” plastic plant pot watering tray with 100’s of holes drilled in, and a few plastic trowels, next time will bring spade!!.

On arriving at the beach and after several conversation regarding pirate booty and chests we get setup. My son by this time was about to explode with excitement and strangely so was I. What will it be for our first find? Loads, little, noting. We didn’t have to wait long and after about 10m “Pings Beeps” the Machine was going mad, sensitivity? Nope, loot? Nope (DOH in my excitement I had forgotten to change shoes, and had my steel toes boots on rl; ) so after perfecting a new walk from the ministry of silly ones we started off again.

30m a big loud ping, looks like iron, (not eliminating anything until I can get the hang of it) and it will help pinpoint etc. So we had a very strong ping at 8+ apparently so I started to pinpoint and it was all over the place. Given I have no idea what I am doing I decided I would stop where it was strong and dig. Right enough 8+ down thud, a hollow wood sound, I was in hysterics son was jumping around shouting wooden pirate chest at the top of his voice, I was like calm down it is probably some firewood with a nail, made the hole a little bigger, this time I was now joining in it’s a bloody chest LOL. So after about 10mins of digging I am left with a curved wooden surface with planks running down the length of it with metal clad straps about 1 meter long by 70cm wide. Give the top a tap again sounds hollow, heart pounding already deciding how to spend this fortune of fancy detector stuff, I decide to lift what I think is the lid nope not budging, so dig round a bit more.

In all the excitement and my son shouting and my focus on the ground I do not realise that we have a few onlookers, I try to play it cool, but to late they are right on us, oh well back to the task at hand, I finally get the lid to budge…… and what do I find, its not a lid it is a bloody wooden barrel that has been cut down the middle and buried for some reason, the hit I had was indeed the metal fasteners. Laughing my head off and realising I will be going into work on Monday I sit down in the hole with my son for some smarties and hot chocolate each to celebrate.!!

What a rush, as I am filling in the hole I remember reading something abut scanning after lifting items in case there are more, so give it a go another ping this time nothing more than a simple 2 pence nothing special so pop it in our pouch and move on after sorting the barrel and hole out (hole filled, barrel taken back to car park and placed next to bin).

The rest of the day was hit and miss between my boots setting the ace off and crossing underground water making the machine go crazy I decided to call it a day. Because I didn’t know how to deal with wet sand dry sand with the ace I did leave feeling a bit confused.

Summing up our cache we had:

1 x 2 Pence piece 2000 I think it says
1 x long bolt
2 x ciggy wrappers
1 x strange stone that fused with something metal will look at that later

And 4 hours of Fun with the MD and my son! If every time is like this then I can’t wait, so much so on way home my son would like to go out first thing in the morning, and as a cool dad I will oblige 

But I have a few questions if I may.

Can anyone give me some good tips on using the Ace 250 on the sand their experience of the infamous Wet vs Dry sand, any techniques to use, how to identify good / bad places to search, just something to help me find anything cool tomorrow.

Kind Regards
MidasTouch

[nevntl]

Lookup fileylad uses ace 250 wet and dry beach he Will give you a few pointers first pointer from me wellies not work boots good luck get you son a little cheap md to join in

[roamingrob]

Nice story, and one your son will never forget. good times.

[MidasTouch]

Nice story, and one your son will never forget. good times.

ohh it was epic and tonight at bed time we had to talk all about it again. We are all going as a family tomorrow, and as someone suggested i have spent this evening fixing an old md Shanghai special for him to use with his little brother tomorrow.

No price on family fun

[nevntl]

Well dine midastouch glad you took my advice for your son hope have a great family day your treasure chest is the beach good luck regards Nev

[busterhamer]

Great story there Midas, my pal did the same trick with the toecap boots, he spent an hour saying i keep getting signals and can't find anything, i had already spotted his boots but i thought i would let him realise himself
always check them black lumps you find on the beach they can sometimes be holding secrets if it is really light it is probably a piece of coke, if it has weight to it gently crack it open with a hammer the treasure hunt may not be over

[richyrock]

Hi,

Great story, made me smile on a cold wet and windy Cornish morning.

Also have a 250, and struggle with the wet sand, I mean when i swing and graze the sand it beeps at me, every single time... when I scan over and not hit the sand it doesnt beep.....or does and theres nowt there.

So, I gave up and went up to the HW mark instead and found the tent pegs...oh a a dogs lead..

Should have gone for a surf instead...

[MidasTouch]

Hi,

Great story, made me smile on a cold wet and windy Cornish morning.

Also have a 250, and struggle with the wet sand, I mean when i swing and graze the sand it beeps at me, every single time... when I scan over and not hit the sand it doesnt beep.....or does and theres nowt there.

So, I gave up and went up to the HW mark instead and found the tent pegs...oh a a dogs lead..

Should have gone for a surf instead...

i did another post on here look at that one for suggested settings that worked well for me / my ace at least just can't wait to get this weeks work out of the way

[Tri99erapy]

Great story..... a barrel of laughs!!

never used the ACE and until reading a few posts on here I would have said no to the Ace on the wet stuff....... but it appears a few of the forum members know how to get the best out of this detector......