Chapter one:
I'd like a new metal detector.
I have a Shonstedt GA 52-B
I have a Shonstedt GA 72
I have a Shonstedt GA 92, XTd Pistol, with display. It's been in the shop once. And, been repaired once by me.
I have folks ask me all the time, about "Finding treasure" I sadly tell them, "It's fero magnetic metal only".
Chapter two:
Recently, Javad has come up with a ITTY-BITTY metal detector, that weighs maybe 4 or 5 ounces, is around 8 inches long, and maybe 1-1/4" dia.
It has more bells and whistles, than carter has pills. It is designed to ALSO serve as a remote controller, for the Javad LS, performing a limited number of functions, such as start, stop, of observations. It's basically a POCKET sized metal detector. Kinda cool. I'm TOLD that is has a feature that allows you to "ZERO it out". This allows you to zero out a fence, or a car, or some large object, and keep searching in the presence of a metal fence corner.
Chapter 3:
Next, I go to my friend's house, who has a Minelab brand metal detector. I think it was the Excalibur model.
We go out in his yard, and find, in about 15 minutes, a few random pieces of metal. Then we find a piece of metal, about 1/4" dia, by 1/16" thick. It's 2" deep. It gave a nice loud signal. We thought it was a watch battery. No, it turned out to be a part of a clothing snap. Made of some kind of pot metal.
That thing is SENSITIVE. It had a coil about 10" dia. It was designed to have the main brain, hanging around your neck, and the unit essentially was designed for hours of use. Not too heavy. It has something called "notch". or "notch out". It lets you notch out certain signals. Handy for looking for a coin, in a yard full of nails. You simply "Notch out that signal". This is something akin to what the Javad above is doing. with "ZERO it out".
I was VERY impressed with it's ability. With a bit of learning, this could be alot of fun.
But, it is too big to tote around, on a survey crew.
Anyway, are there any surveyors, using "Treasure hunter" style metal detectors, on survey crews?
I once found a very rusted pistol. It was shot, but cool. (no wood left)
As I talked with my friend, about all this, it occurred to me, we could SURE use a metal detector, that did more than fero-magnetic.
Example One:
Just recently, I tied into a survey, where I had SET an AGC aluminum monument. For what ever reason, there was no magnet in it. I did it when I was about 15 yrs old. My dad has his stamp in the top. I was the guy wielding the PHD. (Post hole digger). I also drove a light duty steel fence post, 1 foot to the north.
Subsequently, the land has been filled in with 3 ft of fill. And, the steel fence post broken off.
And, TWO surveyors have dug up the BROKEN OFF steel fence post. And USED it as the section corner. WELL, I dug out the AGC monument, 1 ft south. and set a nice ceramic magnet beside it, to give it a signature. Here is a case where having the ability to detect ALUMINUM would have served the surveying community.
Example Two:
Another survey:
Out in pearcy area. I searched VERY hard to find a section corner. NOTHING. I eventually got the GLO field notes, mapped all the stump holes, played "assume this is it", Finally as I did it, and was digging, from the NUMBER one stump hole choices, I found a mangled aluminum survey monument, set by PLS 427. PLS 427 was a USFS surveyor. Magnets were long gone.
I set a rebar, and poked the remains of the alum mon beside my rebar.
So, I have 2 examples, from my PERSONAL work, where a metal detector, that "Does more than a Shonstedt" would have benefited the surveying community, at large.
Then, I remember the old BLM corner, which had a brass cap. BUT, it had rebar under it, in concrete, so my Fero-magnetic did just fine.
Time marches on. It seems that "KEEPING pace" with technology, is a duty we have as surveyors.
Summary:
And, telling developers of our tools what we need, is a component of this.
All said, having a tiny metal detector is a big deal, So, I probably will get the Javad. But, I wish it could ALSO do aluminum, and brass.....
and, GOLD would be nice too!
As time goes on, we are all prone to "Want it all".
I suspect, I will eventually get a "Treasure hunter" style metal detector, but, I wish I had it all in one.
It'd be great to accidentally find some pile of gold nuggets.
Nate
From time to time I wish that I had an Active (EM Coil) Metal Detector in the "tool Kit."
Copper Rods and/or Copper Nail & Washers set by the USGS, USC&GS, and sometimes Copper Rods "leaded" into bedrock by Mineral Surveyors and others. Brass, Bronze, AlumiBronze, or Aluminum, disks and/or Brass or Copper Bolts. are also encountered quite often. MOST of these are reasonably easy to find, but there are times when a non-ferrous Metal Detector would be very handy.
Loyal
My dad has a White's Metal Detector. One older surveyor made a habit of cutting up aluminum television antenna's and using them for corners (aluminum tube). We have drug it out, from time to time, to look for some of them, and only found a few, but it was after we had already rooted around like pigs looking for it. When we find one, we typically either replace it or stick something metal beside it and note it on the plat and field notes.
