Metal Detectors

With the best bounty hunter , dont expect to go much deeper than 200mm-250mm with a coke can sized object . 150mm for coins etc .

Ok, I watched two guys using a piece of bent wire to check for any existing water pipes for a subdivision, they were checking the notes of the guys who the previous day were using an electrical device of some sort to do the exact same thing.
I talked to the guys with the 'wire' thinking they were idiots, but to my amazement I was assured they were legit by a quick example, the guy was prepared to be blindfolded and still show me the same mark on the grass where the pipe was located, he did it time after time.
I was convinced, but still don't understand it :)

Maîneÿ . . .

I got one some years back from dick smith. It was cheap and had all the features of the expensive ones. Once you learnt to use it you could determine the size type of metal and depth if you were prepared to keep adjusting it. was awesome and the kids had great fun with it. Would be 10 years old now and still works great. Used it about a month ago to fine the sewr inspection for the neighbour after it had been buried for some years. Expensive is not always necessarily a requirement.

G'day Oldbaz,
I have a gold snoop pro that i bought off ebay for a couple of hundred bucks, i have used it for finding water pipes that weren't down to far, finding fencing pliers dropped whilst fencing across a creek,because it has a waterproof coil, and have also found a few old coins around the house yard much to the kids enjoyment, a mate has the gold snoop pro as well as a couple of minelabs and he still uses it a fair bit finding coins,hope this helps .
Cheers John.

Hi Oldbaz

Most of our water pipes are poly, so the bent wire (water divining) works best.

Motherhen

If your only going to use it for finding pipes underground a cheap one will probably do.

We use Minelab detectors that once understood can detect items up to 1000mm deep if large enough and in the right soil.

Like most thing you pay for what you get even though the marketing hype from some cheaper brands will tell you different.

Garrett and White do some good priced detectors under the $600.00 price range.

Not all detectors work the same..... you can have someone use to a Garrett or White find stuff they will not find with a more expensive Minelab, but get someone who is use to a Minelab and the tables turn.

Detectors are like tyres, fridges, batteries and vehicles....every one thinks the brand they use is the best and the others are (not so good).

You will find people who use Minelab will stick to Minelab, people with White's will stick to White's and the same for Garrett uses.

The dearer you go the better the detector will be a depth and noise filtering, this can play a big part in the soil you detecting in.

Minelab, White and Garrett are the three I would recommend.