3 quick steps to boost your metal finds Keeping your metal detector in top shape all year round is key to enjoying every treasure hunting adventure to the fullest! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, simple metal detector maintenance tips can make a huge difference in your finds and fun. Join our community events to swap stories, share your own year-round care routines, and pick up treasure hunting tips that keep your gear ready for the next big discovery! Let's dive into some key maintenance steps to ensure you’re always ready to uncover hidden treasures. 1. Regular Cleaning & Care A clean detector is a happy detector! After each hunt, wipe down your equipment using a soft, damp cloth to remove dirt and dust. Pay special attention to the coil and control box to prevent long-term damage. Regular cleaning not only extends the life of your detector but also ensures accurate readings. Remember, a little care now saves on costly repairs later. Keep your gear in pri...

Top 5 Tips Every New Treasure Hunter Needs to know So, you’ve decided to become a treasure hunter. Nice.  No map? No pirate ship? No problem. Metal detecting is basically modern-day treasure hunting… just with less rum and more holes in the ground. Whether you're chasing coins, relics, or that mystery beep that turns out to be a bottle cap , here’s how to get started the right way. 1. Getting Started (AKA: What Did I Just Buy?) Walking into metal detecting for the first time can feel like opening a spaceship manual. Start simple. Learn what your detector actually does before you go full Indiana Jones. Different machines are built for different styles, parks, beaches, old sites, so pick one that matches where you plan to hunt. Pro tip: If it has 47 buttons… you probably don’t need 46 of them yet. 2. Gear Up Without Looking Like a Fool You don’t need a truckload of gear, but a few essentials will save your sanity: A beginner-friendly detector (easy to use = more finds, les...

  3 Steps to Boost Your Next Treasure Hunt (and not look like a total rookie) Alright, so you wanna hit a metal detecting event and actually find stuff instead of just collecting bottle caps like it’s your full-time job? Here’s how to not mess it up: Packing Essentials (aka don’t be that guy) Nothing ruins a hunt faster than your detector dying 10 minutes in. Bring extra batteries. Seriously. Also toss in snacks, water, and maybe a tiny first-aid kit in case you aggressively attack the ground and lose. Hat? Yes. Sunscreen? Also yes. Looking like a lobster halfway through the hunt is not part of the strategy. Choosing the Right Equipment (your detector matters… a lot) Not all detectors are built the same. If you're at a beach, don’t bring something that panics near water. If you're in the woods, you want something that can actually find stuff buried under 100 years of bad decisions. Also… maybe check your gear BEFORE you leave. Revolutionary idea, I know. I went out once ...

  August 1st, Wild Oaks Campground. It started out like any other detecting adventure. I had my wetsuit on, headphones over my ears, detector in one hand, scoop in the other. I waded chest-deep into the lake, thinking everything was fine. The water was calm. The sun was out. I was in my zone.                                                                             Me in the stupid suit! But then I took one more step—and the world dropped out from under me. I had hit a massive drop-off near the dock, and there was no warning. One moment I was standing on solid sand, the next I was in deep water, my feet scrambling for bottom that just wasn’t there. I tried using my scoop to push myself back up, but I couldn’t find anything to stand on. The wetsuit that should’ve helped me fl...

Talkin’ the Talk: Metal Detecting Lingo in Real Life Metal detecting has its own language — a mix of wit, wisdom, and hard-earned experience. If you've ever wondered what terms like "canslaw" or "coinball" really mean, here's a walk through a day in the dirt using all the slang we love. No glossary here — just stories. Clad I kicked off the morning with an easy park hunt. Thirty minutes in and I already had a pocket full of modern change. Not a relic in sight, but hey — clad adds up. It’s not glamorous, but it keeps the hunt alive. I call it “battery money.” Digger The sun was barely up, and the ground was still cool from the night. I drove my digger in deep, working around a faint signal. Clean plug. And there it was: a crusty 1919 Wheat penny. My digger's been with me for years — it’s practically an extension of my arm. Heartbreaker I got a solid tone under an old oak tree and my heart jumped — it was hitting high, steady, and deep. I was sure I...

  One-Spot Wonders: My Best Find from the Smallest Spot You know those moments where your gut says, “Just give it a quick swing” ? Well, this story is exactly that—and it taught me a lesson I won’t forget. The Setup It was a long day out at a rural permission I’d had my eye on for months—an old farmhouse with history stretching back to the early 1900s. Most of the yard had already been combed over. I’d pulled a few relics earlier in the day, a button or two, a rusted spoon, and plenty of old iron junk. The usual. After hours of detecting in the hot sun and feeling like I’d tapped the place dry, I called it quits and started packing up. But as I walked past the side of the house on my way back to the van, I noticed this little 6x6 foot patch of grass wedged between a crumbling concrete step and the base of a downspout. Honestly, it looked like nothing. Too tight to swing in, trampled flat, and filled with roots. But that itch hit me. The one that says, “Just swing the coil one...

  What’s Actually Happening Under Your Metal Detector? (And How to Find More Stuff) So you're out there swinging a metal detector like a treasure-hunting Jedi, but have you ever asked: What’s this thing really doing? Like, how does it know there's a rusty nail down there? Or a coin? Or your future retirement in gold bars? Let’s break it down—no science degree required. The Coil: Your Detector’s Superpower At the bottom of your detector is the coil—that big circle thing you wave around like you’re casting spells. But it’s not magic. It’s actually science. Here’s the basic deal: The coil sends out invisible magnetic energy into the ground. When this energy hits metal, it causes something called “eddy currents” in the object (fancy term for tiny electric swirls). Those eddy currents push back with their own magnetic vibes. Your detector senses that “pushback” and goes “BEEP!” That’s it. That’s the moment you start digging like a pirate who’s found a clue. Beep...

If you’ve been swinging the Minelab Equinox long enough, chances are your coil ears may eventually crack or break — and, let’s be honest, it usually happens after the warranty runs out . Don’t panic — this blog post walks you through how I repaired my 11" Equinox coil ears using Plastic Bonder JB Weld , a strong two-part epoxy. It’s a simple, inexpensive fix — and I’ve included photos for each step (which you’ll find below). What You’ll Need: Plastic Bonder JB Weld (2-part epoxy for plastic) Toothpick or small stick (for mixing and applying) Cardboard (for coil ear spacing and mixing) Rubbing alcohol (for cleaning) Paper towel or cloth Optional: painter’s tape or clamp Gloves (recommended) Step 1: Clean the Area Thoroughly Before doing any repairs, clean around the broken ear with rubbing alcohol to remove dirt, oils, and dust. Let it dry completely. Step 2: Mix the Plastic Bonder JB Weld Squeeze equal parts of the resin and hardener onto a piece of ca...