Noob Questions...

So what are the pros and cons of detecting vs panning? Is one more worthwile than the other or is it just a preference thing? What are the essential tools a novice like myself should be looking for other than a minelab? I was wondering if it is worth constructing my own detector off schematics? Can someone point me to some good reading on what ground to be looking at as well...

Hi Dez

The Pan is the fundamental bit of all prospectors kit, not only does it give you easier gold at first
than a detector but it also teaches you the principles of gold deposition, this is very important to know
wheather you pan, sluice or detect..

Detecting will get you more weighty pieces as long as its the type designed to operate well in aussie
mineralsied grounds, there are 2 main types used for this, the first is the older technology known as
VLF or very low frequency, these where some of the 1st machines we had, they are very sensetive but hate
bad ground minerals like ironstone/salt etc....
Then we have the pulse induction types, they perform very well in our soils all over Aus, but are the high end
of the detectors on the market, Minelab are the best pulses on the market, they start from $800 for a s/hand
sd2000 and go up to $6250 for the present GPX5000.. the ducks guts..


Regards
Goldendg8s

Thanks for the reply...

I had someone offer a link on the different types of detectors but it was limited information, I have been trying to google more information and stumbled across some schematics for PI detectors i thought could be worthwile even though everyone has said minelab 5000's are the best you can get!

Now to go and research gold deposition... thanks for the next bit in the journey

Dez wrote:
even though everyone has said minelab 5000's are the best you can get!

At least we agree on this, even the 4500's not too bad. Makin a detector from scratch could be a fun project, and sorry about the spellin, I didnt think there were any extra marks for it.

better get crakin before its 2L8M8

It all comes down to personal choice. I did not like the 4500 and I haven't used a 5000.

If ML can give me a unit that says, "Big Nug Here", then I'm all for it. but I think that is a long way off.
Walk and dig, it's good fun and I love it.

ya Bignuggs, I want one of them as well, so Minelab get ya bloody act to gether pronto and get one of them fabled machines that we want that says Bignuggs dig here

get in quick before its 2L8M8

That wasn't so hard now was it 2l8m8

I appreciate the input

you can't go wrong with a minelab they are the best detector i reckon you can get. with panning your going to mostly always get gold but less chance of picking up the big one and with detecting you could go a few days without finding anything but have more chance of picking those bigger nuggets. with my sluice it's good for picking up the smaller gold and eveytime we have taken it out we find a few bits. the best thing about that it's so relaxing.
cheers
stoppsy

Yep, searching and being in the scrub is relaxing, I just love it. It gets me away from the f**king phones, the traffic, annoying people who ask dumb questions that they can answer themselves and the list goes on and on.
Pple think i'm crazy for going bush, I say they are crazy for stayin in the city.

i couldn't live in the city as i'v lived in the bush town all my life and i love it way to much. the ones that say your crazzy it's the other way around i think they don't know what they are missing.
cheers
stoppsy

Seems like it has come a long way... Found this interesting thread on a forum i found googling schematics.

oldies

I reckon ya musta fell of ya horse and bumped ya head fairly hard if ya reckon thet ya can build a better detector than ML in a back yard shed

I do reckon that it would be a good project to play around with though, plenty of :study: who knows may turn out.

its not 2L8M8

If the schematics are available then generally they can be improved on from my experience... Horses for courses really, some people like buying a car or bike that someone else did all the hard work and then there's people who like to do up there own.

Dez wrote:If the schematics are available then generally they can be improved on from my experience... Horses for courses really, some people like buying a car or bike that someone else did all the hard work and then there's people who like to do up there own.

Gee Dez, if you decide to build one instead of buying one, keep us all informed on the progress, would be great to see how one goes. Good luck.

I am researching it, the biggest problem I can see is my lack of knowledge on detectors, I have built guitar amps and know what I am looking for before I start but this one seems it might be hit and miss but we will see. Lucky for me, there are a fair few schematics floating around online that look legit. the forum I posted the oldies link to is the place I am searching, they look like they know their poo poo and haven't seen dud advice in the tech section as of yet.

Geotech is quite a good forum for the technical types. I guess that's you Dez?

Good luck building one.

Panning is a great hobby also and not quite as expensive. Of course, panning can lead to sluicing so up
goes the cost.

All in all, they're great for going bush and enjoying yourself.

Robert