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Swampstomper Al

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Posts posted by Swampstomper Al

    XP Deus For Beach Hunting?

    in Metal Detecting For Jewelry

    Posted

    On 8/23/2017 at 10:27 AM, MontAmmie said:

    ...Maybe the new AT Max?
    PS.  The Infinium has already paid for itself!  :biggrin:

    I think you just name-checked your answer / solution..

    I have absolutely no complaints about my AT Pro on the beach; it works great everywhere from the cross-overs to knee-deep surf & beyond (along with working well in parks etc. too..) Based on its proven performance to me, if I didn't already have it I'd get a Max.. Still may, some day..

    If I know I'm going to be working wet only I'll use the Infinium.. Ditto everywhere following a major storm thrashing, especially down along the Treasure Coast.. For general beach wanderings these days though, except for add'l depth hits I doubt I've missed very much if anything with the AT at half the weight of the Infinium.. Even when wearing the control box that bad boy gets heavy after a couple hours..

    Swamp
     

    Miner Finds Diamond While Looking For Gold Near Foresthill, California

    in Rocks, Minerals, Gems & Geology

    Posted

    Looks like a diamond to meee.. Doesn't look all that bad color-wise from here either.. Of course...

    Dang, the price of testers sure has come down..! Paid a bit over $100 about 20 years ago for basically the same unit..

    Here's the thing about that type of tester though: They're really not designed to work on un-cut stones.. They're designed to measure the refractivity / refractiveness in/of cut stones.. If you watched the vid you'll notice how the LEDs were bouncing back-n-forth along the length of the readout between the red and yellow.. That tester held to a cut diamond would have shot all the way toward the tip and held steady on a green LED.. Held against paste it would have moved maybe one or two notches at most, if at all..

    The same holds true with rough (as shown in the vid) but to a much lesser degree, seldom making it to the green yet reacting enough to confirm an ID.. That was about as good a reaction as it gets on uncut rough (actually much faster than on ours, which I'll attribute to newer circuitry -- never have seen "bouncing" that fast before,) with non-diamond barely moving.. They work well enough I'd rather have one than not, especially for under twenty bucks..

    * NOTE: Testing of our unit performed at Crater Of Diamonds, including on stones Diamond James would carry with him in a film canister back when he was still alive to hawk to tourists who absolutely couldn't go home empty handed..

    Swamp

    Video - Hunting Parks & Beaches For Gold

    in Metal Detecting For Jewelry

    Posted

    11 hours ago, strick said:

    Very entertaining as usual...and I love his videos....

    strick

    I like his vids too.. Have watched a bunch of 'em over time.. Funny thing is he initially came to my attention due to one of his coin finds.. He's made a few fairly amazing coin finds -- an '01-S Barber quarter & 1914-D penny both in good enough shape to sell numismatically with the Q bringing nearly six large, gold Stater when he was across the pond a couple years ago.. I find unreadable V nickles lol..

    Swamp

    Gold Prospecting In Indiana

    in Gold Panning, Sluicing, Dredging, Drywashing, Etc

    Posted

    On 8/1/2017 at 7:46 PM, GB_Amateur said:

    Thanks to all of you for your help and advice.  I should have known this but based upon what you've said and linked, I realize that there aren't simple answers here as far as which classifiers are best.  Similar to detecting, it depends upon your intended targets, your ground, and especially on the nature of the treasure in your location.  I go forward with new appreciation.  As usual, if it were easy it wouldn't be worth doing.

    Late to the thread I am, GB_A.. Before I dive in though, and/or to what extent, I need to know a couple of things -- welll, one for sure: Have you already committed to yourself about going after Indiana gold, or are you in the investigative stage still trying to determine if doing so is worth your time, effort and additional monitary investment..?

    While there is Au in Indiana, due to its typical sizing along with most of your bedrock's type/nature, the gold there isn't the easiest to recover.. Ergo, if you're wanting to do some placer-type recovery while starting from scratch equipment-wise it's fairly easy to drop a couple - few hundred and still not even have all the unpowered basics much less any situation-specific specialty harvesting tools/aids..

    As long as those early $$s have been figured into the start-up budget, there is no problem.. Some people get taken by surprise though.. I don't figure you as one to get caught out like that.. But you are talking classifiers, which tend to be leading..

    So yeah, I am curious as to where your head is with this possible addition...

    Swamp

    Jackpot!

    in Detector Prospector Forum

    Posted

    On 7/28/2017 at 3:49 AM, madtuna said:

    ...dug out all signals to down passed detector depth and filled back in and made it look like natural ground...

    Smartest. Move. Ever!

    I know you say you're far off any sort of beaten path and away from prying eyes, but doing backfill-and-grooming as you go along given total area, amount present and timetable for removal just makes good solid sense to me..
    Anyone else picking up a Lost Dutchman's Mine kinda vibe from this..?

    Swamp

    Finally A Hanger

    in Detector Prospector Forum

    Posted

    Nice finds and super-nice find re the hanger, Clark..! I'm certain your wife will love it..
    It's great when ya find a nug that has "wear me" stamped right on it..!

    Swamp

    PS: Don't get discouraged in your search for a new patch.. A read of Steve's
    most recent post on the subject is all the confirmation one needs..

    The Law Of Averages

    in Metal Detecting For Jewelry

    Posted

    16 hours ago, Mark Gillespie said:

    Several years ago I counted the pull tabs dug compared to the gold rings and the number was around 100 to 1. 

    You are extremely fortunate, Mark.. Around here I'd say it's easily over 500 to 1 (including bottle caps) for silver anything much less gold rings, which is in the four-figure ratio, possibly beginning with a " 2 "..

    One would think especially on the beaches Au would be popping all the time.. But it hasn't been, especially in recent years.. Closest beaches to me are what I call "working man" beaches.. Tungsten and the like far outweigh gold rings these days, and junk jewelry far outweighs silver..

    Swamp

    Garrett Infinium- First Impressions

    in Garrett Metal Detectors

    Posted

    20 hours ago, MontAmmie said:

    Al. your mono coils want to come hang out at the beach all day with me and my Infinium. :wink:

    I never got a mono.. For down here beachin' I didn't see the necessity.. There have been times I wish I had one, but truth be told that's mostly only after the power coil starts getting heavy..

    If living in a different part of the country though...

    Swamp

    Question Regarding Cleaning Equipment After You Find The Coins And Relics

    in Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics

    Posted

    14 hours ago, rod-pa said:

     

    I fashion my coin picks from wood(s).. Constantly re-sharpening, but that's the price one pays for no scratches.. There are some hardwoods I believe would work well but have never tried because they are expensive to the point there is never any scrap; all unusable bits get turned into slivers, chips, coarse and fine sawdust to be used as filler..

    A product I've found that works great (and fast) as far as removing between-the-numbers-and-letters crud from having been in circulation (not out of the ground) wheat & memorial 'copper' pennies only without creating other problems or rectifying other situations is Goo Gone Xtreme.. Can't see why it wouldn't work just as well on Indian Heads.. Have no idea how it works on / reacts with other coin types.. Do they even still mfg this solvent though..? Rinse in distilled demineralized water..

    Presently have no hands-free magnification setup.. If I need to be futzing with a coin under magnification I find those that attach to eyewear or using a visor-type to be better suited.. They allow for quicker more nimble motion in non extended-time (multi-day) situations..

    Swamp

    EDIT: It should be noted that if I'm going to be picking dirt out of letters, numbers etc., before doing so I lift some oil from around my nose or forehead, rub it 'into' the coin then let sit a couple days.. It's amazing how well this both loosens the dirt and causes it to clump, thereby eliminating possible scratching that could be caused by sands and other solids in the dirt proper if worked at while dry..
     

    Dry Spells And Groundskeepers

    in Metal Detecting For Jewelry

    Posted

    2 hours ago, GB_Amateur said:

    ...Now I know why I never see those brass dollar coins, even in circulation.  They've all been dropped on your beach.

    LOL.. I can't believe how many times you've nailed an exact thought of mine first.. The most-recent-attempt $1 coins are virtually non-existent around these-heah parts too.. Since 2000 I've gotten exactly six, not as finds either.. Got a Sacawagea in cash register change when they first came out.. The other five have shown up at a long-running weekly poker game..

    I actually have eight 1st-year unc rolls of the durn things (2 Sac & 6 Prez) I peeled to check for test wash/finish & no-edge-printing respectively, that I still have kinda hanging around for posterity.. A year or two ago I found out how many bazillions of 'em are still sitting in Federal storage though, so one of these days they'll go away for an Unc or Proof quarter-eagle or some new-breed proof silver dollars..

    Swamp

    PS: Wait..! Wait..! Stop the presses..! I did find one metal detecting..! Forgot all about that sucker.. It was under a park bench by a metal leg.. Just enough of a tone variation I dragged the leaves & twigs out with my foot & there it was..

    Hunting In Coal Waste

    in Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics

    Posted

    On 7/4/2017 at 7:28 PM, Mark Gillespie said:

    A few things I've learned...

    Nice..! Following along with GB_A's thoughts the silver is in most remarkable condition considering how long it's been buried.. Also, in case you haven't already done so I'd (re)check the '43 for the possibility of a 3/2 or a doubled die (for this item it will be a doubled eye..)

    Swamp

    Going For The Ugly

    in Metal Detecting For Coins & Relics

    Posted

    5 hours ago, strick said:

    Lots of weird sounds coming from this place deep targets Etc...it's a potpourri of stuff for sure. 

    Train tokens, etc., etc.. Bet there's some merchant rounds to be found..
    Wouldn't doubt smaller denomination gold coinage either..
    Follow track side / bed / whatever's left a ways too.. Old camps now overgrown just out-of-town..

    Swamp

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