Small Woodland Owners' Group

Metal detector

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Postby tracy » Sat Apr 11, 2009 2:22 pm

I am a bit over excited, as we ordered me a metal detector today! Anyone else hunting for treasure in their wood? I will be sure to let you know how we get on!


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Postby Chris » Sat Apr 18, 2009 6:45 am

Hope you find some treasure Tracy, but you are more likely to find old tin cans.


We have done a bit of work with dowsing, which will turn up more than metal. We first used it trace a water pipe across the wood so we did not put a deer fence post through it.


It is also interesting to try any dry ditches as they seem to show up quite well and can be more easily followed with dowsing than on the ground if they are very shallow.


Dowsing is not a black art. I think that there is a rational explanation for it such as changes in magnetic field caused by water, metal or soil compaction. Bit like a low tech metal detector really, and a bit quieter.


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Postby RichardKing » Sun Apr 19, 2009 7:03 am

My built in, shockproof, twentyfour carrat crap detector just went off scale (Acknowledgement to Henry Miller) at the mention of "dowsing".


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Postby tracy » Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:32 pm

Well, I started in an area with a strange indentation, and the detector went mad. We dug and dug and eventually found an old knife handle with a rotted away blade and then loads of other stuff. Ran out of time to dig the hole lot, but wondering if it was an old rubbish tip bit...! Found a Skips packet so will try to date the design, hmmm!


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Postby The Sawyer » Thu Apr 30, 2009 7:34 pm

Me thinks that you should get your shockproof, twentyfour carrat C#&p detector looked at Richard as it seams to be missing some parts, not even sure i could find with the dowsing rods but I can find water pipes, gas and electric and even phone lines with out any trouble. Not a good idea with a cold thought as you pick up everything including plow lines.


As far as your discovery goes Tracy good luck with the search you can find a lot in old pits but it is always a good idea to join a local club as they get archeologists in to look at things and log them on a finds map thus making sure historical information is not lost for ever.


regards Kester


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Postby tracy » Thu Apr 30, 2009 8:03 pm

I am a part of the South East woodland Archaeology forum, so I shall make sure I document it all carefully!


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Postby RichardKing » Fri May 01, 2009 7:40 pm

A farmer once told me that he had called in a "dowser" to decide the location of a water well he was having drilled. Apparently the old diviner claimed to have located "an underground river" and lo and behold when the well was drilled it found water !

I had to explain to the farmer that in fact you can drill a well almost anywhere in southern England and you will find water at some depth or another.


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Postby tracy » Sat May 02, 2009 6:19 am

Ah, well, water, anyone can do that! I can dig anywhere in England and find ring pull tabs ;-)


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Postby jillybean » Sat May 02, 2009 7:32 am

Why not try this simple test. Get a couple of welding rods, or a coathanger, and make yourself 2 L shaped pieces of wire. 4 inches ish on the short side, and 8-10 on the long side. Hold them loosley in a fist with your thumbs tucked in, so they can swivel about in your hand . Now, point them like a cowboy would point his pair of revolvers at the sheriff, elbows tucked in. put a cup or bucket of water on the ground or your beer if youre sure you wont kick it over, and walk towards it slowly with your guns pointed straight ahead, and see what happens when you get to the water/beer. try it Richard and you may have skills you didnt know about!


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Postby RichardKing » Sun May 03, 2009 5:30 am

I am unaware of any objective test of dowsing that has ever come up with anything other than random results.

If you know of any that have positive data then perhaps you can direct me to them.


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