Metal detectors???

[DOVEMAN]

I have purchased a WPF 10 Peterson mill. I will be getting it in June. From all the experienced guys on here which is the best way to go about metal detecting. I work in corrections and the hand held models are not the most accurate if you have a big log it would be painful going over the whole thing. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Models that are good- bad? Your input is of value to me and thank you for any information you can give.

[Magicman]

I have a Garrett 250, but the handheld is almost as well.  Don't forget that your sawmill, steel toe boots, and any tools will also set it off.  I'm just saying that even after a thorough scanning you can still hit metal.   

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Sawing for myself.....I may use a Metal Detector depending on where the log came from.

Sawing for a customer by the BF.....I don't use a Metal Detector. $30 for damaged blades. And they know.

Sawing for a customer who wants his logs scanned......I saw at $50/hr and they are still charged $30 for damaged blades.

[scsmith42]

I have a Garrett 250, but the handheld is almost as well.  Don't forget that your sawmill, steel toe boots, and any tools will also set it off.  I'm just saying that even after a thorough scanning you can still hit metal.   

I too ended up with a Garrett 250.

[caveman]

A few Saturdays ago JMoore and I sawed up 20 or used utility poles of which several were horizontally buried for years and most were full of metal.  The guy we sawed them for pressure washed them and then scanned them with a metal detector like you would use at the beach when looking for jewelry.  A high quality metal detector of this type may be available at a low used price from a discouraged treasure seeker.

We sawed only one aluminum nail and no other metal all day.  We normally do not saw poles and we went through a lot of blades but he ended up with a whack of nice lumber and John was able to keep his wife's cousin happy.

The cousin stayed busy washing poles, extracting metal and stacking lumber.

[justallan1]

I also use a Garrett Ace 250 and it works quite well. I generally only use it on utility poles and town trees and trust luck on most others.
I did notice one time that it had a rough time detecting a galvanized fencing staple and I sat and tried it from every direction possible, the rest of them on that pole registered just fine though. Just a heads up, possibly the coating on the staple was the problem.

[red]

No one ever put just one nail in a tree .

[Savannahdan]

I've been using a wand style MD and it seems to be working fine.  I did run into some wire cabling on an oak log that was about 3" on the curve.  I use a Lucas mill and heard the zing a few times before I decided to quit before running into a bolt.  The wire was getting larger and was going deeper into the log.  I am now scanning more frequently.  Guess it's time to step up to a better detector.  I'll use it with the grandkids as well as cutting log.

[DanMc]

I have a cheapo metal detector that came along with my mill when I bought it used.  Probably came from Harbor Freight.  Last summer I never used it on any logs out of sheer laziness.  If I had, I would have found a 1/4" eye bolt that was probably used to hang a hammock.  The bolt was just peeking out from the bark and surely would have created a nice blip - if I just picked it up and used it. 

The metal detector did a fine job of helping me locate a missing feather dropped into the leaves from when I split a big rock using wedges and feathers.  I looked visually and with my hand for quite a while but the cheapo MD found it in a minute. 

I often like to start out with cheap stuff so I can learn, then buy the better or best stuff if needed. 

[D6c]

I have one of these I bought used.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/SubSurface-ML-1M-Steel-Magnetic-Locator-Digital-Meter-7-year-warranty-/250597766938

I had it for doing surveying work.  I lay a log across across a couple of other logs in an area that's free of metal to check it.  They only work on ferrous material but that's what I'm mostly concerned with.

[woodman58]

Here is one I would love to get but it is expensive.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/product_pages/Products.asp?mi=82901&itemnum=43165&redir=Y

[terrifictimbersllc]

I have a Peterson 10" WPF and until recently had a Rens4000 metal detector.  But I found myself not taking it along, mainly because the customer was responsible for metal in the log, not I.   Finding that a log has metal in it, unless it's on the surface, doesn't help much deciding whether to saw the log or in removing the metal.  In fact it could cost me either time or money if it caused rejection of the log or dithering about what to do about the supposed metal.  So I sold the detector.   If I were sawing for myself or buying logs I would have kept it.

I still use a Lumber Wizard on the band mill whenever metal comes along.

[Magicman]

Since I only saw customer's logs, I do not scan logs either.  It's their logs and their responsibility to insure that there is no metal.  If I touch the detector the responsibility would sorta shift to me.  Every metal strike cost them $25.

When I saw for myself, I do not scan.  I am not spending time looking for something that probably is not there and if/when I do hit something then so be it.

[bandmiller2]

I can't speak for all of us but I just use metal detection when a log looks suspicious, and then just the butt log. Good form to be Leary of trees along the edges of fields and stone walls. I have three or four detectors but use a cheap handy one I bought at a flea market. Kids ran off with it and after a month returned it none the worse for wear. Frank C.

[moodnacreek]

Have used a Fisher hand held coin finder on logs for over 25 years.  I couldn't  be without it. It only goes 8 inches 0n small nails but it gives different signals for non ferris metals.so I can saw through  lead/copper bullets.

[killamplanes]

I just look for blue stain, of course ends need to be fresh cut. If there's staining and I need say 3 or 4in slabs or some thing that's the log for it. I don't cut alot of yard trees though. Good luck....

[DOVEMAN]

How do you like the Peterson mill! Any negative things about the mill mine is being shipped and will be here in june. I took years to purchase a Peterson mill. I was going to get a woodmizer, the blade changes and inability to cut bigger stuff made me go with a Peterson WPF 10 with a slabber. I looked at Lucas as well, but people on the forum who had them kept saying they were saving for a Peterson. This made me go with Peterson. I plan on getting a band mill for resaw. Thank you for any info you can give. How does it do in smaller logs? Thanks again.