Whether you've been detecting for years or are considering the purchase of your first detector, you want to be as comfortable as possible, for as long as possible, when you're out in the field swinging. No matter the brand or model you are using, detector ergonomics comes down to three things: how your hand grips the detector, the weight and balance of the detector, and the ability to adjust the handle length. A machine with excellent ergonomic design means less strain on your wrist, arm, shoulder, and back.
• There are two types of handle designs used by detector manufactures: the “L” shaped handle and “S” shape. Most detectorists find that the “L” shaped handle helps to reduce the load on the wrist when you swing the search coil. In contrast, gripping the “S” shaped handle tips your hand slightly downward. This slight downward tilt of the hand could put an unnatural strain on your wrist and forearm, and over time could extend to your shoulder. It's really a matter of personal preference and comfort, so just be aware of the two handle designs and which might work the best for you.
• The second ergonomic issue is the weight of the detector and how the weight is distributed on the detector’s handle when batteries are in place. A well balanced detector will have equal weight before and after the grip, which is the best possible situation for swinging the search coil for a long period of time. For the “L” shaped handle, the electronics are placed directly above the hand grip, and usually the batteries are placed under the forearm for added balance to the overall assembly. This brings the balance point very close to the hand grip, but still slightly forward of the grip point, which is ideal.
• The ability to adjust the lower handle to the correct length for good upright posture while swinging the search coil cannot be over-emphasized. This adjustment will reduce strain on your shoulder and back. Improper adjustment can cause you to bend over while swinging the coil and may result in lower back pain. Ouch!
Other ergonomic issues to consider for maximum comfort and enjoyment while detecting is the audio controls. The audio output should be stereo and the volume control should cover a wide range so when you hear a signal, you can discern what the target is made of. Also, if your detector has an LCD display, the display information should be large and readable, even in bright sunlight.
Several top companies such as Garrett, Fisher and Tesoro have perfected the modern art of metal detecting. With each new machine that comes to market, the features and success rate just keeps getting better. Learn more about metal detectors here.
Is that flash in your pan REAL gold?
Don't be Duped— How to Know if the Flash in Your Pan is REAL Gold
Fool's gold, iron pyrite, mica... no matter what you call it, at first glance it looks like real gold and sparkles like real gold in the sunlight or when viewed under water, but how do you know FOR SURE if those gleaming flakes are worth something... or exactly nothing?
The quickest and simplest test is to examine your sample in the shade, not in the sunlight. Real gold retains its yellow sheen even in shadow, whereas fool's gold does not.
Also keep in mind that gold is one of the heaviest elements known. Pure gold has a density (specific gravity) of about 19, which means that it weights about 19 times as much as an equivalent amount of water. On the other hand, mica, often mistaken for gold, has a specific gravity of about 2.3. Real gold sinks to the bottom of a gold pan; flakes of mica typically float.
Gold is soft and malleable. It can be cut with a knife and won't splinter. You can even "dent" it with a pin. Fool's gold, though, is hard and flaky. Use a magnifying glass and you can easily see the flaky structure of fool's gold, whereas real gold will appear more like a smooth blob.
If you're still not sure, try a chemical test. Put a drop of hydrochloric (muriatic) acid on your sample. Real gold will not be affected, but if you see a slight foaming action and the sample begins to dissolve, you know it's not real.
Fool's gold is the bane of every gold prospector's existence! If you see a flash in your gold pan, use the above methods to test it before yelling out "Eureka!" and you'll be sure it's the real thing. Good luck!
Practical Clues: What to Look for When Gold Prospecting in the Mountains, Streams, or Desert
Simply put, gold comes from rocks. Huge rocks, in the form of mountains, are pushed upward by heat and pressure from deep inside the earth, and then the rocks are worn down by wind and water. Through water erosion, gold often becomes separated from the rocks, forming the rich placer deposits we're all looking for.
The kind of mountains that are most likely to contain gold have been subjected to earthquakes. Earthquakes produce "faults" which are places where the tension of the growing mountain became so great that part of the ground pulled away, leaving a long scar. Locating a fault line or "outcrops" (ordinary soil pockmarked with monoliths and low ridges of sold rock) are important to prospectors because these areas often point to places where minerals were thrust into the rip in the earth during a geological event. Normal erosion washes gold into waterways below, and gold being heavy, settles naturally along the way— on the inside edges of bends in the stream, in whirlpools where two creeks join, in and around natural obstructions such as rock crevices and boulders, in the roots of river plants and trees. Gold is often found mixed with concentrated strata of fine black or red sand. Black sands that are iron oxide are magnetic. Red sand is composed of tiny crushed garnets.
This same characteristic settling action of gold applies in the desert, too, where rivers have long since vanished, but its outline remains. Most deserts are not completely dry all year. When it does rain, often in torrential downpours, water rushes down the gullies or "drywashes." After a heavy rain or flash flood, look along the dry banks as if water is still there—try to visualize how the heavy gold might be carried by the water and where it would naturally deposit, just like in a year-round streambed.
Prospecting for gold is a bit like being a detective. The better we get at reading geologic "clues," hopefully the closer we'll come to not only finding a few flakes and nuggets, but discovering the source of the gold—an exposed vein or rich pocket of the shiny stuff. Good luck and have fun!
Prospecting Looks Promising in Glacial Drifts in Midwest & Northeastern USA
First of all, what is glacial drift? A simple definition is that "glacial drift" refers to all rock material in transport by glacial ice, and all deposits predominantly of glacial origin or in bodies of glacial meltwater. Glacial drift occurs mainly in two forms: as till (rocks mixed with finer material), and as outwash (fine material with no rocks). Now that we know what glacial drift means, what does it have to do with gold prospecting in the Midwest and Northeastern USA? Previously, these areas were not known to be hot spots for gold, but GPAA members (Gold Prospectors Association of America) report that they have been recovering gold here— not only fine and flake gold, but nuggets as well!
How did the gold get there? During the ice ages, the glaciers acted like giant bulldozers pushing enormous amounts of rocks and gold-bearing gravels down from Canada. Many states were completely covered by glaciers at one point in time and were left with moraine (gravel) deposits. By researching state or regional glaciation books (check with college geology departments or state geological surveys), prospectors can better determine the locations of moraine deposits such as local gravel pits.
Keep in mind that the best prospecting potential does not exist at the moraine deposit itself because gold will not be concentrated here. Instead, try rapidly flowing streams and rivers that cut through or drain moriane deposits or the moraine terminus. The natural flooding of these drainages will concentrate the heavier matierals (such as black sand and gold) into pay streaks or layers. These layers are generally not on the surface. GPAA members have reported having to reach depts of 18 inches or more to recover some color. Slow meandering meadow streams may contain gold, but it will generally be much deeper.
Members have reported finding nuggets in nearly all the states that have glacial gold, so get out there and get your share! If you're a GPAA member, consult the GPAA Mining Guide for information on where to find GPAA claims in the Northeastern USA and all across the country. Good luck!
Flakes, pickers & nuggets are all valuable & all add up when you go to sell your gold!
Selling Your Gold to Refineries
Where can you fetch the best price for the gold you find? Refineries are probably the best answer for most prospectors. Since refineries melt your gold and resell it by weight, they do not care about the size or shape of your original gold, they only care about the purity. So, you can mix your fine and flake gold (12 mesh and smaller; goes through 1/12-inch by 1/12-inch screen) with pickers (12 mesh to 6 mesh; bigger than 1/12-inch but smaller than 1/6-inch) and small nuggets (6 mesh to 12 mesh; bigger than 1/6-inch but smaller than half inch) and larger nuggets (over half inch in size) and it's all the same to the refinery.
Refineries pay around 95% of assay (gold purity test). That means you get 95% of whatever purity is determined (85% pure is pretty common), minus a refining fee. Using $1,400 an ounce as an example price, if you sent in an ounce of gold and it was determined to be 85% pure, you would get about $1,130.50 for your ounce, minus a refining fee. Not too bad considering you can live anywhere and send your gold to the refinery of your choice!
Keep in mind that to keep the refining fees down, you need to send in a minimum of two ounces, so be sure you know exactly how much you have before you send it in. Every ounce of gold equates to 480 grains or 20 pennyweight or 31.104 grams. Since gold has gotten so valuable, being able to weigh it down to a fraction of a grain just adds money in your pocket. Every grain counts and every grain is valuable, so before you sell your gold to a refinery or any other buyer, weigh it carefully on a sensitive scale that can register to at least one-tenth of a gram.
Gold Panning Kit
3 Important Rules for Gold Panning
In Sam Radding's publication "The $3.25 How to Gold Pan Book" that's included in the Gold Panning Beginners Kit, he reminds us that there is no single "right" technique to gold panning. After a little practice, everyone develops their own style, but Mr. Radding does give some very good pointers and tips to get beginners started, including 3 very important rules:
1. All of the material placed in your gold pan must be thoroughly washed while the pan is UNDER water. Break up all of the paydirt before you begin to discard material from your pan because gold may be trapped in clay, small roots, or cracks in the small pieces of bedrock you have in your pan.
2. Shake the pan VIGOROUSLY for about 15 seconds to settle the gold to the bottom after the material has been broken up. Fully submerse your pan in water to do this. Once the gold has been settled the first time, it's OK to pick out the larger rocks. Repeat several times.
3. Oil of any type on your pan can cause flat flakes of gold to float on top of the water. Thin flakes as large as 3/16" can be floated up and you don't want that because it can easily wash right out of the pan. A single drop of biodegradable detergent per pan will solve the problem!
Have Fun and Good Luck Getting the Gold!
How to Pan For Gold - Beginner Tips and Techniques
Gold is heavier than most gravel found in streams, so that's why it can be collected in a gold pan when the right techniques are used. Gold can be found in many forms- nuggets, wire, tiny lumps called "pickers" or flat flecks and feather-shaped crystals. Assuming you already own a gold pan(s) and know the location of recreational gold panning sites in a gold-bearing areas, all you need is an optimistic attitude and lots of practice to get good at hand panning.
First, look for a "gold trap" - a place along the stream where the current slows down enough for gold to settle. Gold can settle on the downstream sides of boulders and logs or in bends or curves in the stream. Many prospectors time their outings to coincide with winter snow melt or following a big storm. The thought is that Mother Nature may have loosened the gold lodged in high places and now it's flowing downstream and getting stuck in spots where you can reach it.
Try these panning techniques for best results:
1. Fill pan about half full of gravel, small rocks, and sand collected from the stream bed
2. Put the pan under the water's surface, break up large lumps of clay or dirt, and remove stones
3. Continue to hold the pan level under the water with your hands on opposite sides, and tilt the pan forward, away from your body, and down slightly. Rotate and shake it side to side to let gravel and sand dribble out the front. Pick out the rocks.
4. Repeat step 3 several times until most of the material is removed, leaving less than a cup of fine-grained dark material overlain with a thin layer of light material at the bottom of your pan.
5. Rotate the pan in a circular motion. Notice how the water separates lighter material from heavier.
6. Stop rotating and hopefully you'll see a flash in the dark material remaining in the bottom of your pan! Use tweezers to retrieve the gold and place in a vial for safe-keeping.
Keep in mind that all the shiny stuff in your pan may not be gold. Pyrite, known as "fool's gold," and mica are both brassy in color. If any gold-colored flecks float on the water, it's a sure sign it's NOT real gold. Don't get discouraged. Keep practicing, and sooner or later that flash in your pan will be the real deal!
Recover More Gold With the Desert Fox Automatic Gold Panning Machine
Nuggets, flakes, pickers, flour gold... modern-day gold prospectors find the shiny stuff in many forms. But no matter the size or type, having the right equipment makes gold recovery easier, more profitable, and lots more fun!
The Desert Fox Automatic Spiral Gold Panner is a compact, light-weight gold panning machine you can take anywhere. It's primarily a finishing machine, used after large gold-bearing gravel has first gone through a sluice box or other concentrator. Once it's reduced down to concentrates, then you're ready to use the Desert Fox. Here's how:
Fill the tank with 3 gallons of water (the machine is appropriately named because it was designed to conserve water and operates on just 3 gallons), hook the clips to a 12-volt battery, and turn on the switch. The wheel starts to rotate and water will spray from the spraybar. Simply add a scoop of sandy concentrates every 20 seconds or so (machine can process 70 pounds of concentrates in an hour) and if the material contains gold, the gold will settle to the bottom. The spiraling motion will move the gold toward the center hub where it passes through a hollow shaft into a catch cup. The Desert Fox recovers an amazing amount of flour gold so you never lose even the smallest pieces (which all add up!). The automatic spiral panner is simple to use and you'll easily become an expert panner after just a few minutes!
The unique spiral wheel works so well because it has 7 separate spirals which pick up gold 7 times with each rotation of the wheel (105 times per minute). Weighing under 10 pounds, including its rugged folding stand (adjustable to the pitch you desire) and storage tub, the Desert Fox folds up and stores neatly. Operate it right out of the tub, or remove it from the case and use it in a stream. Operates on any 12-volt automotive battery or even a 35-watt solar panel.
The Desert Fox Automatic Gold Panning Machine is made in America and has been a best-seller since 1969. It's available in Constant Speed or Variable Speed and has a 5 year manufacturer's limited warranty. A number of accessories are also available such as a backpack harness, wall charger, and power supply. The machine ships with an owner's manual, as well as a bag of practice sand containing real placer gold so you can get acquainted with your new machine at home before trying it in the field.
The Desert Fox Automatic Spiral Gold Panning Machine makes gold recovery easier and more profitable, and with record gold prices these days, you really want to get out there and get your share!
Woodman's Pal Combines the Powerful Cutting Performance of an Axe, Hatchet, and Machete in One Tool!
In 1941, Frederick Ehrsam, a Swiss National who had settled in Pennsylvania, introduced the Woodman's Pal. Professionals in forestry, agriculture, and horticulture quickly recognized it as a historic achievement because before this time, they had relied heavily on machetes for clearing brush and blazing trails. But they sorely needed other tools to thin, trim, chop, and prune. Woodman's Pal the the rescue- it combined the the powerful cutting performance and versatility of a machete, axe, and hatchet into just one tool!
This new tool did not go unnoticed by the US Military. The Woodman's Pal, or "LC-14-B" in military terms, was standard issue from the early part of World War II through Desert Storm. GIs and the US Army Signal Corp. used the Woodman's Pal for land clearing operations. At the time of the Vietnam War, the Woodman's Pal was designated the "Survival Tool, Type IV" and was issued in air crew survival kits.
The Woodman's Pal continues to be praised by each new generation of forest and land managers, surveyors, campers, soldiers, and outdoorsmen. Made of American materials, designed and crafted by American workers in Pennsylvania, the tool made today is virtually identical to the original. Its quality and integrity cannot be achieved easily, inexpensively, or en masse. It is designed to provide a lifetime of service and only the best materials are used. The blade is SAE1075 cold rolled spring steel, hardened to Rockwell C47. A lower-carbon steel would not hold the edge for long, and harder steel, such as SAE1095 used in fine cutlery, can become brittle in cold weather and can crack or chip with heavy use. The handle is shaped from a single piece of American hardwood, cemented and riveted to the tang. The belt-looped sheath is heavily stitched, and rugged.
From the blanking of the steel on the 150-ton press to the hand-lacquering of each handle, there are 23 stages of production. Some of these operations employ machines unlike any others in the world. All stages are done by hand. Edges are precisely rolled resulting in double-convex perfection. The result is a tool that is superbly balanced and feels like an extension rather than a burden to your arm (it's no accident that its length approximates that of the human forearm from elbow to knuckle).
The Woodman's Pal Classic, Premium, Premium Junior, and Long Reach models are sold individually, or as sets. Sets include a sheath and honing stone. Choose between leather, cordura or canvas for the sheath. The Woodman's Pal Nostalgia Collection is perfect for military and American history buffs. The Nostalgia Collection includes a set of 4 reprinted manuals as a reminder of humble beginnings from early 1942 when the US Signal Corp was issued this standard equipment. Each manual provides valuable information on a variety of topics that relate to the Woodman's Pal and contains the original wording and artwork reprinted from manuals originally printed in 1942. The titles of the manuals are: Care, Use & Sharpening; Living in the Jungle; Survival Tool Kit Airman's; and Fighting with USA Knife LC-14-B.
Whether you're trimming and pruning unwanted brush in your backyard, blazing a trail, or building a duck blind, after you try it, you'll wonder how you ever did without the Woodman's Pal machete. Use it for all outdoor jobs that call for an axe, hatchet, or machete-- you get the performance of all three in just one tool!
10 Tips for Rockhounds
1. Selecting the size of the rock tumbler you need is pretty simple and follows what common sense would tell you. For stones smaller than 1 inch in diameter, you can go as small as a 3 pound rock tumbler. Six pound and 12 pound barrels can handle stones up to 2.5 inches.
2. Rock tumblers that accommodate only around 1.5 pounds should be reserved for small, coin-sized stones. These size restrictions are important because, for a good polish, it is necessary to keep the tumbler about half full.
3. If you want to eliminate the risk of jeopardizing your rock polish in the last stage or you want to expedite the process, a second tumbling barrel is a great choice for getting this done.
4. Of course, purchasing a two-barrel tumbler is a bit more expensive. This is naturally cheaper than buying a second machine, and you get a lot more rocks at a quicker pace.
5. The question of vibrating vs. rotary rock tumblers is one you're bound to be faced with. Essentially, they both produce a good polish, but rotary models are easier to operate and make a more smoothed, rounded polish.
6. The specific purpose of vibrating rock tumblers is that they keep the shape of the stone constant while rotary rock tumblers will drastically round them out. Therefore, if you go to a lot of trouble to shape your rocks prior to polishing, a vibrating tumbler would be best.
7. An additional feature of the vibrating tumbler is that they finish in 7 to 10 days, compared to the month to 45 days required by a rotary rock tumbler.
8. The advantage of rotary rock tumblers is their ease of use and price relative to the vibratory models. Rotary tumblers can, at times, be almost half of the price of a similar-sized vibratory tumbler.
9. Rotary rock tumblers, because of their more kinetic activity and need for more polish, are not recommended for fragile rocks. They are also occasionally prone to leaks.
10. Plenty of rock books are available about rock polishing and tumbling for hobbyists and professional jewelers.
