Sifting for gold chains...

During high tides, I would like to spend some time detecting for gold chains in the dry sand. I understand that there will be a ton of foil to dig, but if I can't detect the wet sand anyway at high tides, might as well give it a try. I'm not after micro jewelry, just chains and such, so I don't think I need a micro jewelry sifter, but do need something that a small thin chain won't escape too easily from. I'm thinking of a wire mesh type of dry sand scoop since it will pass the sand quickly and that's about 40" long. I usually use a shovel in the wet sand, but wonder if a dry sand scoop would be better for this activity. Would probably have to fit an additional smaller hole size screen in it as most I've looked at had fairly large openings. I will be using the AT Pro since mine will detect fairly small gold chains at 4 inches or so. I know that's not deep, but didn't want to invest in another detector at this time.

Has anyone here any suggestions for this type of detecting? I've never tried it before, so I'm open for any information that may help.

I think you will have it covered at 4 inches.
Once I dug a coin and looked in the hole and there was what turned out to be an 18k necklace.
It was in the dry sand and about 4 inches.

Norm dry sand scoop should work....... on the dry sand the target isnt going to get away...... even if it drops it should be easily found. The only flaw i see is ....... like most dry sand hunters they want to find chains..... but they want to find everything else too. Train your brain and set your detector properly. Take a day with a pattern you know will only net you targets in the lower range....... quarters aint gold chains. Otherwise LUCK becomes a larger part of the equation.

Dew

Do some air tests with chains.....you won't be happy.

Real gold........... like 10Kt & 14Kt gold chains.......... are indeed 'micro jewelry'....to a detector. , . , . , . , . unless they are thick chains (which are much harder to lose).
A scoop with 1/4" holes (for fine-grain dry sand) will work fairly well.

I picked up a gold monster 1000 for micro jewelry hunting the dry sand when I can't make low tide. Just found a neat little scoop called the sand dipper the other day while at store with the gf. Kinda small but its sturdy and has tough stainless mesh seems perfect for shallow dry sand hunting. Haven't been out with the monster yet but I gotta say it hits hard and deep on small white gold test jewelry and is very easy to use.

John

As i basically live so far inland beach detecting only happens possibly a few times a year,but to make it worth my while and try increase the odds in my favour i use my TDI pro with a 9x5 folded mono which is not only good on dry sand but also on the wet sand as well,also take a 'Mirage' Pulse designed by Sven in Canada with a 5'' Mono coil on,you dont get a great amount of coverage with the 5'' coil but its deadly on fine chains and small micro jewellery and this combination does not miss alot.

Also take the Mirage to a local fresh water ford crossing,the big attraction on this location is that during the school holidays,mums take the small kids down for a paddle and fish with the bucket and net,and of course as we are all aware when your fingers get wet and cold 'Grannies' old victorian gold and usually decent lumps of ice fall of the finger into the water never too be seen again,but over time a detector can and will lock onto these long lost rings and other bits of jewellery and these are the desired objects from this fresh water location.

There is a guy on YouTube that beach hunts with a CTX 3030 and finds a surprising amount of chains and bracelets on his videos. I dunno how...my CTX is dead on chains unless they have some kind of a pendant/charm on them. He has a pretty decent channel...his channel name is Roy Vargas on there.

dewcon4414... Yeah, you're right in keeping focus on what your target is. Hard not to dig everything in the sand.

Daniel Tn... Thanks for the You Tube info. That guy is very lucky. Seems to be a decent guy also.

Tom... I hadn't thought of it that way. It's not that they're tiny, it's that they are just as hard to detect as the really small gold.

It's not going to be a walk in the park, but if it was easy, everyone would be doing it..

Chains in a scoop ..... dry sand very hard to miss dropping out of the scoop. Daniel chains are a bear to find with the CTX even thou it can drive you nuts on small targets out there. Ill mention one more thing ive found with the CTX. It doesnt like broken rings as well as the Xcal either.....which was odd. I dont see how anyone is finding a lot of chains with the CTX...... if he is there is a ton of them and hes missing a lot of them lol. springs in the clips will hit too.

Dew

Good luck....most units won't touch them unless rolled in ball or hooking clasp is read...several inches is about all the depth you will get....

Biggest problem with most beach hunters comes from coil control....... a golf swing or swinging 4" off the sand isnt going to get you much... and certainly wont get you the kind of chains you are looking for.

Dew

Gold Chains? Not unless you have something larger hanging on it. There are detectors that might find those tiny chains, but they will find every little piece of trash too. If you have the patience that's great