What You Must Know Before Purchasing A Metal Detector

It is becoming increasingly important in Kenya to always put safety concerns at the top of your mind. And if the latest travel advisories from the US embassy in Kenya are to be believed then 2017 is a year that Kenyans need to take all the security and safety precautions they can marshall.

One very useful security gadget is a metal detector. However many are ignorant of it and the result is that you may easily end up in a fool's paradise with something that does not really serve your purpose.

So here is some useful background information that will no doubt make you much more knowledgeable about metal detectors.
 
For starters a metal detector has many more uses than most folks would imagine. For instance did you know that they are also very commonly used to detect tiny fragments and foreign bodies in food that should not be there? In the construction industry metal detectors are very useful in finding wires buried in walls and floors or steel reinforcing bars deep in pipes and concrete. They are also indispensable to many archeologists.

A mobile metal detector that can be carried around will usually have a sensor and when metal is detected a needle will move on an indicator or the tone of noise it makes will change becoming higher pitched. More often than not an indication of the proximity of the metal will be given by the detector. The closer it is the higher the tone of noise it will make or the higher the needle indicator will climb where a needle reading is being used.

However the metal detector that has become very common and is widely used around the world these days is the stationary walk through metal detector for security screening at all kinds of institutions. Places like prisons, airports and courthouses can hardly do without them. What they are supposed to do is to detect concealed metal which in most cases will be weapons but could also be other undesirable items that have metal on them.

Early History of The Metal Detector

The early development of the metal detector has been linked to miners and prospectors of precious metal. It was naturally a huge advantage for any miner to have such a useful gadget to assist in quickly detecting and finding ore-bearing rocks in a large area. The first machines were hardly efficient and used too much battery power. Still they proved useful enough for people to keep purchasing them spurring continuous developments and improvements.

Fascinatingly, the other application that influenced early development of the metal detector was in the medical profession and specifically in helping find bullets lodged inside human patients.

Metal Detectors For Security

Detectors used for security screening are the most visible and common these days. VLF or very low frequency is used in most of these devices. More sophisticated ones will have low radiation x-rays for screening.

The two different types of security metal detectors are walk-through metal detectors and hand held ones. Both types have gotten pretty sophisticated over the years. For instance we now have super scanner detectors that will quickly detect the presence of razor blades, knives and even medium sized pistols. The walk through ones can check baggage and fabric for even when the target objects are non magnetic.

The metal detector has also been developed considerably for more efficiency, reliability and durability. They now boast of a much longer battery life and are much more sensitive than they were just a few decades ago.

Different Technologies in Use

There are a number of different technologies that have been applied to different types of metal detectors that are in the market today. For instance detectors that have micro processors are capable of automatically eliminating any electrical interference via x-ray devices. Those based on digital technology will have a wider coverage in detection. Also some of the features that have been worked in these days include water proof electronics to protect the equipment from water spray damage and humidity. We even now have underwater metal detectors that work pretty well. As the name suggests, these are used to find metallic objects that are submerged in water.

What You Need To Know In Buying  A Used Metal Detector

Brand new metal detectors can sometimes be quite pricey and so chances are that you will at one time find yourself in the market for a used one.

Here are a few pointers that will no doubt be useful.

You will either be looking for a metal detector to use on land or under water. Naturally a land metal detector cannot be used under the water. However most underwater detectors will also work pretty fine on land.

It is also important to note that manufacturers these days have detectors that have been designed to work best in finding specific groups of metal or metal items. For instance there are those detectors best suited for gold. Others for coin and jewelry while still others are best suited for relics.

Therefore in seeking a used detector you will have to do a little research with the various manufacturers so that you are clear in your mind what particular brands and models will suit you best. This is a much better idea than just blindly going for any kind of metal detector that you can find at a good price.

An excellent place to do lots of research quickly is in relevant online forums such as TreasureNet and FindMall. Here you are bound to benefit from the years of experience and trial and error learning of many of the members.

Where To Buy A Used Metal Detector

It is fairly easy to find a good used metal detector. Most people who purchase them barely use them and after the initial excitement of purchase will leave them lying around gathering dust somewhere in the basement or garage. This is the reason why an excellent place to find used metal detectors is at online classified ad sites like CraigsList which will often list metal detectors at a good price.

When you are looking for a very specific type of metal detector then you should have better luck with online auction sites and online metal detector stores.

More useful information before you purchase a metal detector