The Forestry Forum

Metal Detectors. Do you use one? If you do, is it a wand for the longer treasure finding-style? Is it a name brand or HF special?

I have one but very seldom use it, just in old log house logs or telephone poles.  On logs I just saw through the nails, pull them and sharpen the blade.   Steve

Quote from: ladylake on October 11, 2013, 07:58:13 AM

I have one but very seldom use it, just in old log house logs or telephone poles.  On logs I just saw through the nails, pull them and sharpen the blade.   Steve

DITTO

Any cedar logs that come in and are suspect get a check for metal.  I use a regular metal detector.  Will find metal  up to 8" deep if you know how to listen for the whisper sound of deep metal.  Have saved a lot of blades and time.  Would not be without one.  Great for finding lost metal objects.  I have used it to find drag chains covered up on skid trails. 

Customer logs are subject to my "foreign matter" blade damage fee. So no scans of them

My owned logs... yep, they get scanned. IMO 5 min of my time is worth it vs. a $40 band + down time.

 
What size blade cost $40, I just got 30 Simonds 1-1/4  .042  12'  6"  for $12.71  each.  As mentioned I just cut through the nails and sharpen , most nails take about 2 minutes to pull.  Pole barn nails will ruin the blade, don't hit them very often.    Steve

Cheap wand type. Won't find nails more than a couple of inches deep. In suspect logs, I scan after every pass of the head. Works well for finding small metal items I drop in the sawdust under the mill  ;D

Quote from: ladylake on October 11, 2013, 10:03:27 AM
 
What size blade cost $40, I just got 30 Simonds 1-1/4  .042  12'  6"  for $12.71  each.

1 1/2 .055 for the LT70 - They are $32 each from WM. I bill for them at $40 when damaged.

Oh yes I use one.   My Lucas blades are expensive, but last a very long time if cared for.  I have a Garret wand type and it easy on and off button, no setting required.  Finds nails 3" deep and heavier metal 6-8" deep.  Only takes seconds to scan, one nail will set you back half hour changing blade, so why not.

I use on all customer logs and not necessarily on my own woods logs.

Ernie

I am with Ernie, it is different with a Lucas. Much more critical to scan with each new depth setting.

I use a Schonstedt ferrous metals detector while suspect logs are still on the ground - it will find a nail in a heartbeat, bigger objects are even easier.  It was about $500 but I bought it for my day job and just borrow it on the weekends.

Before I start a job, I tell people the first nail is on me, after that the blade charge for hitting nails/metal is $25 and it is their choice whether to continue sawing that particular log or not.

Quote from: Cedarman on October 11, 2013, 08:08:13 AM
Any cedar logs that come in and are suspect get a check for metal.  I use a regular metal detector.  Will find metal  up to 8" deep if you know how to listen for the whisper sound of deep metal.  Have saved a lot of blades and time.  Would not be without one.  Great for finding lost metal objects.  I have used it to find drag chains covered up on skid trails.

I have to ask, why cedar specifically? I do not have a detector, just starting out, and I'm sawing forest trees for the next couple of weeks.

I have a Peterson mill, while the blades are expensive I still have my original 2 + 2 extras I had made. I use an Ace 250 (long handle type), which when I have it on "all metals" setting will find nails over 8" deep. It takes 20 minutes to change the blade and takes time to re-tip if a carbide tip gets broken, but running the detector every 4-6" in depth only takes about a minute on a 20" x 16' log, a 48" x 20' might take about 50% longer. The exception is the first test when the log has not been sawed any yet and thus is not flat on top.

Quote from: manoverboard on October 12, 2013, 06:52:19 AM

Quote from: Cedarman on October 11, 2013, 08:08:13 AM
Any cedar logs that come in and are suspect get a check for metal.  I use a regular metal detector.  Will find metal  up to 8" deep if you know how to listen for the whisper sound of deep metal.  Have saved a lot of blades and time.  Would not be without one.  Great for finding lost metal objects.  I have used it to find drag chains covered up on skid trails.

I have to ask, why cedar specifically? I do not have a detector, just starting out, and I'm sawing forest trees for the next couple of weeks.

Cedar and walnut are the most notorious for nails and fencing.
But cedar particularly for us because just about all we saw is cedar.  We saw our own poplar for pallet material, but 95 per cent of the cedar is bought from others.
Some cedar logs just about proclaim I have nails in me.  You learn through experience.  Butt logs with no limbs or places where you can see limbs have been cut off, sometimes 3 faint lines about 16" apart where barb wire was once attached are some clues.

Quote from: delvis on October 11, 2013, 11:54:08 PM
Before I start a job, I tell people the first nail is on me, after that the blade charge for hitting nails/metal is $25 and it is their choice whether to continue sawing that particular log or not.

Same here!

I have hit metal on several occations when the customer has held up sawing to check the logs over with a metal detector, one customer had a circle saw with a top saw and he spent over half the day spreading out and checking over all the logs in the log deck with his metal detector, he found two nails, I pulled six nails out of the cants and changed saws once, I never charged for a saw as I was getting over 1,500 bft out of the saws even with hitting nails.

space in the truck is limited as I pack my whole operation with me and if "I" scan the logs I would not feal right charging for blades.

If logs are suspected of having metal I use resharpened saws rather then new saws.

I use a cheap workshop detector usally only on the butt log, unless something look suspicious, on the band mill.My old Diston 48" saw doesn't cut  anything that hasen't been scanned  with a good detector, Frank C.

When you arrive and it is obvious that the top log has metal in it and the customer wants it milled.

What do you do?

Pull out the metal detector and confirm that there is metal in the log before milling it?

Or just mill the log till you find the 12" gate hinge then remove it.

After all the customer is after as much log length lumber as possible and he is buying the damaged saw.



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I always use one. a nail or two I will pull out if there's more I cut the log into 4' pieces and go to the next log. ;D I tell the customer that and if he don't like it he can get someone that will cut steel  :D :D :D