How to Make a Metal Detector?
Building your own metal detector is a great way to hate fun and learn the skill of making your own home-grown gear. By creating your own homemade metal detector, you will save up to hundreds of dollars which you would have otherwise use in buying a factory-made device.
You can also customize your metal detector to fit your personal hunting needs, so learning how to make one is the way to go. If you are interested in knowing how to make a metal detector, l has taken time to give you the methods and tips to help you in this endeavor. Continue reading this article to learn the techniques of making a metal detector.
How to Make a Metal Detector
Before I give you the insights about the techniques of making a metal detector, here are some general information you need to understand first;
- A metal detector works on the principle of magnetism. The search creates the magnetic field and directs it to the ground.
- The sensitivity of your metal detector will depend on its search coil size.
- Irrespective of the method used to build it, all metal detectors are the same.
- There are three main types of metal detectors. Before starting your project, you need to determine which type of metal detector suits your needs and which will be suitable for your project.
- When you sweep the metal detectors search coil or head over the ground and it happens to come in touch with a metal item, its tone changes to alert you that you have found something and you may need to start excavating.
- Low frequency metal detectors are commonly used and they are likely to locate any metal treasure or item beneath the earth surface. A pulse induction metal detector is rarely used and it locates any metal treasure positioned deep in the earth surface. If you want to do beach combing or gold prospecting, the pulse induction detector is the suitable for you.
- A metal detector is mainly made up of a search head and a control box, where a shaft connects the control knobs to the search coil. For your project, you can use a broom stick in place of a shaft. The device also includes the batteries, speaker, microprocessor and control knobs. The coil search is the part that senses the metal material.
Here is a step by step guide about how to make a metal detector;
How to make a metal detector with a phone
Here is an important tip; you can make a metal detector using your phone. It's simple and easy; you only need your phone to function as a detector- There are specially designed apps that make use of magnetic sensors in your handset so you can use your iPhone or android phone to construct the detector. As long as your device is in good working condition and its magnetic fields are not worn out, you can use it to make a metal detector.
How to make a metal detector with a calculator
It is easy to make a metal detector from a calculator. You only require a radio and a calculator to get started, although you will also need a tape and a broomstick to work as a shaft.
The first step of building a metal detector with a calculator entails turning on your radio's AM setting to the highest band. Ensure your radio is turned to a station and that you can steadily and clearly listen to the radios static tone. Now turn on your calculator and position it set back to back with the radio until you get a dull tone. This process may take one or two minutes, depending on how you do it. At times, you may have to place the two devices at some angle to realize the dull tone. Be sure to get the distance between the two devices correctly, or else you will not realize a clear and steady tone.
Once you have the search coil positioned appropriately, you can now try using the metal detector. In other words, your device is ready for use. Use a broom stick in place of a shaft and test if your device is ready. In this case, you use a spatula to check if your metal detector is working. If your detector is working, you will hear a beep sound when you move it close to the spatula. The sound may even get louder as you move closer to the metal, meaning that you ‘be just succeeded in making a home-grown metal detector.
How to make a metal detector with a radio
When it comes to making a metal detector with radio, you will need to use a calculator. And you do not necessarily need a calculator with a beep sound in order to get it working: any type of calculator is just okay. To make the radio metal detector work, you will need to make sure that the magnetic field runs within the device. Be sure to follow this guide step by step guide to stay on the right track.
How to create a metal detector coil
There are about three ways you can use to make a metal detector search coil, depending on the type of metal detector you want to make. You can use any of these methods to devise a metal detector.
In the first method, you are going to construct a metal detector using the VLF method metal detector. Here, you will have to make a coil that works with the VLF metal detector.
Cut two different sizes of circular rings from plywood. The first ring should be the size of a small saucer while the other should be that of a dinner plate. Ensure one disc can fit in the other. Now out so all sticks of wood from any reliable wood source that you may find. Using these small sticks, fill the gap between the small and big rings.
Next, use a 0.25 enameled copper wire, wind about ten turns on the outside ring and repeat this repeat process on the inner ring. Your coil search head is now complete and you can now connect it to your shaft.
The second method involves the use of a BFO metal detector- In this method, you will need materials such as plywood and enameled copper review wire. Cut three circles from the plywood. Each of these three circles should be about sixteen centimeters in diameter.
Assemble all the circles together with fifteen centimeter rings at the center and use wood glue to make a sandwich of the three circles. Later, use the enameled copper wire to wind ten turns around the groove on the edging of the sandwich. Your BFO metal detector is now ready to use.
How to Make a Metal Detector - Videos
Hopefully your homemade metal detector will now be easier to construct and use for you. You can use the skills acquired here to teach your kids or students how make a metal detector for domestic use. This project is really affordable and will not cost you anything more than what you would use to acquire even the cheapest metal detector.
