Metal detector suggestions

I've been working on a real old horizontal shingle mill. The kind used to cut or make wooden shingles. I'm concerned about hitting a nail or staple with the saw blade. I'm thinking about buying a metal detector to run across the logs before I cut them. I don't need one to locate coins or jewelry just one that would detect if someone drove a nail or staple in the tree. These logs would probably be 12-16" across. Nothing any bigger. Any advise or ideas are appreciated. Thanks Gerald

a good friend had a sawmill & tried that. You had to be exactly on it or it didn't show. Maybe there are better ones now but $$$$$$$$?

Cutting down a large dead oak on this place several years ago, my Stihl hit a nail, but I thought what the heck, just go ahead and cut, you've already dulled the chain anyway. I kept at it, and it kept spitting sparks, and I kept on, sure it would stop. I KEPT at it, finally got through, and I had ripped a 16 penny nail completely down the full length of it, the entire 2 inches or whatever it would be. Thanks, Grandpa Charlie. Ruined the chain. Didn't cut THROUGH it, I RIPPED it!

look for utility company surplusing curb stop/ utility box locators. these are designed to locate iron/steel and do not react to other metals. they do replace with upgraded units or on an age basis.

I cut my apple tree down last fall and when making one of the horizontal cuts, it really was slow going. I didn't think too much of it as parts of that tree that were not rotten, were really tough.

When I completed that cut, there was a nail that I had run right along it's full length. Didn't cut the nail in half but sure scored it up good. I resharpened the chain and used it several times since then and it cut ok. I know who put that nail in though and I know I missed a few that were grown in.

It might pick up a big nail if you were right on top of it, but small stuff I doubt it would.

The last job I had was maintenance at a food packing facility. The FDA was wanting us to install metal detectors on all the lines to catch small metal fragments in the product as it came down the conveyor.

We never did, cost was beyond outrageous. The smaller the detecting size, the more powerful models to detect deeper into the product, the higher the price.

Well, after posting I did a search, came up with this...

It's got good reviews, maybe worth a try.
Metal Detector

Used to be a metal detector enthusiast. So many times I've seen someone who'd take a perfectly good machine, not find anything, then call the machine junk.

First, the machine needs to be adjusted properly. I don't have experience with the hand wands, but I'd assume there is a sensitivity adjustment. If looking for nails in wood, then you'd want max sensitivity and, if an option, in all-metals mode.

Next, the user needs to move the detector at a speed that allows it to 1) pick up a signal, 2) process that signal, 3) give you the results. Move the detector too fast and no matter how perfectly it's set, it'll miss any targets. Also, some machines process signals faster than others.

And finally is the skill and patience of the operator. Read the directions, practice with small nails under varying layers of boards (both wet and dry, cause it'll make a difference), and "learn" your machine. Practice not only scanning the broadside of the nail(s), but also at varying angles and from the end of the nail.

There are detectors out there that cost thousands of dollars, but in the end, they ALL work the same. I have a Tesoro Silver uMax. No display; only a single tone, but is amazing how much information that tone can supply if you understand its language.

If all you're looking for are nails, you can use most any detector. If your target (nails) will be in no more than 6" of wood thickness, then most any should work. Look to see what the manufacturer's specs are, then take into consideration that those specs are best-case scenario, by folks who know the machine.

Again, have never used a hand wand, but pretty sure there are some that work better than others.

I use a Garret PRO and I'm sure other units are just good, good for a hobby, I've found some good stuff when I lived on the coast after lots of outing. For what you want I don't know, it would be very time consuming and not sure if that would be cost efficient . Takes a while to learn to use it, makes different sounds on different metal. You can tell a new penny from an old penny (copper). When you get a hit, you will have to go all around the log to locate, it might be s pull tab, a long lost treasure, in the bark., but that's the reason to use one. Good luck.

After an oak log is cut it will bleed color on the cut ends after a few days if there is steel/iron in it. I don't know about other kinds of trees though.