Get the best metal detectors for logs to help detect damaging nails, screws, wire, steel or iron buried within trees before your planer or saw blades do.
Nails or screw struck into a tree for some certain reasons gets deeper as the tree grows around the object, and appears invisible to the naked eye, but, not invisible enough for the best metal detector for logs.
It is common for the saw blade to hit nails, and when that happens it requires about 30 dollars to repair it or 100 dollars in a worst case scenario so your best bet is to get a metal detector.
However, not all metal detectors can detect effectively metals in logs, which include the handheld metal detector such as the lumber wizard metal detector with a wand-like design.
Because, logs are very thick, in which, handheld metal detectors may not be able to penetrate more than 2 to 3 inches, and that is even for Lumber Wizard 5 except for Garrett Super scanner Metal Detector that can detect metal deep as 4 inches in log.
Yes, they are fancy, lightweight, compact, but, they are not worthwhile for logs because they can’t penetrate deep into the bark, they are best for flat boards.
The metal detectors for logs are not just great for woodworkers to detect deep metals with precision, but, also suitable for treasure hunters with the exceptional features that come with them, in fact, these metal detectors might spur you to consider treasure hunting.
So whether treasure hunting or metal detection in logs these metal detectors are for real.
Contents
Best metal detector for logs reviews
| Product name | Unique for | Probable Depth (inches) | Dimensions (inches) | Product link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrett ace 300 | 8 sensitivity modes | ≥8 | 22x 11x6 | |
| Garrett 1165190 Super scanner V Metal Detector | Requires no sensitivity adjustment | ≥4 | 17 x 4 x 2 | |
| Bounty Hunter PL Time Ranger Metal Detector | Multi-function LCD display | ≥8 | 28.5 x 10 x 6.2 | |
| Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector with Submersible Search Coil | Both weather proof and water proof | ≥10 | 22 x 8 x 5 | |
| Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector | Waterproof and weather proof | ≥10 | 22 x 11 x 5 |
Garrett Ace 300 Metal Detector
Garrett ace 300 is basically designed to detect coin and jewelries, but, has the capability to detect metals in log with precision.
It has so many features that come with it; some are of importance for metal detection in logs while the rest are best for treasure hunting.
And some of the features beneficial to woodworking are the digital target identification that gives the user an idea about the target and digital depth indicator to estimate the depth of the metal also determines the position of the metal.
The metal detector is waterproof, which means, you have nothing to worry about if it touches water or fall inside the water- thanks to the submersible search coil.
You can make use of the volume control headphones that comes with it for better metal detection experience.
The metal detector has good depth penetration; it can detect nails, screws, wire and bullets as deep as 8 inches.
Features include:
- Product Dimensions: 22x 11×6 inches
- Weighs 5.2 pounds
- Eight sensitivity modes
- Comes with 7 x 10 inches search coil cover
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Garrett 1165190 Super scanner V Metal Detector
If you are looking for a handheld metal detector to find metals in the log you can trust the Garrett 1165190 super scanner metal detector for metals as deep as 4 inches, however, if you log is much thicker you might need to opt for one of the most powerful metal detectors.
This metal detector can detect nails, screws, wire and other small metal objects that can damage your saw blades up to 4 inches. It is durable, lightweight, and provides optimal metal detection.
Apart from metal detection in woods, this metal detector can likewise detect metals in food items like frozen meat. It is also perfect for security check.
It also gives off an audible tone to indicate the presence of metal, which can be turned off to be left with only the vibration mode for metal detection alert, and you can likewise use the headphone. And the reason is unique is because it requires no constant sensitivity adjustment to detect metals.
Features include:
- Product Dimensions: 17 x 4 x 2 inches
- Weighs 1.45 pounds
- Uses 9v battery
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Bounty Hunter PL Time Ranger Metal Detector
To detect metals in logs at deeper depth requires the use of a powerful metal detector like the bounty hunter metal detector.
The bounty hunter metal detector has a digital display with touch pad control. The digital display reads out the battery level, type of metal, depth and sensitivity level, iron level discrimination.
It is a pro machine but very user friendly even for an amateur.
For the purpose of woodworking you can restrict yourself to functions like the battery level, depth indicator, sensitivity and the ground balance.
You may not need the ground balance function as a woodworker unless you are working with logs on the ground to balance the metal detector with the mineralized soil.
The iron level discrimination is also not essential for woodworking since the metals you are looking are made of iron. Moreover, you need to remove every possible metals in the log that can damage the saw blade, thus, it is best to allow the metal detector detect all the metals it can detect.
However all the features included in this unit are highly important if you want to use it for treasure hunting. The detector also features the 3 audio tone discrimination, loudspeaker and headphone to listen to metal detection alert, and it has a fully submersible coil, which means it can be used under water also unaffected by water.
Features include:
- Product Dimensions: 28.5 x 10 x 6.2 inches
- Weighs 2.6 pounds
- Uses two 9 volt alkaline batteries
- Multi-function LCD read out
- 3 audio tone discrimination
- 4 audio tone iron discrimination
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Fisher F22 Weatherproof Metal Detector with Submersible Search Coil
The fisher F22 metal detector is a weatherproof metal detector, which means, you can use it in all kinds of terrain also has waterproof coil.
And of course, it detects deep metals buried in woods with good efficiency. It has an audio discrimination which allows you to discriminate between ferrous targets and non-ferrous targets, a feature great for treasure hunting, but, for metal detection in logs, any metal at all is dangerous to the saw blade.
It is easy to use, just turn it on and begin metal detection coupled with quick retune speed. It has 10 adjustable sensitivity levels for better metal detection experience coupled with the easy to use pinpoint mode and notch discrimination system.
And you can be wrong with this metal detector with the 5 years limited warranty.
Features include:
- Product Dimensions: 22 x 8 x 5 inches
- Weighs 3 pounds
- Adjustable sensitivity levels and volume
- Iron identifier icon
- 4 audio tone ID and iron audio tone
- Operates with 2 AA batteries
- 5 year limited warranty
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Garrett AT Pro Metal Detector
Garrett AT Pro Metal detector is also a top notch metal detector to detect nails, steel or iron buried within log woods. It is a metal detector specially designed to detect coins, gold nuggets at good depth.
But, it is equally great for woodworkers to prevent the damage of the saw blades when working on logs. It has so many features, but, only few of the features are necessary for woodworkers such as the digital target ID to pinpoint the location of metals.
You do not need the iron discrimination since you are not looking for gold or coins. It is weatherproof to make it suitable for use in wet, humid and dusty environments, and it is submersible to at least 10 foot deep in water. It has a volume control land headphone to hear the metal detection alert.
Features include:
- Product Dimensions: 22 x 11 x 5 inches
- Weighs 3.03 pounds
- Can be immersed in water up to 10 foot deep
- Weather proof design
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Conclusion
The Bounty Hunter Metal Detector, Garrett Pro Metal Detector, Garrett Ace 300 Metal Detector and the Fisher F22 are the top notch metal detectors for logs. They are not just great for treasure hunting, but, also superb to protect your saw blades from damaging metals such as nails, screws, staples and wire.
Handheld metal detectors are great for flat boards, but not logs, because, they cannot detect deep into the tree.
However, handheld metal detectors such as the Lumber Wizard 5 can detect metals in a log up to 2 to 3 inches, and the Garrett Super scanner Metal Detector up to 4 inches. You can at least work with the Garrett Super scanner Metal Detector depending on the thickness of the log to protect your equipments.
