randwool
Forum Supporter
It's SIMPLE...have a significant other who makes a very good living. If not, keep dreaming
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How do I turn Detecting into a career?
- Thread starter FL-UdigIt
- Start date
Ignore the naysayers!I can't hear you. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
There's mindless, baseless naysaying, then there's simply pointing out relevant facts.
There are dreams, then there are delusions.
scoundrel
six feet under(water)
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Scratching out a living as a beach mder is possible, but for the average joe odds are he can make more money on a busy street corner begging, when you look at consistency.
Doing something for the love of it such as any hobby is priceless, but trying to make a living at it requires a tremendous amount of education, streetwiseness, stealthiness in your business dealings, willingness to sacrifice almost anything for that goal, and just plain dumb luck of being at the right place at the right time with the right stuff.
With mding, if you don't swing your coil across it and get a signal that through your education you recognize and then bother to dig it, you won't find jack. Might as well be like me and swing every totlot you can find cause I love my hobby but I know in my location, I will never find enough in any one day to make me leave my day job until I retire.
Dreams don't die. I got my own and when I retire in 3 years, I will start working on them with a reasonable enough income that I won't worry about having to find anything with my MD. I am in it for the pleasure of the hunt....which I suspect most MDers who continue to forge on through good and bad hunts are really there for. Its fun to find a buck 50 in an hour hunt at a totlot but it cost me more than that to drive my truck there...but I still go do it for the relaxation and the "never know what you might find" factor.
Best of luck to you in whatever you want to do! Hope to see your story shortly in Treasure Mag!
Doing something for the love of it such as any hobby is priceless, but trying to make a living at it requires a tremendous amount of education, streetwiseness, stealthiness in your business dealings, willingness to sacrifice almost anything for that goal, and just plain dumb luck of being at the right place at the right time with the right stuff.
With mding, if you don't swing your coil across it and get a signal that through your education you recognize and then bother to dig it, you won't find jack. Might as well be like me and swing every totlot you can find cause I love my hobby but I know in my location, I will never find enough in any one day to make me leave my day job until I retire.
Dreams don't die. I got my own and when I retire in 3 years, I will start working on them with a reasonable enough income that I won't worry about having to find anything with my MD. I am in it for the pleasure of the hunt....which I suspect most MDers who continue to forge on through good and bad hunts are really there for. Its fun to find a buck 50 in an hour hunt at a totlot but it cost me more than that to drive my truck there...but I still go do it for the relaxation and the "never know what you might find" factor.
Best of luck to you in whatever you want to do! Hope to see your story shortly in Treasure Mag!
Quote:
Originally Posted by dogpound
if your huntin parks and tot lots for clad.....never, the only way to support yourself would be strictly hunting beaches for gold jewelry, if you can consistantly pull 2 or 3 rings out or more a day then i'd think it could be possible...the key word is consistantly
Originally Posted by scoundrel
That aint gonna happen.
__________________
thats exactly why i said not to quit your day job
Originally Posted by dogpound
if your huntin parks and tot lots for clad.....never, the only way to support yourself would be strictly hunting beaches for gold jewelry, if you can consistantly pull 2 or 3 rings out or more a day then i'd think it could be possible...the key word is consistantly
Originally Posted by scoundrel
That aint gonna happen.
__________________
thats exactly why i said not to quit your day job
Last edited:
RickO
"In Memory of"
The odds of making a living at MD'ing are about the same as the odds of becoming the winning Super Bowl quarterback...... though, obviously, not impossible. Many have tried this, as a matter of fact, a forum member posted his efforts here about two years ago... was not successful, but managed to survive. Sure, it can be done.... but there is a lot more to it than just strolling a beach. RickO
Jose
Junior Member
I remember reading a blog of someone who quit his day job to concentrate on metal detecting. He was detecting the mountains where there was gold. He would go up with his metal detector and find pieces of gold. So it is possible. Make it happen
DIGGER27
In Memory Of
So which forum member tried to be a winning Super Bowl quarterback and failed?
SamFisher
Elite Member
In my opinion, the best way to acheive detecting as a career, is to become a detector dealer. Open a little shop and start selling machines. You may not be swinging a coil but at least it is a step in the right direction.
scoundrel
six feet under(water)
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Iron Patch
Elite Member
Very tough! First and foremost you would have to be in the right area to even have a chance. Then you would have to spend a ton of time digging, sell it all, and unless you have some good savings be under pressure to find. That to me sounds like it would take out everything that makes detecting great.
My best years had I sold everything I found I could have made enough to survive on. So it would have been much the same as working part time and struggling. To me detecting is better when it's bonus money and not thought of as a regular income.
My best years had I sold everything I found I could have made enough to survive on. So it would have been much the same as working part time and struggling. To me detecting is better when it's bonus money and not thought of as a regular income.
SamFisher
Elite Member
Well if you own your business and that business is all about detectors...
looktofind
Forum Supporter
it be nice! But i havent gotten enough to pay for the equipment yet.
scoundrel
six feet under(water)
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ec121connie
Junior Member
Quit your day job.
Why would anyone want to change the best hobby they ever had into the worst paying job they can imagine.
Just my 2 cents
Silversmith45
Elite Member
Anyone want to buy a genuine treasure map? You'll have to wait until the ink dries. My mistake, I guess this should have been in the classifieds.
JIM BL
Full Member
Work it like a job
Scoundrel, i'd say give it your best shot.on your next vacation,go to the beach or wherever and work it like a job. Deduct your expences and see if it is profitable. Myself,i worked 40 years ,retired ,and will start drawing social security this year.
I enjoy the hobby,found alot of stuff,but i dont make enough to pay fuel costs.enjoy!!
Scoundrel, i'd say give it your best shot.on your next vacation,go to the beach or wherever and work it like a job. Deduct your expences and see if it is profitable. Myself,i worked 40 years ,retired ,and will start drawing social security this year.
I enjoy the hobby,found alot of stuff,but i dont make enough to pay fuel costs.enjoy!!
lets see a guy walks around with photo albums of his finds, sounds normal to me
it is illegal to hunt in the dunes in Fla, if he gets caught they might confiscate everything he has
and if he gets caught it will put a black eye on all f us
scoundrel
six feet under(water)
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Treasurebone
Forum Supporter
Here's my two cents worth. Nobody knows what Scoundrel can or can not do. There are many ways to live lean in a semi-tropical environment. The sea is full of bounty and not only for the wallet but also the pallet. If everyone was as afraid as most then we would have never had heros like Christopher Columbus, or Fawcett, or Roy Chapman Andrews, now would we. I'm not saying Scoundrel is gonna be a hero, but it's usually those guys that we laugh at that come back 10 years later and have done quite well for themselves. Is it risky? Hell yeah, but if you don't gamble you aint gonna win.
I say go for it scoundrel. Kick butt and take names and if you make it big throw me a gold coin or two
I say go for it scoundrel. Kick butt and take names and if you make it big throw me a gold coin or two
