The two "business ends" of the metal detector: the electronics box at the top end, mounted on 20mm PVC pipe...

An induction balance (IB) metal locator has a good depth of penetration and distinguishes well between ferrous and non-ferrous metals. It is also capable, to a large extent, of rejecting iron and also tin foil. This is a boon for anyone who is searching for coins or noble metals.

My aim with this design was to create a 'minimalist' device - one that would work well but without all the bells and whistles of the expensive, commercial designs. I found that it was possible, with just a handful of components, to design a high-quality metal locator.

For instance, on comparison with the first-class EE-Magenta Buccaneer, this design delivers 95% of the performance in the category where it really matters - a clear indication of the presence of metal.