Many years ago when I discovered the internet, It wasn’t long after that I discovered a metal detecting forum. I spent a lot of my free time in that forum learning all things metal detecting. Reading posts about, what metal detectors people were using, what kinds of things they were finding and even met some detector buddies.
A forum is a place to share and store information that is easy to get back to. It’s also a place to learn, make new friends and to have conversations and even friendly debates. It should be a friendly environment with like minded people that all grow and learn together and share in the fun and excitement that is our great hobby.
After a few years of the previously mentioned metal detecting forum I decided to make my own. There were two reasons behind it. First, I wanted a place for fellow Ohio detectrist and second, the original forum turned into something I just did not like anymore. I witnessed people being rude and disrespectful with moderators and administrators not stepping in and more and more forum sections being added that were not relevant in any way to metal detecting or treasure hunting in general.
I had never built a website. I knew nothing about ANYTHING. I was off of work for a few weeks over Christmas and decided I was going to start my research with my time off. I told myself if I could build a forum within a year, I would be happy.
At the end of those two weeks I had a fully functioning Ohio Metal Detecting Forum built! Although not pretty and to be quite honest, it was never exactly pretty but it functioned great. The forum seemed to take off and before I knew it, we had a busy little forum!
Fast forward a few years and between cost of maintaining, some personal things going on in my life and declining interaction, I made the decision (I still regret today) to pull the plug on it. I actually went completely dark concerning the hobby. Although I did not stop metal detecting I was just done with everything from a few things that had happened that were metal detecting related.
I just said I did not stop metal detecting but I was without a metal detector for almost seven months because I sold every detector I owned, I had given up. I decided to leave the hobby for a while and although it was seven months of no metal detecting, it went by fast because it was during the winter and a bad winter.
Spring came and I got back into the hobby again with a renewed passion! I wanted back in so bad I could not stand it and although it took a few months, I again had another metal detector. My plan was to stay away from social media, forums, and anything metal detecting related and just get out and metal detect!
Before I knew it, I was being talked into the Podcast then I decided to do the website because I really missed writing articles. My plan from the beginning of being talked back into putting myself back out there was to build another forum but I kept hitting wall after wall. It’s been almost four years now of wanting another forum and it’s just now happening!
Finally – All Metal Mode Metal Detecting Forum
Finally, All Metal Mode is complete (at least for now) and I have everything I want! It has been a long, hard road but worth it all and I have to tell you there are some people who have supported and helped me that have made it all possible!
For now, I want to focus on one person, Joanna Jana Laznicka. We teamed up after forming a friendship and she has brought it all along and she is responsible for building most of the forum, without her help it wouldn’t have been possible!
I have to tell you though; Joanna was against the idea of a forum. She said they are outdated and people are not using them like they used to. I knew this already and it was partly the reason I abandoned the Ohio Metal Detecting Forum. Everyone is more interested in social media platforms.
However, personally I’ve never found a social media platform I am in love with, especially for metal detecting. Something that you do not find on any social media platforms is real interaction, learning and sharing of information. Even when you do see informative metal detecting tips, there is so many different groups and the information that with in a day it is buried and it can be a real task to try and find it again. I just do not get the great appeal of social media for something like metal detecting.
If you’re like me and your social media sites fall short, tired of all the irrelevant posts and drama or if you’re looking to connect with metal detectorist but not be on social media then check out the new All Metal Mode Metal detecting Forum. Although many think forums are outdated I am hoping there are enough people out there who like me, feel like everywhere else falls short and are looking for a well moderated metal detecting forum!
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