Do metal detectors work?

[James Mills]

Does anyone have any experience with metal detectors to find staples, nails, screws before my planer or jointer does? Any recomendations?

[Lee Schierer]

I have a Little Wizard metal detector and it works quite well to locate metal materials in wood. You can also locate the drywall screws or nails in walls.
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[Lisa Starr]

I use a cheap Harbor Freght model. You have to increase the sensitivity when you 1st get it (there are lots of how-to videos out there) but it does locate metal easily. I've used it for checking old lumber that we re-purposed into flooring and a countertop. I found every single item that could have damaged my saw blade and planer blades.

[Dave Cav]

I have the HF, too. Works fine.

[Paul F Franklin]

I also have the little wizard that Lee mentions and it seems to work fine. I don't think it senses deep enough for use on, say, a bandsaw mill slabbing trees, but for jointing and planing and thin resaws it works for me. Its sensitive area is pretty small so you have to make several passes over a larger board, but you can move it fast. My biggest problem is remembering to use it ;)

[Jim Becker]

I also have the Little Wizard and it works fine for metal in material that's not overly thick. It's not effective for things like reclaimed beams. A stronger wand like the larger ones used in Airport security will likely have a deeper reach if that's important.

[Myles Moran]

I also have the same one that Dave and Lisa have from HF. Hasn't found anything for me, but I also haven't found anywhere it has failed. It will detect a brad nail on the other side of a 3/4 board, so I run it on both sides of my stock.

[John K Jordan]

I have several of the Lumber Wizards (different models) and several of the Little Wizards. The larger Lumber Wizards work very well at the sawmill.

The little ones don't detect very deeply but should find things in 4/4 lumber. You can adjust the sensitivity to suit. I'd embed samples of what I wanted to detect in a board and test, just as you bury coins in the ground to test metal detectors used for coin/treasure hunting. (Contrary to what one might expect, the better treasure-hunting metal detectors are often no good for finding nails and such since by default they are tuned to ignore iron.) If you happen to live near me swing by and I'll give you one of the Little Wizards. I have more than I need.

JKJ

[Clark Hussey]

I also have the Little Wizard. Works great.

[Tom M King]

I use a regular metal detector, and don't remember it ever not finding something-even tiny little remnants.

[Rod Sheridan]

I also have the little wizard that Lee mentions and it seems to work fine. I don't think it senses deep enough for use on, say, a bandsaw mill slabbing trees, but for jointing and planing and thin resaws it works for me. Its sensitive area is pretty small so you have to make several passes over a larger board, but you can move it fast. My biggest problem is remembering to use it ;)

Hi Paul, it's actually what I use when milling lumber on a band mill, it does find the nails and bolts..........regards, Rod.

P.S. The only issue is the fairly small sensor area, it takes longer than using a wand type. It is sensitive, I remember once using it in the shop and it sensed metal in a couple of pieces of wood, turned out to the screw for the bench vise:rolleyes:

[Lisa Starr]

Wanted to add, my metal detector will pickup screws/nails in my sawhorses under the subject piece of wood.

[Joe Wood]

I had that problem too Lisa and someone suggested getting plastic horses.

now I'm wondering if the detector is picking up the rebar or wire mesh in the concrete slab the horses are standing on? Does anyone know? This is the one I have https://www.harborfreight.com/9-volt-metal-detector-wand-94138.html

[John K Jordan]

I had that problem too Lisa and someone suggested getting plastic horses.

now I'm wondering if the detector is picking up the rebar or wire mesh in the concrete slab the horses are standing on? Does anyone know? This is the one I have https://www.harborfreight.com/9-volt-metal-detector-wand-94138.html

Try scanning by holding the detector above the suspected floor or object, in the air, with no wood.

[Joe Wood]

thanks John! I should have thought about that!

[Keith Outten]

Most treasure hunting metal detectors are adjustable to discriminate for or against finding iron. Some treasure hunters use them specifically to find iron artifacts, it depends on what you are searching for and if you are looking for a specific area such as an old dump site or mechanical parts in a field. I found a complete plow under the ground behind my old barn that was designed to be pulled by a horse or mule.

I have never scanned wood with my detector but I will give it a try, I am interested in hoe deep it will find metal objects. My home is about one hundred years old so there are probably metal objects in some of the older yard trees. My barn has some pretty large timbers and lots of the old style square nails.

Has anyone tried a pinpoint detector, the ones used for treasure hunting?

[Tom M King]

I think this is today's model of the same one I bought probably 20 years ago. I don't keep a battery in it, and it still works as good as new.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/hobbies/metal-detectors-gold-prospecting/metal-detectors-accessories/pc/104799780/c/104750280/sc/106740180/first-texas-sharp-shooter-metal-detector/3313561.uts?slotId=0

I originally bought it to find surveying stakes, back when I did a little real estate developing. It's been used more for finding metal in wood than anything else. It does a fine job. I don't know how deep it scans. The only standing logs I've scanned with it were from an old yard Walnut, and it did find what metal was in it, but none was deep like buried in a crotch.

[John K Jordan]

Has anyone tried a pinpoint detector, the ones used for treasure hunting?

I've used mine in the pinpoint mode for finding small pieces of iron in the ground but not at the sawmill. I had to turn off all the discrimination first. I may have had to set the Iron Mask mode (MineLab Explorer), can't remember exactly. I remember having trouble detecting iron on another one of my detectors, an underwater Garrett I used while scuba diving.

I have a line of huge trees on the property line with known barbed wire deep inside from old fencing. That would be an interesting thing to try with the MineLab.

[johnny means]

This guy, here, gets plenty of use. We actually have to be careful about what we support the lumber on because often it whil pick up on fasteners in the sawhorses.

[Michael A. Tyree]

I have been collecting wormy chestnut lumber by tearing down old barns and houses for over 40 years-done a bunch of them! I tried a small hand held metal detector but disliked it as it missed too much and wasted my time.
My eyeballs in the presence of good sunlight are by far the best device I know of. I cleaned the bigger nails as I tore down the building then went after the tacks, etc. later. I use lumber crayons & chalk to mark and prefer the small, flat steel prybars made for finish carpentry over any other tool unless it's a large spike or nail- I sharpen the edges to a knife sharp edge. I also keep a small cheap 1/2 chisel nearby with a hammer.
Have I missed stuff, yes.