The Tracker - Metal/Wood Detector - Who Made It - Do They Work?

[John Baum]

I found this bargain at a garage sale/give-away. I installed a 9V battery. Nothing seems to happen.

Is it familiar to anyone?

Thanks,
John

[John Stankus]

https://gavshop.co.uk/homenet-tracker-model-17-21-pipe-cable-and-joist-detector-4117-p.asp

Apparently it is a pipe, cable and joist detector

[John Baum]

Thank you, John!

I will check out the link and see what more I can learn.

John

[John Baum]

I read about the CH Hanson stud detector which depends only on rare earth magnets. I had some small 6 mm disks, so I cut about 15" of sewing thread and used a bit of Scotch Magic Mending tape (easy to clean off) to attach it to one end of the thread. I slowly lifted the thread and magnet up a wall 16" away from a corner, hoping to encounter a sheet-rock screw. The result is in the attached image. The magnet is hanging dead center at 16" from each edge of a 32" wide wall. I even know that I don't want to drive a hanger in exactly this spot, but a little up or down should work well.

This has to be the cheapest stud finder out there, bar none.

John

[Mike Kees]

I read about the CH Hanson stud detector which depends only on rare earth magnets. I had some small 6 mm disks, so I cut about 15" of sewing thread and used a bit of Scotch Magic Mending tape (easy to clean off) to attach it to one end of the thread. I slowly lifted the thread and magnet up a wall 16" away from a corner, hoping to encounter a sheet-rock screw. The result is in the attached image. The magnet is hanging dead center at 16" from each edge of a 32" wide wall. I even know that I don't want to drive a hanger in exactly this spot, but a little up or down should work well.

This has to be the cheapest stud finder out there, bar none.

John
Assuming of course that the screw is actually in a stud. Then assuming that said screw is actually centered in the stud.

[John Baum]

Thanks, Mike, for your response.

I find that taking these added steps:

1) Checking up and down the path of the 'putative' stud improves the accuracy of the stud location.

2) Using the time-honored method of drilling a 1/16" hole 3/4" on either side of the magnetically found average distance lends further confidence that there is solid wood, i.e., a real stud, to which the sheet-rock is attached.

Thanks again,
John


Assuming of course that the screw is actually in a stud. Then assuming that said screw is actually centered in the stud.