i need a new stud finder

[fred woltersdorf]

my stud finder died,so i need a new one(wall stud that is).i think the old one was a zircon.what's the latest,greatest one now?i really didn't like the old one so another brand might be inline.thanks

[Keith Starosta]

Tell ya what, it might be a bit expensive, but I LOVE my B&D Bullseye stud finder/laser level combo. It has never let me down.

Keith

[Chris Padilla]

My wife is good at this.... ;)

(I use Zircon...seems to work all right)

[Vaughn McMillan]

Yeah, I understand LOML is looking for one, too. (Chris beat me to the cheap joke punch.)

I also use a Zircon, and as long as it's not old plaster with metal lath underneath, it seems to work pretty well.

- Vaughn

[Steven Shelby]

I have a little Stanley that seems to get it done. But I also have a Stanley stud finder/ laser level combo that leaves marks on the wall. I would probably stay away from it.

[Steve Clardy]

I have a 20.00 sears unit that has been humming for about four years now.
Compared to a 70.00 unit [can't think of the name now], this one works better.

[Lee DeRaud]

Yeah, I understand LOML is looking for one, too. (Chris beat me to the cheap joke punch.)

I also use a Zircon, and as long as it's not old plaster with metal lath underneath, it seems to work pretty well.My Zircon is completely useless: it goes off-scale as soon as I take it out of the drawer. (rimshot)

[Per Swenson]

You guys are funny....

Cheapest stud finder guaranteed to work,

10 penny finishing nail and a tape measure. (hammer too)

Though I find if you change the 9 volt battery now and then

in the Zircon they work fine.


Per

[Randy Meijer]

I have an old Zircon and it has always worked well for me except one time. Tried to hang some shelves for my boss at the office. There were two layers of sheetrock and steel studs.....I only found studs on the first try about 50% of the time??

[Bill Lewis]

I've bought three of these things, and the very first one I ever bought worked better than either of the latter two. It was one of the first models, and I think I paid $10 for it back when I was in college (that was alot of $ at the time) Unfortunately it died about 9 years ago.

The second one I bought got loaned out and never returned. The last one I have I still futilely try using, but like Per, I often fall back to simpler methods. Rapping with my knuckle or a hammer usually works best. You can also look for tell tale signs on drywall, nail pops, or joint compound patches or poorly hidden nails in trim. Poking holes with nails also works. Then use a tape to find the next one (if it really was framed 16" OC) I've been know to resort to all of these methods after using a stud finder.

Actually the first stud finder I had was a magnet in a plastic box, set to pivot like a compass. You used it to find nails, which would indicate a stud (you hope).

If I had to buy another one, then Zircon also has a recent model out that shows an LCD "picture" of the stud on it's screen that seems useful, because I seem to alway hit the edge of the stud.

Oh, and If you have Plater over lathe walls, like in an old house, forget it. use the 4d nails.

[Roger Bell]

I use a Zircon electronic one which is ok to so-so. I use it to get a rough idea. But when I positively need to be certain that I am dead on in the wood before I breach the sheetrock, I use a cool little Japanese model I got from Garrett Wade about a year ago. It consists of a very, very thin, needle-like probe that is bolstered so you don't break it. Leaves an almost invisible pinhole....way less than any nail or brad. Low-tech and positively accurate.