please recommend a good stud finder

[Maximus96]

i have a small blue zircon stud finder that came with two laser levels. i'm not too confident about it because it takes multiple passes everytime i want to find a stud and every pass tells me something different. eventually i find the the general vicinity of the sides then i have to make sure with a nail. i want something better and i don't want to keep poking holes in my wall with the nail and hammer. I was looking at a zircon i700 at amazon for $50...any comments on this unit or any other units that work well?

thanks much

 

[Farang]

STUD ALSO MEANS SEXUALLY DESIRABLE MALE.

 

[Squisher]

I have the i700 and can't say I'm 100% confident in the thing. I still stand around rapping my knuckles on walls.

 

[lokiju]

I just read in a Popular Mechanics or Science how to make a home made stud finder with a string and magnet.

Don't have it on hand ATM though.

 

[OdiN]

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-...qid=1199302637&sr=8-1v

Works every time.

 

[warmodder]

I have an old as hell craftsman one. It works pretty well, though I haven't used it in a while.

 

[Maximus96]

Originally posted by: Farang
STUD ALSO MEANS SEXUALLY DESIRABLE MALE.

you have been promoted to Admiral Obvious, please remove "Captain" from your title at your earliest convenience.

 

[KK]

Originally posted by: OdiN
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-...qid=1199302637&sr=8-1v

Works every time.

:laugh: The anti vibe handle helps alot.

 

[sdifox]

I don't think they work all that well. My brother is a general contractor and he taps with the handle of the hammer. He find stud much faster than my Stanley stud finder but I guess experience counts.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: KK

Originally posted by: OdiN
http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-...qid=1199302637&sr=8-1v

Works every time.

:laugh: The anti vibe handle helps alot.

That was just the first hammer that showed up. Doesn't really matter what kind.

 

[paulxcook]

The problem I have with tapping on the wall is my house's drywall is thick enough that I can't hear the differences over the ambient noise in most parts of the house. I don't remember offhand what kind of stud finder I have, but it seems fairly accurate. I'll edit once I can get home and check.

 

[jiggahertz]

Originally posted by: Maximus96
i have a small blue zircon stud finder that came with two laser levels. i'm not too confident about it because it takes multiple passes everytime i want to find a stud and every pass tells me something different. eventually i find the the general vicinity of the sides then i have to make sure with a nail. i want something better and i don't want to keep poking holes in my wall with the nail and hammer. I was looking at a zircon i700 at amazon for $50...any comments on this unit or any other units that work well?

thanks much

I have a cheap ryobi and it performs equally as crappy.

 

[conehead433]

Originally posted by: lokiju
I just read in a Popular Mechanics or Science how to make a home made stud finder with a string and magnet.

Don't have it on hand ATM though.

I've read somewhere about this as well. There's some kind of strong very small magnets that are used in animal feed that make a good stud finder on a string. I worked as a low voltage electrician and we didn't bother with the electronic stud finders. They don't work on plastered walls and when you're hanging a 100+ pound plasma TV on a wall you need to be dead center of the studs you're using. Take a small stiff wire such as a straightened gem clip and poke it into the wall using a pair of pliers. You can easily find both sides of the stud. Oh yes I forgot to mention that knocking on the wall with your hand works about as good as any other method.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I have a cheapy $10 Low end Zircon model stud finder.

It didn't work very well at all in my townhouse (several layers of paint over drywall.)

At my new house, it works perfectly where I have thin wood paneling in the basement, and it actually works decently well upstairs where the drywall only has a couple of layers of paint. (newer building)

 

[Agentbolt]

Originally posted by: Farang
STUD ALSO MEANS SEXUALLY DESIRABLE MALE.

This was actually pretty funny, and effective.

 

[Squisher]

Besides the i700 I also have one of these, but then you're looking for a nail.

 

[amdskip]

i65, just got it, has worked on every wall I have tested so far.