Which metal detector

[Greg Crawford]

I've got some old barn wood and some "urban timber" to cut up, and want a good metal detector. I bought a Lumber Wizard (full size model) and it wouldn't even detect a drywall screw through 3/4" mesquite. It was real flakey, sometimes beeping and sometimes not. I tried 2 different brands of new batteries, and no difference. We tried the other one in stock at the store, and it performed the same. This was with the fine tuning as the instructions say.

Is there a good metal detector that will work on 4" thick barn wood? Basically I would like to be able to get a good reading at least 2" deep.

Thanks,

Greg

[Richard M. Wolfe]

The Lumber Wizard is not made to scan very deeply. It is made to check the "next cut". That is, it's used to run over a board before a pass through a planer or cutting a single board off a slab or log. We use one for material on the sawmill for that purpose. A more powerful detector will scan through the log and pick up the metal of the mill. It would be best to have a more powerful unit to scan logs before they go on the mill but we haven't made the investment. I can't help you with brands but you can go to the Woodweb site and use the words metal detector as search terms and find information/opinions on several. A good one will probably cost several hundred dollars.

[Myk Rian]

I use one from HF. Has found small nail heads etc.

[Greg Crawford]

Myk,

Has it ever missed anything?

[Myk Rian]

Nope. has also found broken off tag staples in the ends of wood.

[Peter Quinn]

My lumber wizard has read my wedding (platinum) through two pieces of 5/4 white oak stacked on top of each other, my had was under the boards holding them up off a cart. I was holding them up because it had been reading the points of drywall screws used to laminate two 3/4" sheets of MDF that formed the top of the cart, the screws were driven from below and I hadn't seen them, but the wizard found them! I have also detected my ring through a piece of 6/4 walnut (on accident, same as above) and nail heads through a piece of 8/4. So I guess my experience has been different than yours? Not sure how accurate they are but I haven't hit anything yet. Perhaps one of those units they use at the airports have a higher level of sensitivity?

[Kyle Kraft]

I've had 2 lumber wizards. The first one had a small sensitivity knob and a recessed fine tuning screw. It was junk...I couldn't get it to repeat worth a darn. I contacted wizard and was given a break on the price of a new one. Well, I took the bait and the new one arrived soon after.

The new Wizard III must have some internal refinements that made it into a very good tool. As stated above, my wedding band sets it off through some very thick material. It's excellent performance is outstanding.

CS at Wizard is pretty darn good, in my opinion.

[Jason White]

I have one and have experienced the problems you describe.

Before you throw it away, there is an adjustment knob for the "sensitivity" and a fine-tuning screw. Once I got mine adjusted properly, it's worked fine since.

Also a good idea to check/replace the battery.

Jason

I've got some old barn wood and some "urban timber" to cut up, and want a good metal detector. I bought a Lumber Wizard (full size model) and it wouldn't even detect a drywall screw through 3/4" mesquite. It was real flakey, sometimes beeping and sometimes not. I tried 2 different brands of new batteries, and no difference. We tried the other one in stock at the store, and it performed the same. This was with the fine tuning as the instructions say.

Is there a good metal detector that will work on 4" thick barn wood? Basically I would like to be able to get a good reading at least 2" deep.

Thanks,

Greg

[Greg Crawford]

Kyle,

Mine also had the small sensitivity screw. What does the new one have?

Thanks All,

Greg

BTW, I didn't throw it away, I returned it.

[Fred Belknap]

I have had the same experience as the original poster with the Wizard III. It won't pick up much over skin deep and then you have to adjust the little screw.Lay it down and pick it up to use and have to adjust it again. Needless to say it was $100 wasted.
Fred

[Kyle Kraft]

My old one had a knurled knob about 1/2" in diameter and nearby is a little white recessed screw...yes I followed the procedure to the letter and my little green LED would never light.

Once again, they made it right and my new one works fine.

[glenn bradley]

I have the little Wizard. It was about $20 IIRC. I have chased the metal eraser holder on a pencil I was holding in the opposite hand up and down a board before I realized what I was doing. I have also had it completely ignore stuff, but a small twist of the wheel to make sure it is adjusted has never let me miss anything (yet).

I have read varied reports on the Wizards so I am guessing consistency is not their strong point. Some mag review found them to be as good as the $300 one they were testing. Maybe these are one of those things where the REALLY good ones work and the rest are just shades of poor(?).

[Lloyd McKinlay]

the Little Wizard is sensitive to humidity. My uninsulated shop gets very cold in the winter and the unit was worthless without getting it inside to warm up for an hour or two. I almost threw mine away the first time I tried to use it during the winter, thought it was broken.

[glenn bradley]

the Little Wizard is sensitive to humidity. My uninsulated shop gets very cold in the winter and the unit was worthless without getting it inside to warm up for an hour or two. I almost threw mine away the first time I tried to use it during the winter, thought it was broken.

Excellent info Lloyd. I don't recall if my issues have been "seasonal" but I will sure watch for that now .

[John McClanahan]

I have a Garrett wand, like the kind used at airports. I bought it off of ebay, used. It will pick up a tag staple leg. Haven't used it much yet, so I can't give much of a report.

John