Gonna need a metal detector

[Mitchell Andrus]

I just received 260 BF of really old chestnut for a project for the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, NJ. The stack will soon become 2 bookcases for the museum's living room. The originals are nowhere to be found and like the piano I built for them about 5 years ago, unique. Their sister pieces are still in-situ so patterns are available.

Anywho..... Can anyone recommend a metal detector? Yes, I've already spotted a few nails, there are no doubt more waiting to wreck a set of knives.
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[Conrad Fiore]

Lumber Wizard III. Does a good job.

[Trace Beard]

I picked up a Garrett hand held metal detector on ebay for $40, works great. This is the same wand used at the airports.

[Bill Arnold]

I have the Wizard III. Works as advertised.

[Peter Quinn]

I'm using a Lumber Wizard III as well and have found it to be fairly reliable. It read my platinum wedding ring through a piece of heavy 5/4 oak last time i used it. Imagine silly me holding one end of the board with my left hand off the bench trying to find the metal the detector is sensing, but the metal keeps moving! Duhhh.....

I haven't missed anything yet in stock up to 6/4. We do jobs occasionally with recycled WO barn boards and resawn timbers that are certified metal free. And yet I find cut nails, bullets, screws, staples, lags in the wood. On the bright side I find carbide cuts old cut nails quite nicely and provides quite a sparkler show. HSS sure doesn't fair so well.

[Myk Rian]

I understand the lumber wizard needs to be calibrated each use. Not sure though.
I use a Cen-Tech paddle type from HF. Found every nail and staple in any wood I've used it on.

[Mike Tidd]

Lumber Wizard III. Hasn't missed a nail Yet !