Good studfinder?

[Aaron Inami]

The challenge with the magnet is the dependency on the exact location of the nail/screw. This doesn't necessarily mean "exact center of stud", so you still will not have a 100% confidence on where the stud edges are.

[Patty Hann]

Another vote for magnets. That having been said, they don't seem to work as well with the smaller nails in lathe. Drywall screws it rules.

I use magnets also. I had some short cylindrical ones and also some 1/2" diam spherical ones (or as most people say "sperical" ).
I like using the "sperical" ones because they are easier to remove from a surface and they attach exactly over the nail/screw.
(And I've only used them on sheet rock)

[Kris Cook]

I have also been frustrated with stud sensors and have gone through a few of them. I have a Zircon HD70 I have had for a while and it works fairly well and shows the "center" of a stud fairly reliably. Haven't tried the Franklin. May have to check it out. I also have a Walabot connected to an old cell phone. It isn't the easiest thing to use but has come in handy for finding wires and other things behind drywall.

[Cameron Wood]

I had one of the early Zircon ones. I hated that thing- an ergonomic insult. Similarly, in rock climbing, I tried using walkie talkies for a while. Good when they worked, but when they didn't, you're worse off. An electronic stud finder can help you to screw right into a conduit or vent.

[Derek Meyer]

I have the Wallabot, and it has worked pretty well for me in limited use. I still reach for the Franklin most of the time, as it is more convienent than the Wallabot, which requires you to use your phone as the viewing device.

[Tom M King]

The Franklin with multiple lights is great for putting up crown molding and other moldings. Not only does it show you where the stud is, but you can use it to hold the molding up while you shoot a nail with the other hand.

[Bert McMahan]

I've looked at the walabot a few times, hoping for updates, and have never been able to find anyone reviewing it positively. I don't think it works any differently than normal stud detectors; it just adds a much better screen.

[Bernie Kopfer]

My exwife 🤣

[Dave Fitzgerald]

Sadly, I have the Franklin, which I thought was good until the other night when it couldn’t find a stud in a wall that went up 6 months ago. Sounds like I am not going to get better.

Just for kicks, try Franklin CS. Since the consensus is that theirs is the best unit available and you're not getting good results, perhaps you have one that's out of whack? I have no idea whether or not they will be helpful, but it may be worth the time to find out.

[William Fretwell]

Have an infra red viewer/camera. When it’s colder outside, on outside walls, you can see the studs behind the dry wall very clearly. You can see all of them at once!
Does not work on interior walls however.

[Lee Schierer]

I use a rare earth magnet.

I do the same thing. It works well and magnets don't lie.
20230910_075631.jpg

[Kevin Jenness]

Magnets are reliable, though they don't necessarily indicate center. If you can tolerate patching very small holes, an ice pick or 1/16" drill bit for exploratory surgery can be definitive. Ideally every construction job would result in an archive of as-built photographs including framing layout with measurements which the next guy could lay his hands on. Maybe in the future we will have the information embedded in the walls in digital form. or our genes will be modified for x-ray vision.

[Tom M King]

Magnets work good through copper too for finding machine screw anchorsflashingmagnet1.jpgflashingmagnet2.jpg.

[Christopher Charles]

I also use magnets and a tip I picked up from Ramon Valdez is to wrap in blue tape with a tab for a handle. Makes much easier to slide across a wall without fear of marking.

[Matthew Hills]

I use an old zircon and also try to capture a row of nailheads with a magnet to confirm.
It is fiddly, but missing the stud isn't fun, either.

Matt