Gadget for "looking" inside walls

[HowardM]

Hi

I am after one of these magic gadgets which tell you where wires pipes and structure are inside walls.
Any recommendations, I steer away from B&Q generally, I want a good full featured one that will last.

thanks
Howard

 

[Harbo]

I bought a Bosch one a while back when it was on special offer.

Not convinced it is any better than the cheaper ones though?

Rod

 

[RogerS]

I bought a Bosch one a while back when it was on special offer.

Not convinced it is any better than the cheaper ones though?

Rod

Is that the one that's on special offer with the rangefinder at Travis Perkins?

I bought one of these intending to sell the rangefinder as I already have one of these and as this is a little gem I was keen to get my hands on the studfinder as I'd heard good stories about them in another thread.

Maybe mine was faulty but it was useless. Found studs. Only problem, it was actually halfway between studs.

Then on another wall it started going berserk telling me that there were live cables behind the plasterboard. Only problem, no wires around for at least 10 feet. Even got my Fluke high sensitivity voltage tester to double check but that drew a blank.

I've got a Metabo (IIRC) one at home and must bring that in to try it out again.

I've still to find a good one...well, there is another Bosch at several £100's.

 

[kevinr]

There is a multi function one on sale at Lidl next monday. Cable/metal/stud + distance and laser level.... It may be way too cheap but at £14.99 maybe worth a punt. You could run some quick tests and take it back if its no good.

 

[Digit]

I use a Wood Wizard for checking timber and it also finds the nails in plasterboard without trouble. It has a sensitivity control that helps to locate the exact position of the nails.

roy

 

[Majorlarf]

I use This One
Really Great Would highly recommend.

 

[pren]

Maybe mine was faulty but it was useless. Found studs. Only problem, it was actually halfway between studs.

Then on another wall it started going berserk telling me that there were live cables behind the plasterboard. Only problem, no wires around for at least 10 feet.

Sounds like my £25 Black & Decker jobbie. It does find metal in walls (to within 200mm...), but it also finds metal where there is none! :?

One to rule out, perhaps? :roll: :lol:

HTH.
Bryn

 

[staffie]

just my 2p worth, but all these gadgets work to some degree, you just have to experiment with the one you have (or get) until you find its quirks.
I have a draper version and a Black and decker version, both were under a tenner and after trying for a while (Quite a while) I can now get fairly accurate readings. Must say that it still goes wrong every now and again.

Jock

 

[Aled Dafis]

Ok, I bought a cheapo stud finder/range finder/laser level from Tesco's, and shock horror, it didn't work, so I tossed it the bottom drawer of my bench with my small collection of rubbish (and more than a few pencils from IKEA).

A few weeks later I saw an astonishingly simple device in one of the American mags, that relied on rare earth magnets - you simply waved a carrier over the wall, and the magnet would "stick" to the screws in the studs.

Cue tight fisted West Walian - I had a few rare earth magnets on my fridge door, so I tried it using my hand as the carrier, BINGO:lol:; absolutely flawless. I couldn't think of a simpler, more elegant and fool proof way of finding studs in walls.

(doesn't find cables though) :roll:

Regards

Aled

Edit : if you know you're over a stud, there shouldn't really be a cable or pipe there anyway, and if there is, they should be deep enough not to worry about.

 

[HowardM]

I am going for the Skil one at Axminster.
Nothing seems to stand out in specification.

Howard