"Ian_m" wrote in message
...
"The3rd Earl Of Derby" wrote in message
. uk...
Ian White wrote:
Can anyone recommend a nail and screw detector that won't be fooled by
foil-backed plasterboard? I'm hoping to find the heads of the steel
fixing screws, which protrude a board's thickness forward of the foil.

Any recommendations based on *practical experience*, please?

Impossible? perhaps if you explain in a bit of detail as to why you want
to
find nails/screws someone could come up with an idea?

Just use some strong neodymium magnets (I used 4 off 1/2" x 1/8" from Ebay
or http://www.powermagnetstore.com/, a rod magnet might have been better)
they stick on the screws. I removed the kitchen/study ceiling, cleanly
this way, last weekend. Use the magnets to find the screws, expose the
heads using a screwdriver (or other appropriate tool), remove 1/2 the
screws per plasterboard sheet, score along 1/2 of sheet and pull down.
Sheet breaks cleanly in half, minimum mess and easily handled.


Brilliant tip. Cheers