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#1
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black
package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? |
#2
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Dec 22, 7:33*pm, Chuck Banshee wrote:
The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? I've had several stud finders (all Zircons) over the years. I have found them to be, at best, rather unreliable. I use them as a "rough" indication. cheers Bob |
#3
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On 12/22/2011 9:52 PM, DD_BobK wrote:
On Dec 22, 7:33 pm, Chuck wrote: The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? I've had several stud finders (all Zircons) over the years. I have found them to be, at best, rather unreliable. I use them as a "rough" indication. cheers Bob I have two different models I've had for years and they work very well. It must be a matter of experience interpreting the indications. ^_^ TDD |
#4
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Dec 23, 3:33*am, Chuck Banshee wrote:
The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? Some stud finders actually find nails. If you miss the nail, you miss the stud. You need to work in both directions if you see what I mean. |
#5
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Dec 23, 2:32*am, The Daring Dufas
wrote: On 12/22/2011 9:52 PM, DD_BobK wrote: On Dec 22, 7:33 pm, Chuck *wrote: The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are.. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? I've had several stud finders (all Zircons) over the years. I have found them to be, at best, rather unreliable. * I use them as a "rough" indication. cheers Bob I have two different models I've had for years and they work very well. It must be a matter of experience interpreting the indications. ^_^ TDD- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - I;ve had one for decades too and it still works fine. OP should read the directions and make sure he's using it correctly. Or it could just be a bad one. On mine, procedure is to place it against the wall, hold the button until the lights go out. Then slide it along the wall. When it gets close to a stud the lights start to go on, rising as it actually reaches the stud, with all lights on when over the stud. Then they stay on and start to go down as you move past the stud. |
#6
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Dec 22, 10:33*pm, Chuck Banshee wrote:
The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? I've had good results, but not 100% perfect, with the Zircon brand over the last 25 or so years. Dont forget to calibrate it bfore each use by pressing the button while the instrument is over a cavity between the studs, and then traverse it horizontally. JoeG |
#7
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
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#8
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:32:26 -0600, The Daring Dufas wrote:
It must be a matter of experience interpreting the indications. ^_^ You said it nicely so I'm not offended ... but I'm absolutely positive I'm using it correctly! I read the instructions nicely printed on the back of the Zircon Studsensor SL and it sometimes works perfectly (i.e., I calibrate in a middle spot, and then slowly horizontally glide past where I know the stud to be). Sometimes the lights and sound work perfectly. Most times they do not. I just wanted to know if it was all (most?) stud finders or just mine. It seems like, from the answers, that some suck (like mine) and others work just fine. I tried to dig up reviews for the best electronic stud locators to buy but I'm surprised Consumer Reports hasn't tested them ever (they have only a one-page article on dodads of which they extoll the virtues of stud finders but they don't test them). |
#9
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:54:38 -0800, harry wrote:
You need to work in both directions if you see what I mean. I do work in both directions. Problems is that the stud finder that I have won't give the same answer twice. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I just wanted to know if that was 'normal' or not - and - it seems that most of you have decent stud finders (while some have similar problems). If only I could find a good review of current electronic stud finders so that I could just buy a decent one. Unfortunately Consumer Reports has never tested them and Popular Mechanics has a test but they actually found the Zircon to be usable (which I find suspect and maybe paid for by advertisements). |
#10
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:12:02 -0800, GROVER wrote:
Dont forget to calibrate it bfore each use by pressing the button while the instrument is over a cavity between the studs, and then traverse it horizontally. I do calibrate it. I read the instructions. It must just be the one that I have because most of you are happy with your stud finders. Here is a picture of what I ended up using to find the studs! http://picturepush.com/public/7212874 NOTE: I'm not sure if that URL works since I've never used picture posting sites before so here's another way to the same picture if it works: http://www1.picturepush.com/photo/a/...nonymous/cat5- questions.gif |
#11
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
Chuck Banshee wrote in
: On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:54:38 -0800, harry wrote: You need to work in both directions if you see what I mean. I do work in both directions. Problems is that the stud finder that I have won't give the same answer twice. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I just wanted to know if that was 'normal' or not - and - it seems that most of you have decent stud finders (while some have similar problems). If only I could find a good review of current electronic stud finders so that I could just buy a decent one. Unfortunately Consumer Reports has never tested them and Popular Mechanics has a test but they actually found the Zircon to be usable (which I find suspect and maybe paid for by advertisements). I have an earlier Zircon studfinder(no sound,just LEDs) that works. it found the ceiling studs so I could mount my ceiling fan.I had to use cardboard to cover the popcorn finish so the Zircon would slide smoothly over the surface. I also have a Wood magazine article that shows them using a Zircon to find biscuits inside a glued-up wood panel. -- Jim Yanik jyanik at localnet dot com |
#12
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On 12/24/2011 1:26 AM, Chuck Banshee wrote:
On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:32:26 -0600, The Daring Dufas wrote: It must be a matter of experience interpreting the indications. ^_^ You said it nicely so I'm not offended ... but I'm absolutely positive I'm using it correctly! I read the instructions nicely printed on the back of the Zircon Studsensor SL and it sometimes works perfectly (i.e., I calibrate in a middle spot, and then slowly horizontally glide past where I know the stud to be). Sometimes the lights and sound work perfectly. Most times they do not. I just wanted to know if it was all (most?) stud finders or just mine. It seems like, from the answers, that some suck (like mine) and others work just fine. I tried to dig up reviews for the best electronic stud locators to buy but I'm surprised Consumer Reports hasn't tested them ever (they have only a one-page article on dodads of which they extoll the virtues of stud finders but they don't test them). Well Chuck, I'd never call you names or question your intelligence because I've learned from experience with various stud finders of the strange indications you may get since I know what is behind a lot of the walls because I may have been involved with actually building them. There is a new stud finder on the market I want sold by Milwaukee known as the SUB-SCANNER M12 Cordless Detection Tool. Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mHyh-_i4w8 TDD |
#13
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On 12/24/2011 1:26 AM, Chuck Banshee wrote:
.... I tried to dig up reviews for the best electronic stud locators to buy but I'm surprised Consumer Reports hasn't tested them ever (they have only a one-page article on dodads of which they extoll the virtues of stud finders but they don't test them). I'd never trust much from CR on building...and little on any else, either, for that matter. Their testing/recommendations and my personal experience or preferences rarely if ever seem to coincide... Fine Homebuilding (Taunton Press; www.taunton.com) had a review not terribly long ago of a fair number. Overall, none rate all that well for much other than the bare 1/2" sheetrock empty cavity scenario altho some are definitely improvements over others... -- |
#14
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Sat, 24 Dec 2011 07:26:52 +0000 (UTC), Chuck Banshee
wrote: On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:32:26 -0600, The Daring Dufas wrote: It must be a matter of experience interpreting the indications. ^_^ You said it nicely so I'm not offended ... but I'm absolutely positive I'm using it correctly! I read the instructions nicely printed on the back of the Zircon Studsensor SL and it sometimes works perfectly (i.e., I calibrate in a middle spot, and then slowly horizontally glide past where I know the stud to be). Sometimes the lights and sound work perfectly. Most times they do not. I just wanted to know if it was all (most?) stud finders or just mine. It seems like, from the answers, that some suck (like mine) and others work just fine. I tried to dig up reviews for the best electronic stud locators to buy but I'm surprised Consumer Reports hasn't tested them ever (they have only a one-page article on dodads of which they extoll the virtues of stud finders but they don't test them). My black and decker unit works fine - can be calibrated for 3 different thicknesses of drywall. Being a B&D product, "Your Mileage May Vary" |
#15
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
"Chuck Banshee" wrote in message
... On Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:54:38 -0800, harry wrote: You need to work in both directions if you see what I mean. I do work in both directions. Problems is that the stud finder that I have won't give the same answer twice. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. I just wanted to know if that was 'normal' or not - and - it seems that most of you have decent stud finders (while some have similar problems). If only I could find a good review of current electronic stud finders so that I could just buy a decent one. Unfortunately Consumer Reports has never tested them and Popular Mechanics has a test but they actually found the Zircon to be usable (which I find suspect and maybe paid for by advertisements). A lot has to do with the type of wall. In plaster and lathe, my Zircon sucks. To get useful readings I arm myself with a pad of Post-it notes and run scans in six inch spaced bands. I mark each band's "best guess" and by the time I've done four or five bands, the location of the stud usually becomes apparent. There's always one reading that's way off, though. -- Bobby G. |
#16
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Sat, 24 Dec 2011 09:05:54 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote: There is a new stud finder on the market I want sold by Milwaukee known as the SUB-SCANNER M12 Cordless Detection Tool. Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mHyh-_i4w8 TDD Man, that one is pricey :-/ |
#17
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On 12/22/2011 9:33 PM, Chuck Banshee wrote:
The only stud sensor I've used is the "Zircon Studsensor SL" (black package) and it rarely finds the stud, even when I know where they are. It's so frustrating, that, for the past few years, I just left it in the drawer and used the hollow-knock method. But, today I pulled it out and tried to use it - and again was frustrated by its lack of repeatability. Even when I know a stud is there, it is hit or miss with this thing. Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? I thought I'd seen most of the stud sensors on the market, I guess I was wrong. o_O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZmd5vkag7o TDD |
#18
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Does the Zircon Studsensor SL actually find a stud?
On Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:25:56 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote: Does anyone else have this particular studsensor who can tell me if it's just mine or if they're all just as worthless? I thought I'd seen most of the stud sensors on the market, I guess I was wrong. o_O https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZmd5vkag7o TDD Well, isn't that special?! My phone is dumb though :-/ |
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