Find my ex-wife, she had no problem at all finding the studs... and
you'll never need to charge her batteries either!!


On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:11:37 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote:

My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Anyone got a favorite they'd like to recommend?

For some reason the Zircon just stopped finding studs! It _appears_
to work, but it seems to be in random mode. Yes, I've changed the
battery... three times!

Thanks,
Barry


Remove the nospam from my address to email me!!

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:11:37 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote:

My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Anyone got a favorite they'd like to recommend?

For some reason the Zircon just stopped finding studs! It _appears_
to work, but it seems to be in random mode. Yes, I've changed the
battery... three times!

Thanks,
Barry


I have a Zircon and it works just fine for 15 years. It will prick up
changes in density or dangling wires. I used it to install crown
moldings and more recently to find a place to screw in a mounting
plate for a over-the-range microwave. Try your stud finder on
another wall.

Phisherman:

Just reminded me of something...

Phisherman wrote:
On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:11:37 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote:
=20
=20
My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Anyone got a favorite they'd like to recommend?

For some reason the Zircon just stopped finding studs! It _appears_
to work, but it seems to be in random mode. Yes, I've changed the
battery... three times!

I had a similar problem with a Zircon. I repainted a wall with Behr=20
paint (a bit aged I will admit) - from a source which shall remain=20
nameless... Then had trouble with the Zircon stud finder. It worked fine =

on other walls.

It also acted up on other recently painted walls. (Still damp/barely=20
dry? :-) )

Suspect that paint composition may be an issue... Most trouble was with=20
high-hiding white.

I have not re-checked the walls since the paint has aged...

Painted the walls in Oct/2004. So if I do re-check I will let you know.


Thanks,
Barry
=20
=20
=20
I have a Zircon and it works just fine for 15 years. It will prick up
changes in density or dangling wires. I used it to install crown
moldings and more recently to find a place to screw in a mounting
plate for a over-the-range microwave. Try your stud finder on
another wall.


--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

Ba r r y wrote:
On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 02:00:50 GMT, Phisherman wrote:
=20
=20
=20
I have a Zircon and it works just fine for 15 years. It will prick up
changes in density or dangling wires. I used it to install crown
moldings and more recently to find a place to screw in a mounting
plate for a over-the-range microwave. Try your stud finder on
another wall.
=20
=20
I tried it in multiple BUILDINGS. G
=20
It's lost it's mind.
=20
Barry


Time to nuke it then...


--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:11:37 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote:

My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

I'd go with another Zircon if you liked the one you have. We've tried
several brands over the years and they all perform about the same. We
usually break them or lose them before we wear them out. We're
currently using a Zircon with the deep scan mode which seems to work a
little better on sheetrock thicker than 1/2".

Mike O.

Wife got me a new Zircon for xmas (even though the 12 year old one was still
working just fine). Whereas the old one only had the little light dots on
the front, the new one projects a light up the wall and makes noise at the
edges, has a display that "graphs" the density of the stud as you move
across it, has deep-scan for thicker drywall and also a setting that detects
AC wiring...that was the $39 model I guess...

We bought its little sister for $20 (same functions minus the graph) for my
76 year-old father-in-law who until then relied on the "knock" method and
never knew there was any other way...I laughed my ass off x-mas day as he
sought out every stud and wire in my first floor just like a little kid on
an Easter egg hunt...I'd stick with Zircon...

"Mike" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:11:37 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote:

My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

I'd go with another Zircon if you liked the one you have. We've tried
several brands over the years and they all perform about the same. We
usually break them or lose them before we wear them out. We're
currently using a Zircon with the deep scan mode which seems to work a
little better on sheetrock thicker than 1/2".

Mike O.

Suspect that paint composition may be an issue... Most trouble was with
high-hiding white.

Interesting. Titanium oxide (I believe) is a component in white pigments.
Could this be a sensitivity masking effect due to the metallic pigment
component?

In article , mp wrote:

Suspect that paint composition may be an issue... Most trouble was with
high-hiding white.

I have a Zircon, and we just painted the boy's room with a high-hide
primer and then some loud colors. I had no problem with the stud finder
when I was installing a corkboard around the walls at chair-rail
height.

FWIW.

--
"I'm a man, but I can change... If I have to... I guess." -- Red Green

"Ba r r y" wrote
My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Anyone got a favorite they'd like to recommend?

I bought the Black and Decker one awhile back and I'm real happy with it.
Kinda pricey, think I paid about $65 for it, but it also has a laser.
Here it is:
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=prod...018-70-BDL110S

I have a Zircon too but it never has cut the mustard.

I have a suggestion...take the back off and blow (gently) some air on
it...maybe dust or whatever might be affecting it...won't hurt to try...ya
never know
Tina
"Don" wrote in message
nk.net...
"Ba r r y" wrote
My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Anyone got a favorite they'd like to recommend?

I bought the Black and Decker one awhile back and I'm real happy with it.
Kinda pricey, think I paid about $65 for it, but it also has a laser.
Here it is:
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=prod...018-70-BDL110S

I have a Zircon too but it never has cut the mustard.

"Tom Kohlman" wrote in message
...
Wife got me a new Zircon for xmas (even though the 12 year old one was
still working just fine). Whereas the old one only had the little light
dots on the front, the new one projects a light up the wall and makes
noise at the edges, has a display that "graphs" the density of the stud as
you move across it, has deep-scan for thicker drywall and also a setting
that detects AC wiring...that was the $39 model I guess...


A buddy of mine that does handy man work has that unit with the display and
so do I. I noticed that he had never peeled the plastic off the display
that gives a representation of what the display would look like when it
finds a stud. When I asked how the finder was working out for him he
replied that it worked pretty good. Imagine the surprise on his face when I
told him that it would work even better if he would take that plastic cover
off so that he could also see and read the display. LOL. He also made a
coarse tooth BI metal blade for his recip saw cut through a 1/2 thick bolt.
When I questioned if he had the right blade in the saw he responded that he
was using a B1 metal blade. I explained to him that it was a bi-metal
blade. He is a riot to work with.

"Leon" wrote in
. com:


A buddy of mine that does handy man work has that unit with the
display and so do I. I noticed that he had never peeled the plastic
off the display that gives a representation of what the display would
look like when it finds a stud. When I asked how the finder was
working out for him he replied that it worked pretty good. Imagine
the surprise on his face when I told him that it would work even
better if he would take that plastic cover off so that he could also
see and read the display. LOL. He also made a coarse tooth BI metal
blade for his recip saw cut through a 1/2 thick bolt. When I
questioned if he had the right blade in the saw he responded that he
was using a B1 metal blade. I explained to him that it was a bi-metal
blade. He is a riot to work with.


Some of us don't catch all the 'fine details', visually speaking, like we
once may have. And I'm denying that advancing age is a factor. Or trying
to, at least.

I had the optometrist make me up some single vision glasses, with a focal
range of about 24". They are a lot more comfortable for handwork, but
sometimes the neighbors look a bit 'fuzzy', when they drop by the shop.

Patriarch

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 20:58:10 -0600, Mike wrote:

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 01:11:37 GMT, Ba r r y
wrote:

My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

I'd go with another Zircon if you liked the one you have. We've tried
several brands over the years and they all perform about the same. We
usually break them or lose them before we wear them out. We're
currently using a Zircon with the deep scan mode which seems to work a
little better on sheetrock thicker than 1/2".

Mike O.

I bought a Stanley and it sucked.. or maybe it was just operator error.. *g*



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"Ba r r y" wrote in message
...


My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Mine too. But it was physical damage that did mine in.
I stood in front of the display @ Home Despot for about 15 minutes reading
this and that and then grabbed another Zircon. Went with this one:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...&s=hi&n=228013

$40, if it lasts 10 years too is $4/ year.

Works great. Better than the old Zircon.

OK, I have it here on my desk right now and there is no way to get the back
off without breaking it.
I took the battery cover off and there's nothing in there to blow on.
This is the Zircon StudSensor 4 model.
Its always worked, it just never worked very well.
It either doesn't detect the studs or gives false alarms.
Been mainly useless since day one. I've had it for about 10 years.

"Tina" wrote in message
news:9Hd_d.30650$Sn6.1592@lakeread03...
I have a suggestion...take the back off and blow (gently) some air on
it...maybe dust or whatever might be affecting it...won't hurt to try...ya
never know
Tina
"Don" wrote in message
nk.net...
"Ba r r y" wrote
My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.

Anyone got a favorite they'd like to recommend?

I bought the Black and Decker one awhile back and I'm real happy with it.
Kinda pricey, think I paid about $65 for it, but it also has a laser.
Here it is:
http://www.lowes.com/lkn?action=prod...018-70-BDL110S

I have a Zircon too but it never has cut the mustard.

"Patriarch" wrote in message
Some of us don't catch all the 'fine details', visually speaking, like we
once may have. And I'm denying that advancing age is a factor. Or trying
to, at least.

I had the optometrist make me up some single vision glasses, with a focal
range of about 24". They are a lot more comfortable for handwork, but
sometimes the neighbors look a bit 'fuzzy', when they drop by the shop.


I use a pair very similar. They work great within arms reach.

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 18:48:30 GMT, "Don"
wrote:

It either doesn't detect the studs or gives false alarms.
Been mainly useless since day one. I've had it for about 10 years.

Sometime when you have a little extra cash you might try a new one.
I do think they perform better now.

Mike O.

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 20:05:56 -0800, "mp" wrote:

Suspect that paint composition may be an issue... Most trouble was with
high-hiding white.

Interesting. Titanium oxide (I believe) is a component in white pigments.
Could this be a sensitivity masking effect due to the metallic pigment
component?


We've had that problem too.
We have a builder who sometimes (when he can talk his customer into
it) will prime the walls before we get there to trim the house. He
claims this to be some kind of super duper primer.
It's a big pain and none of our older stud finders would "look
through" the paint. The new Zircon works a lot better but I admit
that on occasion it still loses it's mind on this primer. On bare
walls it works great and on normal latex walls (when we go back to
hang hardware) it also seems to work fine.

It has to be something in the primer. I'm just not sure if it's the
super or the duper.....

Mike O.

Ba r r y wrote:
"Ba r r y" wrote in message
. ..


My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.


Thanks, folks!

I had tried my Zircon in (3), count 'em, THREE, different buildings.
However, ALL of them have new paint! ALL of them are freshly painted
in high-hide colors, like whites and beiges.

I bought a new $35 Zircon today, it acted just like the other one!
Both units work great on walls with older ( + 1 year) paint. Neither
unit worked on walls painted with high quality, high hiding paint. I
returned it the new unit 4 hours after I bought it.

I can't prove it, but the fresh paint theory is holding water in my
eyes,

FWIW, two of the paint jobs are top of the line Ben Moore, the other
is Pratt & Lambert.

The 'wreck comes through again.

Thanks again,
Barry

Uh. That was me - at least one of them...

Found that out on the last room I did. Screwed up a bit of freshly
mudded and sanded walls and got real frustrated on the baseboard trim.
few extra nail holes....

Gee - it wasn't just me????

My Paint was Behr and Home Hardware - not sure who makes the latter.

I'll probably get hate mail now. :-(


--
Will
Occasional Techno-geek

Barry:

A Couple more notes...

Ba r r y wrote:
"Ba r r y" wrote in message
. ..


My 10 year old Zircon bought the farm today.
=20
=20
Thanks, folks!
=20
I had tried my Zircon in (3), count 'em, THREE, different buildings.
However, ALL of them have new paint! ALL of them are freshly painted
in high-hide colors, like whites and beiges.

Just checked my walls Zircon acted up on all of them with "wet" paint.=20
Oldest wall - painted two years ago - works fine.

=20
I bought a new $35 Zircon today, it acted just like the other one!
Both units work great on walls with older ( + 1 year) paint. Neither
unit worked on walls painted with high quality, high hiding paint. I
returned it the new unit 4 hours after I bought it.=20
=20

I checked some walls painted Oct 2004. Beige wall - sorta OK -- worked=20
most of the time.

Sandstone (orangish rusty colour) still very flaky -- unreliable I would =

say.


I can't prove it, but the fresh paint theory is holding water in my
eyes,
=20
FWIW, two of the paint jobs are top of the line Ben Moore, the other
is Pratt & Lambert.
=20
The 'wreck comes through again.
=20
Thanks again,
Barry=20

FYI Titanium Oxide AFAIK was the replacement for Lead Oxide - very=20
white. Recall this cause the supplier of much of the TO was a company=20
(client) 1 hr. east of Montreal. This was a long time ago in another=20
life... Used to be the R.H. Mr. B. Mulroney worked for the company as I=20
recall... Very famous and respected Cdn PM. ducks

Suspect that there are lots of metal oxides in paint (pretty darn sure=20
actually -- but can't be bothered with details) and that they can=20
interfere with the electric field of the Zircon... ("Mythbusters" just=20
did a show where the used the Zircon and talked to someone at the=20
company -- good show :-) )

I have the Zircon Contractor Triscanner Pro -- for your reference. FCC=20
ID# N94TS1 Assembled in Mexico - It was probably tested on Adobe walls.=20
:-) (Si senor, es verdad, el Zircon esta hablando mucho conmigo...)

Maybe a paint expert can explain why all this should be so. As for me -- =

just happy to have it confirmed by other people that it even could be=20
true and is not the way I hold my nose while looking for studs.

Maybe I'll give it to my wife -- she says she could use it -- not sure=20
why though???


--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

"Mike" wrote
"Don" wrote:
It either doesn't detect the studs or gives false alarms.
Been mainly useless since day one. I've had it for about 10 years.

Sometime when you have a little extra cash you might try a new one.
I do think they perform better now.

I bought the Blank Decker laser/studfinder a few months ago, it performs
flawlessly.

"Don" wrote
"Mike" wrote
"Don" wrote:
It either doesn't detect the studs or gives false alarms.
Been mainly useless since day one. I've had it for about 10 years.

Sometime when you have a little extra cash you might try a new one.
I do think they perform better now.

I bought the Blank Decker laser/studfinder a few months ago, it performs
flawlessly.

Unlike my spelling.......

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 05:04:33 GMT, the inscrutable "Don"
spake:

"Don" wrote
"Mike" wrote
"Don" wrote:
It either doesn't detect the studs or gives false alarms.
Been mainly useless since day one. I've had it for about 10 years.

Sometime when you have a little extra cash you might try a new one.
I do think they perform better now.

I bought the Blank Decker laser/studfinder a few months ago, it performs
flawlessly.

Unlike my spelling.......

You're in good company, Don. A lot of the id^H^Hgreat folks here
misspell words as complex as "hobbyist" and as simple as "too" on
a regular basis. At least you CAUGHT your typo.


----------------------------------------------------------
Please return Stewardess to her original upright position.
--------------------------------------
http://www.diversify.com Tagline-based T-shirts!

mp wrote:

Interesting. Titanium oxide (I believe) is a component in white pigments.
Could this be a sensitivity masking effect due to the metallic pigment
component?

Interesting idea. Dad deals in some high tech energy reflective stuff that
makes the high hide white look dirty gray. He painted his den in that
stuff. I'll try my (Zircon) stud finder and see if the paint makes it
misbehave.

Now that it has come up, I used this thing to find studs to hang a heavy ass
mirror in the dining room, and it worked fine, but it didn't work worth a
crap a couple three years later (fresh battery) when I went to hang a shelf
in the living room, a month or so after painting it a pastel blue. Betcha
it really could be the paint.

Or not. White lead is a metal oxide too, come to think of it, and lead
absorbs radiation. Maybe the metal oxide thing is a red herring.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/
http://rosegarden.sourceforge.net/tutorial/