Spent $80 on a magnetic wire finder and it just paid for itself

Had to run a new line for a glass break sensor in a finished ceiling yesterday. The old stud finder was useless with all the metal ductwork. Grabbed this little magnet tool on a hunch, and it picked up every nail head in the drywall like a champ. Took me from a guessing game to a straight shot in about two minutes. Anyone have a different trick for finding studs in tricky spots like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

jason_henderson16d ago

Honestly, sometimes you just knock on the wall and listen for a solid sound.

coleman.gray15d ago

Tbh, it's wild how much you can tell about the framing just from the echo. A hollow knock means studs are far apart, solid means you hit the center.

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kellys7815d ago

How can you beat the old knock test for a quick check? I still do that first before I even grab a tool, and it's right more often than not. It's just the fastest way to get a starting point.