£15 vs £279 stud finder

timhoward · Dec 19, 2021

RDB85 · Dec 19, 2021

He probably didn’t pay for either the YouTube clown so his opinion is irrelevant.

timhoward · Dec 19, 2021

RDB85 said:
He probably didn’t pay for either the YouTube clown so his opinion is irrelevant.

Whether he paid for them or not the tests are interesting

[ElectriciansForums.net] £15 vs £279 stud finder

timhoward · Dec 19, 2021

In summary the cheap one worked exactly the same until you add a further 8mm of plywood and then it became unreliable.

RDB85 · Dec 19, 2021

timhoward said:
Whether he paid for them or not the tests are interesting
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Each to their own. I don’t like any of the YouTube Celebs unfortunately.

Dustydazzler · Dec 19, 2021

Out of all the celebrity electricians Nagy , Bundy and Delroy seem the most reliable to me

timhoward · Dec 19, 2021

I started this thread because when anyone tests out two tools and mocks up services in a drywall it could save me money or maybe convince me to spend more money.
I only have a very basic and old stud / metal / cable finder and found it interesting to see two more modern models in use. I do have a strong magnet for finding joists which is handy.
I'm interested in what other people use for this task, especially if there's anything worth having in between £15 and £279.

RDB85 · Dec 19, 2021

timhoward said:
I started this thread because when anyone tests out two tools and mocks up services in a drywall it could save me money or maybe convince me to spend more money.
I only have a very basic and old stud / metal / cable finder and found it interesting to see two more modern models in use. I do have a strong magnet for finding joists which is handy.
I'm interested in what other people use for this task, especially if there's anything worth having in between £15 and £279.

I’ve got a cheap one that was £20 from Screwfix it’s okay. You have to take the readings with a pinch of salt. The test was okay what Bundy done, but most walls will have some form of insulation in so it’s not a full test. I wouldn’t pay £280 for that personally.

Dustydazzler · Dec 19, 2021

I had an old black & decker stud / pipe finder and I honestly didn't find it that useful , if there was a really good one on the market in the 50 quid bracket then it would be something worth keeping in the van

but £200/250 not a chance

nicebutdim · Dec 19, 2021

I had one like this about 30 years ago and reckon I could have discerned more by licking the wall.

DPG · Dec 19, 2021

Cheaper still is Studbuddy (careful googling that!). A powerful magnet that can detect the plasterboard screws. And if you can find them then you've found your stud.

A good tip is to use a few small neodymimium magnets to pop on the screws once you've found them. So you can see the line.

nicebutdim · Dec 19, 2021

DPG said:
Cheaper still is Studbuddy (careful googling that!). A powerful magnet that can detect the plasterboard screws. And if you can find them then you've found your stud.

A good tip is to use a few small neodymimium magnets to pop on the screws once you've found them. So you can see the line.

I like the idea of that little thing, but studs aren't too much of an issue. If only something as reliable was available for finding pipes and cables.

DPG · Dec 19, 2021

nicebutdim said:
I like the idea of that little thing, but studs aren't too much of an issue. If only something as reliable was available for finding pipes and cables.

Very useful when mounting TV brackets and shelves etc. though

nicebutdim · Dec 19, 2021

DPG said:
Very useful when mounting TV brackets and shelves etc. though

I might just buy one now

DPG · Dec 19, 2021

nicebutdim said:
I might just buy one now

Worth a go for what they cost.

UNG · Dec 19, 2021

Are they a tradesman or are they one of today's so called "influencers" who quite often promote something you don't need and actually convince you that you really need it if you are gullible enough to believe them

pirate · Dec 21, 2021

for those who like such stuff...

UNG · Dec 21, 2021

pirate said:
for those who like such stuff...

That was an April fool

catdog1121 · Dec 21, 2021

The problem with all of these its not the things it finds thats the problem its the things it doesnt find.. In that experiment its in stud wall, I find most issues when they are chased into a wall which seems to cause more issues for these stud finders... The question you have to ask is would you trust it? Most of the time you have to use some common sense and some luck..

WallaceP · Dec 21, 2021

I bought one of amazon in the summer for doing downlights in a house. It was the really generic one sold under the name of lots of brands. Its ok, definitely useful on that job as I could get my layout for the lights and make any changes before drilling any holes.