Includes audible beeping to assist with the location of objects. Franklin released a slimmed down and less expensive version of their classic 710! RELATED:The 10 Best Laser Measuring ToolsThe 10 Best Thermal Imaging Cameras. Sensors provide up to 1.7 inches detection depth. What this means in functional terms is that you must scan the wall multiple times, starting from a different spot each time. Detection is achieved using two different methods: Uses powerful magnets to pinpoint the location of screws or nails in a stud. If the C.H. An interesting spin on the magnetic stud finder is the Shinwa 78610, as well as the newer Shinwa 78592. We've added a dismissal of the Zircon A100 to the Competition section. Includes both audible (tone) and visual (LCD screen) indications of objects. When I gutted my hundred-year-old farmhouse, the horsehair plaster averaged about ½ inch. The ProSensor 710 is also unique among electronic stud finders in that it can read multiple studs at once. The innovative technology in the ProSensor X1100 enables you to find ⦠We’ve continued long-term testing our other picks, and still stand by all of them. In 2015, we added the Zircon StudSensor e50 to the mix. The TACKLIFE Stud Finder features four modes of detection: wood and metal (ferrous and non-ferrous), live wiring, and deep mode. The six magnetic finders we tested were the C.H. After doing some research, I found that ⦠MY TOP PICK:If you are looking for the best overall, I recommend the Franklin Sensors FS710PRO because it features 13 sensors for accurate readings and includes a helpful built-in bubble level and ruler. When you move the tool over a screw head, the middle piece pops up, making a little noise and giving a visual indication. 4-mode switch makes it easy to change functions while the ultra-bright LCD screen. Large LCD screen utilizes a target indication bar to clearly ⦠Equipped with with two magnets, the C.H. When you slide the sensor over a surface, the field moves with it. Only the level vial can move, and that part remains securely embedded in the tool. The magnets are powerful enough to securely lock on to other tools in your toolbox. Equipped with a high definition backlit LCD screen that displays the material detected. One piece, the transmitter, sends a frequency through a wire or pipe, while the other piece scans the wall like an electronic stud finder and visually displays the location of the frequency. The tool has a positive review from Make Magazine, and the Amazon feedback is glowing too. It scans only one point and requires the same cumbersome calibration as the Ryobi. Having considered a wide array of options, the stud finder that wins our vote as the best model currently on the market is the Franklin Sensors ProSensor Professional Stud Finder.. It might have a better shot on a plaster wall than most of the others, but we can make no guarantees. I recommend products and services to help you accomplish your goals and simply get the job done. The more advanced scanners have multiple modes that detect studs, metal, live AC wiring, non-ferrous metal (such as copper pipe), and ferrous metal (such as rebar). But magnetic stud finders have their shortcomings. Hanson is unique in that it has two magnets instead of just one, giving it twice the scanning area of the others and making the process of finding a stud that much faster. Hanson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder. Lastly, the C.H. Hanson were among the most powerful we tried, but that added strength doesn’t really matter because all the magnetic tools we tested can detect a screw head through a skim coat of plaster or a layer of joint compound (⅛ inch thick). Finding The Center ⦠Some new construction uses 2-foot on-center spacing, but it isn’t that common. When you find a magnetic point, you’ve likely found the stud. He lives in a very demanding 250-year-old farmhouse and spent four years gutting and rebuilding his previous home. Then measure your 16 inches from that point. My review: This magnetic stud finder boasts a wide sensor page with more area, which allows for deeper scanning. The Tavool stud finder features a multi-scanner that can be used to quickly locate both metal and wood studs, pipes, and live wiring. To uncover the best magnetic stud finders, we checked out all of the major online retailers (Ace, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, Walmart); read all of the reviews we could (we didn’t find many); and noted which finders popped up as recommendations on contractor message boards. It comes to show that even a compact design can be versatile. Other electronic stud finders can locate just one point at a time, so confirming which edge of the stud you’re seeing (and more important, where the middle is) can be tough. A significant benefit of the ProSensor 710 is that it doesn’t need a calibration process. Hanson, and it has only one magnet, so the scanning area isn’t as wide. Integrated ruler and convenient pencil caddy. © 2020 Wirecutter, Inc., A New York Times Company, An electronic option that’s expensive, but even more efficient, Our pick: C.H. Beyond electronic and magnetic stud finders, you can turn to an old-fashioned method: rapping your knuckle all over the wall and listening for when the hollow sound becomes a solid thunk. We also got a sense of each unit’s performance by reading user reviews at Amazon. Here’s what to get when you’re ready to handle routine home problems. I also handed the tools to a carpenter who brought them on a remodeling job and used them to locate studs for a wainscoting project. If you find yourself reaching for a stud finder every week or so, the Franklin Sensors 710 Precision Stud Finder should be in your tool bag. Learn more. The results were strange: During one session, the Zircon picked up the wire location every time, but in another round a day later, we got nothing but false positives. Specifically, they steered us toward the Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710, which we then tested. To learn more you can visit my about page or my contact page. The body is made of a strong plastic covered in a rubbery sheath. We prefer the simpler magnetic type because they cost less and tend to be more reliable.1 A very good electronic finder will run you north of $50—too much to pay for something you might use only a few times a year, if that. I spent 10 years in residential construction, and have been writing about and reviewing tools since 2007, with articles appearing in Fine Homebuilding, The Journal of Light Construction, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, This Old House, and Tools of the Trade, where I’m a contributing editor. For this post, I have put together a collection of the best stud finders currently available. This stud finder uses thirteen sensors to identify the position, size, and ⦠The Johnson stud finder also has a level vial, but you can’t rotate it, so it can help only with marking the stud. Then press and hold the button while keeping the unit still until calibration is complete (1 - 2 seconds). Unlike other electronic sensors, the ProSensor 710 simultaneously scans the wall at 13 points, and it uses a row of 13 LED lights to display the exact width of a stud. It has a multiposition level that assists with marking studs and positioning pictures. At some point in the middle of 2015, it went out of stock at all retailers. A fter testing the accuracy and reliability of nine different options, our local handyman declared the Franklin Sensors â ProSensor T6 the best stud finder for most situations. View our Professional Stud Finders products by Franklin Sensors Equipped with a Signal Strength Indicator helps to distinguish between shallow and deep targets. With one exception, I opted for units that offered additional features such as level vials, an audible detection sound, and removable magnets. Another trick depends on the fact that electricians are usually right-handed, so electrical boxes tend to be mounted to the right of a stud. Older houses can be a mixed bag: My own house, built in the early 1900s, has framing that ranges from 16 to 30 inches on-center, and it also has true-dimension 2-inch studs. I hope this list of the best stud finders was helpful. The Franklin ⦠In addition, the tool has a pointed end that makes marking the center of the stud easy. The ProSensor 710 Franklin Precision Stud Finder is the perfect mating of advanced technology and ease of use. Our favorite things for building your own toolkit for minor home repairs. When you swipe it across a wall, it covers approximately a 2½-inch swath. While the other magnetic stud finders in our test group have only one magnet, the C.H. You can also check out this brief how-to video: The Franklin Sensors FS710PRO offers three tools in one: a stud finder, built-in bubble level, and ruler. Other electronic stud finders require you to activate them while they’re positioned over a stud bay (and when you start, you don’t know where those are). You might need to find a stud in a wall for a lot of reasons. You can choose from two different types of stud finders for home use: electronic and magnetic. The Milwaukee Sub-Scanner M12 and the Bosch D-Tect are representative of the higher end of professional wall detection. The LEDs will light up in the area they detect a stud. Hanson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder, Upgrade pick: Franklin Sensors ProSensor 710, Editor’s Review: Simple Stud Finder is a Proven Performer, 7 New Stud Finders Let You See Through Walls, Franklin ProSensor 710 Stud Finder Review, Find Your Stud – Franklin Prosensor 710 Stud Finder, Tool Review: Shinwa 78610 Pin-Probe Mechanical Stud Finder, The 10 Tools You Need for Basic Home Repair, The Best Bike Racks for Small Homes and Apartments. General use then rotate the level the time-tested methods of stud finders in test. Zircon StudSensor e50 easily locates the edges of wood and metal studs across a wall with one finished side placing! Live A/C wires, and that part remains securely embedded in the were... Detecting software and circuitry it along the desired surface to scan when I gutted hundred-year-old. Compared with electronic stud finders, recommended this particular model wider scanning area isn ’ test. Floor surface auto-leveling Technology can hang on the same model with a,... 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