watched another vid where he used the ios wiht the walabot 2 and it didnt detect his pvc pipe and wasnt always accurate on wiring. that said, i think im gonna look into this for myself.
What I appreciated: 1. No background sound track. Thank you. 2. Overall quality of the video production - I liked the "ghost view" you used. Totally instructional. 3. Addressing the positive and potentially negative features of each product 4. Demonstrating the usefulness of each product pertaining to safety 5. Using a straight-forward rating scale 6. Not selling or degrading any one product 7. Listing the prices etc. for each unit I am glad I watched. Please keep up with publishing quality DIY videos.
Agree 100% with Neil. ESPECIALLY when it comes to background sounds. WHO NEEDS THAT NOISE ANYWAY! My personal opinion is: that ANY background sound(s) is degrading: when one is trying to study what the product is; or listening closely to the narrator. Others will disagree I am sure. Oh well.
I've had the Walabot for a couple of years now and really like it. I've used it mostly on drywall but once I took it to work to show a co-worker. Our walls are concrete block so I scanned one where I knew there was an electrical wire. It found the wire, and even found the metal post of our equipment rack on the other side! Very accurate device.
Just got a Walabot DIY2 (connects through Wifi) and it does a great job on my wallboard. The accuracy is best in expert mode (heat map view actually radio wave sensor). The simple image mode at present software version is off about an inch or so...
@@zloungeact the magic of editing, I think he took a picture of the back then remove useless portion of the image then slap the picture on the video and made it transparent
An incredible video! No doubt one of the very best reviews of a product I have ever seen and I watch an awful lot of them. So many of them are just selling products rather than being an unbiased review. Like others, I also appreciate that there is no background music and you go straight to the point. I rarely ever subscribe, but I will in this case. Thanks
I have a Hanson finder and I LOVE it! I just used it exclusively to do an entire closet renovation and did not miss a single stud. I use it along with a level to extend stud finding lines and it’s awesome. It’s a simple stud only finder and doesn’t need batteries. Plus you can attach it to 1/2” piping and get them level. Very useful for installing black iron pipe shelving. Plus you can tie a rope to the end and use it as a plumb bob. And for less than $8 it’s totally worth it!
I have used the Walabot for 2 years and it has been a lifesaver-even in plaster/lathe walls. Use it to confirm what you think is there, but it also will surprise you when an unexpected stud spacing or doubler pops up. Well worth the investment!
Great feature. This is the simple content that is needed. Not everyone is going to be able to look at each item on the shelf and make an educated decision based on anything other than price and what's on the box. Thank you.
Sheetrock is often hung horizontally so the nails/screws are generally about 4 feet off the floor which makes finding them well. Good video evaluating the different instruments.
Not only is this a good review video, it's a good instructional video I own a Zircon, and this video was very helpful in teaching me how to better discern it's various signals.
Your x-ray vision presentation is brilliant. And good advice about being aware that studs are usually on 16" centers. But how well do these work on plaster walls? The only thing that reliably and accurately finds the studs in my walls and ceilings has been one of those low-tech swiveling magnets. It finds the nails holding the lath to the studs through at least a quarter inch of plaster. The android thing is cool though.
I haven't tried my Walabot DIY2 on plaster yet, but it works on concrete! It needs to be calibrated before use. I can see how the lath could be confusing, so not sure. It would be an expensive choice if it couldn't meet your needs... I do think with careful calibration it would work on plaster, though. And with the delays in getting one I bet you could resell it in a snap if it did not work out. I had to wait 12 weeks for mine!
Hey, I appreciate your scientific effort. On the Zircon, however, at one point you said "It's not picking it up. Let me restart it." Then you restarted it and it found the conduit. That's a luxury you have because you already know where everything is, and can compensate for the false negative. In the real world we're using the stud sensor BECAUSE we DON'T KNOW what's back there, so we WON'T KNOW when it's a false negative and go restart it. Zircon is a fail.
Just hung a TV with one. It said nothing was there, cut a hole for cabling and there was a huge pipe. Ran it back over it and it detected the pipe about 50% of the time.
I’ve collected several stud finders over the past 30 years. Different range of prices. I have thrown most out and still reach for the 30 year old Zircon.
I have a franklin and it is great. It is very accurate. Once you find a stud just move it slowly back and forth to get an accurate center of the stud. I am also an inside wireman electrician so I have cut plenty of holes in walls.
I have always wanted to see a real time review of the Walabot. When it first came out, it was very expensive. Its great to see the cost has dropped and woyld be my choice of the ultimate stud finder.
I've been using small neodymium magnets for decades.. with a handful you can leave them stuck, and map out an entire 10' x 20' wall very quickly.. plus you can just leave them all up and step back for visual planning. I teach this to all my students, and demo the method to a potential borrower-of-tools, ie actual stud-finder. As a side effect, I have a few 'projects' mapped out (magnets stuck to the walls) where I'll 'someday' get to it.
I just bought 1 at Home Depot yesterday $11 similar to the 2nd one in the video but didn't have the deep scan setting. Worked fine for our project. Hanging a couple of the 4' dowel rod type wall hangers like for a tapestry or something like that. I'm very impressed with the Walabot but $75 for a DIYer is a lot to pay. Then again one avoided mistake pays for itself😁😍😀 Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and videos, Rodney
I want to be exact, as the cost of repairing a mistake of electrical/plumbing/wall damage/re-paint-re-stain, (and the time lost) I'll spend the money on the Walabot any day of the week. This is a super great video. MANY thanks.
Good stuff! Thanks for the info! I have the Zircon and get frustrated with the false alarms and not consistently finding the edges of studs. I think I may purchase the Franklin after watching this video.
It might be a bit still but I have now purchased several new stud finders and am working on an updated version of this video. There are so many to choose from and so many technologies out there! Thanks for watching.
Exactly. I have found nothing truly reliable in the "real world" where you know nothing about what's in a client's wall. They all help you with a guess.
Wouldn't the Walabot be best there? That's what I got my husband for finding studs in the garage wall, as it's insulated between the garage & the house.
Great video. Thanks for all the prep and work you put into it. I have used several Zircons and also the Franklin model previously sold at Costco. All seem to fail on textured walls. Knock down and splatter. Even with deep scan I am often unsure what is going on. Sometimes I feel like simply driving a line of nails and fixing it later. Am hoping the Walabot will someday be compatible with my phone. Nicely done.
Yes indeed - a model for a good video. There are some other virtues that also may be mentioned. - Good sound. Loud enough and produced with a good mic. - Good haircut. No purple hair or ratty beard. - Good narration. No incomprehensible accent (all too common) - Good content . Excellent special effects. X-Ray especially cool. - Good spread of products from low too high. - Relevance. Everyone needs a stud finder sooner or later but most don't work.
Something else that comes in handy is if you're looking for studs on a wall with an outlet or light switch those are nearly always attached to a stud. Use that as a starting point and go typically 16 from there and you should be able to map out the rest of that wall and avoid having to guess what else is back there.
I like to remove the dry wall, sketch out on the drywall where everything is, replace the drywall, do whatever i needed to do, then rub out the sketches from the drywall
@@matttzzz2 I prefer to get the blueprints of the home. 3 of them , the electrical, the plumbing and the structural framing ones. I Then track down each individual worker from each trade that worked on the home and confirm with them everything is correct. As a added safety I try and get in contact with the inspection company that was assigned to the home and get them to share any photos they may have of the building process before the sheetrock went up. I’ve found this to be the most accurate way as of yet
Nice video and thanks for taking the time. I find in modern drywall construction that my tool bag magnet is the best choice. Any drywall team worth their salt get the screws in the middle of the stud and the magnet leaves little to interpretation. My challenge is 150 year old plaster walls. I never have the advantage of knowing what's in the wall before hand and find stud finders add a lot of confusion. On top of what you've outlined, there may be shielded wire, buried boxes, heating pipes, miscellaneous blocking, construction debris not to mention just a large mass of plaster. A stud finder that can add clarity to that is worth paying for (a lot). Not trying to hate and thanks again for putting together a very nice video.
As a commercial electrician the best stud finder I have found is a very strong magnet. It is small and can be keeped in yourself in your tool pouch. All the other fancy gimmicks are just that
Owned/used a zircon for years. Considering the price coupled with some common sense it does the trick. Important thing to note when using it,,, DO NOT touch the wall with your free hand while using it, I'm not positive why but it will create false reading. (Grounded,??)
I think this is the best way too. I wish they sold those half dollar size earth magnets (aka neodymium) with rubber on the sides not against the wall and some kind of retractable string or some way to avoid losing it. That’s probably the only thing I dislike about the strong magnets the most. If I’m not paying attention it’s will grab something metal and get lost.
Found out after buying about $200 worth of various brands of stud finders that none work reliably on old school lathe and plaster - the sand content in the plaster is too high to "see" through (Even the top (at the time) of the line "deep scanner" guaranteed to find pipes, wire, rebar, studs, etc, could not give the same reading from one pass to another.). Finally had to resort to the tapping method and drilling exploratory 1/16" holes to establish the stud interval (even 40's & 50's post-war built houses could have stud spacing anywhere from 16" to 24").
The CH Hanson is hands down the best for installing cabinets. For me. That or a very powerful neodymium magnet. Those electronic ones (all) never seem to work right in my experience and the other tradesmen I’ve talked to. Great video for explaining this! I also like the ghost view of the studs! Keep up this kind of content!
Excellent, you gave me the confidence to make my decision. I got the cheap magnetic ones and the walabot. That way I can have a physical marker as well as a mental marker.
I have the Zircon HD 900 and it does it all. Stud Scan, Deep Scan, Metal Scan and AC Scan. It works on plaster walls as well as drywall. It's costly too but safety is everything.
The best stud finder is a strong magnet. It will find all the heads of the drywall nails. As you find the heads, place a small piece of masking tape. In a couple of minutes you can find all the nails and that will show you the location of the wood behind the Drywalls
I'm a fan of the magnetic one. It not only can be used for stud finding it is handy to have a magnet in your tool box. It can be used for retrieving stuff. I also used it when I was trying to make sure there weren't any nails present in a surface I was going to mortise. I don't think there are any solutions for lath and plaster walls except the tapping approach which I was never great at. If I was still doing a lot of handyman type work I would get the wall a bot immediately.
Those things scare the hell out of me. Whenever I walk past the rack at Depot with all the stud finders they all start beeping like crazy... How do they know? Who told them?
When I've used the Zircon ones in the past, the $25-30 ones, they frequently need to be reset - sort of like what happened to you in the video. You're never sure, though, when it needs to be reset. (by reset, I mean letting off the button and back on) It's fine if you already have a good idea what's going on, but when you're running totally blind, just never feel 100% confident. So it takes a lot longer to do and re-do, mark and double check and triple check and quadruple check to get results you feel are going to work.
Excellent job explaining each product, I actually had doubts about the walabot I’ve read some of the reviews concerning it but after watching your video I’ll invest in getting one, I live in NYC and I do mostly home projects and I have an an older version zircon unit which served well for what I had to do !!!, the walabot price is $189 but thanks again for doing an amazing video.
Not all studs are set at 16” intervals. Newer homes within the past several years are spaced at 24” and some, for various reasons, only at 12 inches. Because 16” was the standard for so long it’s okay to start with this number as you experiment but it won’t be correct if your home is relatively new.
the franklin sensors make a smaller model called the t6 and its $25 and i love it. so accurate, only issue is it detects wires and stuff the same as studs so you gotta be more careful
That Franklyn is hands down the best imo. 1 thing I like about it is it’s not a stud finder. It’s an “anything finder”. You can look through plywood subfloor to find the floor joists. Not sure why it didn’t find the plumbing here cause I find plumbing with mine everyday. And the directions say it’s set to find irregularities, not just wood so there’s no reason to slight it for thinking the electrical was a stud.
Another advantage of the first one (C.H. Hanson Stud Finder) is no battery to worry about (going dead, leaking in storage, having spare battery on hand, etc), ideal for the person only needing this capability occasionally.
One of the best produced videos on youtube! I have tried many over the years including the Zircon, Franklin, Walabot and the magnetic one. However I have what was once a 500 sq ft cabin on a lake in built in ~1945 that was expanded and renovated several times to 1200 sq ft. There is knotty pine under the drywall in nearly all of the original part of the house, window framing was covered with drywall in several areas, etc.. I won't even mention the fact that there is not one level surface or square corner in the place . . oops I guess I did mention it. Anyway NONE of the stud finders work worth a damn. 'Deep scan' and 'x-ray' are a joke. I had high hopes for the Walabot but ended up almost throwing it on the floor and smashing my phone along with it but instead I threw it in a box and returned it to Amazon. Even on the newer parts of the home with more modern (mid 1980s) construction I find that they are constantly needing re-calibration over and over again. So in a word I would have to say they all suck when you need them and I end up playing hit or miss with a screw gun and a bucket of plaster patch to follow up with.
Nad Ragaw I have same experience with these 3 products. Walabot holding out on for the reasons you state. Hanson is surprising my most used for simple studs. All my walls have injection foam - not hollow. Very difficult for any of them to work. Seems a true XRay vision product called Clark Kent is needed.
Well done comparison video. I would love to see more videos like this. Ones that help me when deciding which tools to invest into as an electrician/service tech. Thank You! Subscribed!
This is absolutely a top-quality video and buying information/explanation. I hope you get over a million subscribers. You truly deserve it. Thanks a lot!!
Mark the edges with the zircon then screw in the middle. It's the most consistent way for me. I've hung thousands of tvs. It has a little trouble sometimes in old houses with plaster but I keep a magnet or different stud finder to help.
Nowadays, there’s Zircon M1 available at Home Depot for around $30. It detects plastic, metal pipes and even ac wires, apart from studs and metal screws
I’m a horrible do it yourself guy, unless it’s demo, as I can destroy anything. I have the Zircon but rarely use it. I love the Franklin and use it religiously to find studs to hang pictures, mirrors, towel rods, shelves, etc. It is so easy to use and has never failed to find a stud. For finding studs, I give it 5 Stars.
1/2" drywall is easy to find studs in. A lot of houses built from as early as 1900 to about 1965 have "rock lath" walls, consisting of 3/8" gypsum board, coated with a layer of mortar, then a layer of finish plaster. I'd like to see a test on that. FWIW, metal conduit is rare in residential construction. When it's used, it's mostly surface mount. The Walbot is pretty impressive! The Zircon looked pretty good. I had an older Zircon that I wasn't crazy about. This new version looks like it might be better. The price is right. When I'm specifically looking for nails or screws, I use a small rare earth magnet. That trick only works if they're relatively near the surface.
Add- peck along with a hammer and listen for the tone change - drive a small finish nail to test spot - then measure over... most are along outside of switches/outlets & window openings
I have the Zircon and my experience is exactly as he showed. I think he spent the most time with it because it, the zircon, can't make up its mind. Beep, there's a stud, but it doesn't see the pipe, and now there's no stud showing but it does seem to sense there's something electrical. It senses electricity everywhere. Hold hold let me turn it off and on again. Ok, now it's working - it sees a stud. (repeatedly turning off and on is a required part of owning a zircon). It's funny though, because overall it does a decent job - but having patience is a requirement.
I have the Franklin, the Zircon, some others, BUT the best one is CH HANSON for finding studs when you have to scew something on the wall. Nothing beat rare earth magnets to find screws already there on studs/drywalls. Go for the easier way!
Great video as usual. That said, no review of stud finders is complete if leaves out the STUDPOP magnetic stud finder. I've been using it since it came out 10 years ago. Unlike every other stud finder---electronic or magnetic---it is able to find studs (via the metal fasteners) in any kind of wall: sheetrock, tile over sheetrock, plasterboard, wood lath and plaster. It's actually...fun? to use, if that's possible : )
I am a tv installer by trade and the best stud finder that has never ever failed me (and never will, unless it runs out of batteries) is the Franklin SS
Al Romero My wife calls me every day when she arrives safely to work. One day I pretended she was a girlfriend. I told her to stop calling, I was happily married and the wife would beat her up..... wife loved it. She never knows what I will say next. I have the best wife and marriage ever to exist. And she puts up with my stupid jokes. Lol
great work on your videos, I wish I had the space to do some of the vid's you do on my channel. I like the clean look you are getting, very concise and clear cut. I have been working on getting better on my video's to get the feel you are getting. Thanks. I've put you on my Featured List of my channel, I don't have the following you have, but hopefully it will steer some more traffic to you.
This was an excellent instructional video. Like many of the other commenters here I appreciate the lack of loud background music and the xray image was very cool and useful. I was especially interested in the Zircon; however, they actually have several different models (about 5, I think) and I was wondering if you could do a video where you show the differences amongst them and where they are useful. Or is this just a way for Zircon to take more money out of our hands for little net effect. Thanks again for the informative video.
Depending on sensing method(s), the wires may need to be live (EMI, unless speaker wire) and the water pipe full (conductive solid fluid, unless for drainage)
I’m always worried I’m going to drill into a wire going through a stud. I’ve also been looking at walabots, and now that I have a spare android phone handy, might actually get one (through your link). Good video!
I have the magnet and the Zircon. Actually, I have had several Zircons. You ask why several Zircons? Because they quickly stop working and keep hoping the next generation would be better. Nope. Thanks to your wonderful tutorial, I will opt for the pricier unit that was flawless. Why take chances. Been there, done that. $75 is nothing. Thank you so much
Great comparison with X-ray imaging. As you describe, each has their pros & cons. I actually do have some brand or the actual described of all 4 of the 4 of these. The benefit of the magnetic finder, of which there are a couple brands, it won't mistake a wire or pipe for a stud as it will only pick up the drywall screws. For the price as well, very economical. Further, no worries about electrical errors such as with the Zircon or similar type (have a Ryobi but seems to be the least accurate & often requires a reset), and they're also very resilient to construction environment abuse. The original Walabot at times doesn't work properly due to software issues but I probably simply need to upgrade the app - this is the downside; requires use of your phone & an active internet connection. It's also the more cumbersome to hold & use; however, it is great for ensuring you don't accidentally screw into a wire or pipe that may be running immediately adjacent to a stud and doesn't mistake something like duct work as a stud. It is definitely the splurge of the types, but avoiding drilling into a water/gas/electrical pipe even once more than makes it worth the initial expense. Another positive, as long as your phone is charged, no batteries. I have a more original version Franklin and is moderately good at finding studs; con is that it is less accurate to use on uneven or already texture plastered walls and can mistake other in-wall solid objects as studs. When in doubt, use more than one tool to double check.
Good video. One improvement could have been to put some plywood sheathing on the back of part of the wall. Exterior sheathing can interfere with stud finders so it would be nice to know which ones are accurate in that scenario.
To be fair. Zircon does have different models. They go all the way up to $100. I personally have the HD 900C which is $60. It works very well and has not let me down.
Important update! The Walabot DIY is now available for iOS as a WiFi version. You can check it out here: geni.us/RzvxAUb
How did you do the transparent wall overlay effect in this video?
walabot can using for concrete wall?
watched another vid where he used the ios wiht the walabot 2 and it didnt detect his pvc pipe and wasnt always accurate on wiring. that said, i think im gonna look into this for myself.
At $180, it’s a hard no. Ridiculous price when the Android version was $74 just a couple years ago.
What I appreciated:
1. No background sound track. Thank you.
2. Overall quality of the video production - I liked the "ghost view" you used. Totally instructional.
3. Addressing the positive and potentially negative features of each product
4. Demonstrating the usefulness of each product pertaining to safety
5. Using a straight-forward rating scale
6. Not selling or degrading any one product
7. Listing the prices etc. for each unit
I am glad I watched. Please keep up with publishing quality DIY videos.
A really good "no nonsense" presentation. Much appreciated - thanks.
I fully agree with everything Neil wrote. Thanks for the video and cheers.
I agree with everything, especially the absence of annoying music.
you had me at no background track
Agree 100% with Neil. ESPECIALLY when it comes to background sounds. WHO NEEDS THAT NOISE ANYWAY! My personal opinion is: that ANY background sound(s) is degrading: when one is trying to study what the product is; or listening closely to the narrator. Others will disagree I am sure. Oh well.
I've had the Walabot for a couple of years now and really like it. I've used it mostly on drywall but once I took it to work to show a co-worker. Our walls are concrete block so I scanned one where I knew there was an electrical wire. It found the wire, and even found the metal post of our equipment rack on the other side! Very accurate device.
Just got a Walabot DIY2 (connects through Wifi) and it does a great job on my wallboard. The accuracy is best in expert mode (heat map view actually radio wave sensor). The simple image mode at present software version is off about an inch or so...
Liked how you put the transparent studs, wiring & pipes on the video. Great presentation, help me decide which one to use for my project.
How the hell did he do that?!
@@zloungeact the magic of editing, I think he took a picture of the back then remove useless portion of the image then slap the picture on the video and made it transparent
Translucent
An incredible video! No doubt one of the very best reviews of a product I have ever seen and I watch an awful lot of them. So many of them are just selling products rather than being an unbiased review. Like others, I also appreciate that there is no background music and you go straight to the point. I rarely ever subscribe, but I will in this case. Thanks
I have a Hanson finder and I LOVE it! I just used it exclusively to do an entire closet renovation and did not miss a single stud. I use it along with a level to extend stud finding lines and it’s awesome. It’s a simple stud only finder and doesn’t need batteries. Plus you can attach it to 1/2” piping and get them level. Very useful for installing black iron pipe shelving. Plus you can tie a rope to the end and use it as a plumb bob. And for less than $8 it’s totally worth it!
I have used the Walabot for 2 years and it has been a lifesaver-even in plaster/lathe walls. Use it to confirm what you think is there, but it also will surprise you when an unexpected stud spacing or doubler pops up. Well worth the investment!
So with plaster and lath do you need to do anything different?
Great feature. This is the simple content that is needed. Not everyone is going to be able to look at each item on the shelf and make an educated decision based on anything other than price and what's on the box. Thank you.
Sheetrock is often hung horizontally so the nails/screws are generally about 4 feet off the floor which makes finding them well. Good video evaluating the different instruments.
Not only is this a good review video, it's a good instructional video I own a Zircon, and this video was very helpful in teaching me how to better discern it's various signals.
same
THANK YOU!!! Good info, great production value, not annoying, just straight informative. This guy knows how to make a quality, super helpful video!!!
Your x-ray vision presentation is brilliant. And good advice about being aware that studs are usually on 16" centers. But how well do these work on plaster walls? The only thing that reliably and accurately finds the studs in my walls and ceilings has been one of those low-tech swiveling magnets. It finds the nails holding the lath to the studs through at least a quarter inch of plaster. The android thing is cool though.
I haven't tried my Walabot DIY2 on plaster yet, but it works on concrete! It needs to be calibrated before use. I can see how the lath could be confusing, so not sure. It would be an expensive choice if it couldn't meet your needs... I do think with careful calibration it would work on plaster, though. And with the delays in getting one I bet you could resell it in a snap if it did not work out. I had to wait 12 weeks for mine!
Hey, I appreciate your scientific effort. On the Zircon, however, at one point you said "It's not picking it up. Let me restart it." Then you restarted it and it found the conduit. That's a luxury you have because you already know where everything is, and can compensate for the false negative. In the real world we're using the stud sensor BECAUSE we DON'T KNOW what's back there, so we WON'T KNOW when it's a false negative and go restart it. Zircon is a fail.
Ehud Gavron I agree
I have a Zircon and this happens more frequently than I like. I don't feel confident using it. The Walabot seems like the way to go.
Just hung a TV with one. It said nothing was there, cut a hole for cabling and there was a huge pipe. Ran it back over it and it detected the pipe about 50% of the time.
Yeah, it’s complete garbage. I put a bunch of holes in my wall because of it. Thank goodness for putty and paint.
Zircon is almost worthless.
I’ve collected several stud finders over the past 30 years. Different range of prices. I have thrown most out and still reach for the 30 year old Zircon.
Until I got my Walabot DIY2 my Zircon has been my go-to device for over 20 years. I may use both to check on each other.
Very informative video. The "x-ray" image was a great way to present this. Thanks!
I have a franklin and it is great. It is very accurate. Once you find a stud just move it slowly back and forth to get an accurate center of the stud.
I am also an inside wireman electrician so I have cut plenty of holes in walls.
After having 3 Franklins die over 4 or so years, I went back to that model of Zircon and use a Master Magnetics for my magnetic style. Great video!
it's kinda crazy that we don't have more advanced tools this day in age. Good video.
I prefer a magnet on a string. Works great for demo, pull the screws for a clean job. I want to see that test with a wall full of insulation.
I have always wanted to see a real time review of the Walabot. When it first came out, it was very expensive. Its great to see the cost has dropped and woyld be my choice of the ultimate stud finder.
You won't believe how much the cost has increased! Now $190.00 on Amazon!
I've been using small neodymium magnets for decades.. with a handful you can leave them stuck, and map out an entire 10' x 20' wall very quickly.. plus you can just leave them all up and step back for visual planning.
I teach this to all my students, and demo the method to a potential borrower-of-tools, ie actual stud-finder.
As a side effect, I have a few 'projects' mapped out (magnets stuck to the walls) where I'll 'someday' get to it.
You can also just run duck tape. I think that's what the builders did or my Dad
.
Great video! Any strong magnet will do to find the drywall screws, no need to spend $8 for the cheapest one in this video.
I just bought 1 at Home Depot yesterday $11 similar to the 2nd one in the video but didn't have the deep scan setting. Worked fine for our project. Hanging a couple of the 4' dowel rod type wall hangers like for a tapestry or something like that. I'm very impressed with the Walabot but $75 for a DIYer is a lot to pay. Then again one avoided mistake pays for itself😁😍😀 Thanks again for sharing your thoughts and videos, Rodney
The xray visual of what’s behind while finding studs and stuff was a great presentation! Nice fair comparison of tools to use and decide on.
I want to be exact, as the cost of repairing a mistake of electrical/plumbing/wall damage/re-paint-re-stain, (and the time lost) I'll spend the money on the Walabot any day of the week. This is a super great video. MANY thanks.
Good stuff! Thanks for the info! I have the Zircon and get frustrated with the false alarms and not consistently finding the edges of studs. I think I may purchase the Franklin after watching this video.
It might be a bit still but I have now purchased several new stud finders and am working on an updated version of this video. There are so many to choose from and so many technologies out there! Thanks for watching.
You are great brother. Stumbled upon your drywall fix tutorial and I must say… you make it CLEAR!!! I subscribed.
No Yelling , screaming or unnecessary,loud music, Also good information if a bit overly positive on the wallabot, But thankyou.
Add insulation (fiberglass & foam & paper) to the wall and run the same tests. Easy for sensors to work on empty hollow walls..
👍
Exactly. I have found nothing truly reliable in the "real world" where you know nothing about what's in a client's wall. They all help you with a guess.
Decent point. I'm guessing--though he didn't clarify--this was an *interior* wall demo. Most interior walls aren't insulated.
Wouldn't the Walabot be best there? That's what I got my husband for finding studs in the garage wall, as it's insulated between the garage & the house.
Best stud finder review I've seen. Really like the xray vision. Very well done. Thanks.
Great video. Thanks for all the prep and work you put into it. I have used several Zircons and also the Franklin model previously sold at Costco. All seem to fail on textured walls. Knock down and splatter. Even with deep scan I am often unsure what is going on. Sometimes I feel like simply driving a line of nails and fixing it later. Am hoping the Walabot will someday be compatible with my phone.
Nicely done.
Yes indeed - a model for a good video. There are some other virtues that also may be mentioned.
- Good sound. Loud enough and produced with a good mic.
- Good haircut. No purple hair or ratty beard.
- Good narration. No incomprehensible accent (all too common)
- Good content . Excellent special effects. X-Ray especially cool.
- Good spread of products from low too high.
- Relevance. Everyone needs a stud finder sooner or later but most don't work.
Something else that comes in handy is if you're looking for studs on a wall with an outlet or light switch those are nearly always attached to a stud. Use that as a starting point and go typically 16 from there and you should be able to map out the rest of that wall and avoid having to guess what else is back there.
I like to remove the dry wall, sketch out on the drywall where everything is, replace the drywall, do whatever i needed to do, then rub out the sketches from the drywall
@@matttzzz2 I prefer to get the blueprints of the home. 3 of them , the electrical, the plumbing and the structural framing ones. I Then track down each individual worker from each trade that worked on the home and confirm with them everything is correct. As a added safety I try and get in contact with the inspection company that was assigned to the home and get them to share any photos they may have of the building process before the sheetrock went up. I’ve found this to be the most accurate way as of yet
Nice video and thanks for taking the time. I find in modern drywall construction that my tool bag magnet is the best choice. Any drywall team worth their salt get the screws in the middle of the stud and the magnet leaves little to interpretation. My challenge is 150 year old plaster walls. I never have the advantage of knowing what's in the wall before hand and find stud finders add a lot of confusion. On top of what you've outlined, there may be shielded wire, buried boxes, heating pipes, miscellaneous blocking, construction debris not to mention just a large mass of plaster. A stud finder that can add clarity to that is worth paying for (a lot). Not trying to hate and thanks again for putting together a very nice video.
Bought the Zircon today. Used it with no issues. I only a stud and that was a great thing! Cost=$19.95 at Lowe's.
As a commercial electrician the best stud finder I have found is a very strong magnet. It is small and can be keeped in yourself in your tool pouch. All the other fancy gimmicks are just that
Owned/used a zircon for years. Considering the price coupled with some common sense it does the trick.
Important thing to note when using it,,, DO NOT touch the wall with your free hand while using it, I'm not positive why but it will create false reading. (Grounded,??)
You did a great presentation of these stud finders. This has been very helpful for next one I buy.
I have the type shown at 7:30. Best type I'ever used. It is correct every time. $35 at Menards.
I use a strong rare earth magnet to find nails or screws that are driven into the studs.
There's a thought! Thanks! 👍😉
I think this is the best way too. I wish they sold those half dollar size earth magnets (aka neodymium) with rubber on the sides not against the wall and some kind of retractable string or some way to avoid losing it. That’s probably the only thing I dislike about the strong magnets the most. If I’m not paying attention it’s will grab something metal and get lost.
You rule!!! Very detailed and love the background overlay of the inside of the wall. Very well done!!!
This is great, setting up a real life type of situation to test the stud finders 👏🏻 awesome!
Absolutely top quality video and explanation. I hope you get over a million subscribers. You truly deserve it.
I have the magnetic one. Use it in commercial work where metal studs are used.
Found out after buying about $200 worth of various brands of stud finders that none work reliably on old school lathe and plaster - the sand content in the plaster is too high to "see" through (Even the top (at the time) of the line "deep scanner" guaranteed to find pipes, wire, rebar, studs, etc, could not give the same reading from one pass to another.). Finally had to resort to the tapping method and drilling exploratory 1/16" holes to establish the stud interval (even 40's & 50's post-war built houses could have stud spacing anywhere from 16" to 24").
The CH Hanson is hands down the best for installing cabinets. For me. That or a very powerful neodymium magnet. Those electronic ones (all) never seem to work right in my experience and the other tradesmen I’ve talked to. Great video for explaining this! I also like the ghost view of the studs! Keep up this kind of content!
Excellent, you gave me the confidence to make my decision. I got the cheap magnetic ones and the walabot. That way I can have a physical marker as well as a mental marker.
I have the Zircon HD 900 and it does it all. Stud Scan, Deep Scan, Metal Scan and AC Scan. It works on plaster walls as well as drywall. It's costly too but safety is everything.
The best stud finder is a strong magnet. It will find all the heads of the drywall nails. As you find the heads, place a small piece of masking tape. In a couple of minutes you can find all the nails and that will show you the location of the wood behind the Drywalls
The CT Hanson was by far the best stud finder in this grouping. It found a stud 100%, never gave false positives, and is by far the cheapest.
I'm a fan of the magnetic one. It not only can be used for stud finding it is handy to have a magnet in your tool box. It can be used for retrieving stuff. I also used it when I was trying to make sure there weren't any nails present in a surface I was going to mortise. I don't think there are any solutions for lath and plaster walls except the tapping approach which I was never great at. If I was still doing a lot of handyman type work I would get the wall a bot immediately.
Those things scare the hell out of me. Whenever I walk past the rack at Depot with all the stud finders they all start beeping like crazy... How do they know? Who told them?
In their defence, I’d start beeping if I saw Jim Morrison in Home Depot, especially because he died in ‘71
Congratulations to becoming a dad ;)
😂😂
Stud knows stud finders! Really though, the WAY to Produce instructional Videos! Truly a stud!
When I've used the Zircon ones in the past, the $25-30 ones, they frequently need to be reset - sort of like what happened to you in the video. You're never sure, though, when it needs to be reset. (by reset, I mean letting off the button and back on) It's fine if you already have a good idea what's going on, but when you're running totally blind, just never feel 100% confident. So it takes a lot longer to do and re-do, mark and double check and triple check and quadruple check to get results you feel are going to work.
I bought a Walabot and had ZERO success with it, it wouldn't find anything in my wall, glad you got one that works.
After 35 years and many stud finders, bought with no price in mind..............the FRANKLIN IS THE BEST IS EVERY FOUND
Excellent job explaining each product, I actually had doubts about the walabot I’ve read some of the reviews concerning it but after watching your video I’ll invest in getting one, I live in NYC and I do mostly home projects and I have an an older version zircon unit which served well for what I had to do !!!, the walabot price is $189 but thanks again for doing an amazing video.
Thank you! I never even considered a gaspipe or pvc pipe not registering.
Not all studs are set at 16” intervals. Newer homes within the past several years are spaced at 24” and some, for various reasons, only at 12 inches. Because 16” was the standard for so long it’s okay to start with this number as you experiment but it won’t be correct if your home is relatively new.
the franklin sensors make a smaller model called the t6 and its $25 and i love it. so accurate, only issue is it detects wires and stuff the same as studs so you gotta be more careful
That Franklyn is hands down the best imo. 1 thing I like about it is it’s not a stud finder. It’s an “anything finder”. You can look through plywood subfloor to find the floor joists. Not sure why it didn’t find the plumbing here cause I find plumbing with mine everyday. And the directions say it’s set to find irregularities, not just wood so there’s no reason to slight it for thinking the electrical was a stud.
Another advantage of the first one (C.H. Hanson Stud Finder) is no battery to worry about (going dead, leaking in storage, having spare battery on hand, etc), ideal for the person only needing this capability occasionally.
bought my walabot for $20 cheaper when it just came out.. what a life saver for that price best stud finder there is..
One of the best produced videos on youtube! I have tried many over the years including the Zircon, Franklin, Walabot and the magnetic one. However I have what was once a 500 sq ft cabin on a lake in built in ~1945 that was expanded and renovated several times to 1200 sq ft. There is knotty pine under the drywall in nearly all of the original part of the house, window framing was covered with drywall in several areas, etc.. I won't even mention the fact that there is not one level surface or square corner in the place . . oops I guess I did mention it.
Anyway NONE of the stud finders work worth a damn. 'Deep scan' and 'x-ray' are a joke. I had high hopes for the Walabot but ended up almost throwing it on the floor and smashing my phone along with it but instead I threw it in a box and returned it to Amazon. Even on the newer parts of the home with more modern (mid 1980s) construction I find that they are constantly needing re-calibration over and over again. So in a word I would have to say they all suck when you need them and I end up playing hit or miss with a screw gun and a bucket of plaster patch to follow up with.
Nad Ragaw I have same experience with these 3 products. Walabot holding out on for the reasons you state. Hanson is surprising my most used for simple studs. All my walls have injection foam - not hollow. Very difficult for any of them to work. Seems a true XRay vision product called Clark Kent is needed.
What we need is a dedicated radar device which Zircon was supposed to have by now.
I have plaster lath walls with 3/8" drywall on top. The only stud finder that can accurately find the studs in my house is the Franklin stud finder.
the walabot has a lath function.
SUCH COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION! IT MAKES IT SO MUCH EASIER TO DECIDE WHAT TO GET, ESPECIALLY FOR A TOTAL NEWBIE LIKE MY SELF. THANK YOU!
Well done comparison video. I would love to see more videos like this. Ones that help me when deciding which tools to invest into as an electrician/service tech.
Thank You! Subscribed!
This is absolutely a top-quality video and buying information/explanation. I hope you get over a million subscribers. You truly deserve it. Thanks a lot!!
Thanks so much, Bob! You're very kind :)
Plaster is the most difficult to detect, drywall in my experience any stud finder will work
Mark the edges with the zircon then screw in the middle. It's the most consistent way for me. I've hung thousands of tvs. It has a little trouble sometimes in old houses with plaster but I keep a magnet or different stud finder to help.
Nowadays, there’s Zircon M1 available at Home Depot for around $30. It detects plastic, metal pipes and even ac wires, apart from studs and metal screws
I’m a horrible do it yourself guy, unless it’s demo, as I can destroy anything.
I have the Zircon but rarely use it.
I love the Franklin and use it religiously to find studs to hang pictures, mirrors, towel rods, shelves, etc.
It is so easy to use and has never failed to find a stud.
For finding studs, I give it 5 Stars.
Awesome presentation and imaging effects here! This aids me with my decision making. Thank you!
Ditto
Walabot rocks! had mine for 3yrs now, and its never failed!
Hansen magnet is my favorite by far. It’s always worked for me. I’ve used some of the digital stud finders. Never worked that consistently for me.
1/2" drywall is easy to find studs in. A lot of houses built from as early as 1900 to about 1965 have "rock lath" walls, consisting of 3/8" gypsum board, coated with a layer of mortar, then a layer of finish plaster. I'd like to see a test on that. FWIW, metal conduit is rare in residential construction. When it's used, it's mostly surface mount. The Walbot is pretty impressive! The Zircon looked pretty good. I had an older Zircon that I wasn't crazy about. This new version looks like it might be better. The price is right. When I'm specifically looking for nails or screws, I use a small rare earth magnet. That trick only works if they're relatively near the surface.
@IncognitoTorpedo Yep, I still have not found a good detector that works through plaster and lath.
Add- peck along with a hammer and listen for the tone change - drive a small finish nail to test spot - then measure over... most are along outside of switches/outlets & window openings
I find that the Bosch stud / screw / pipe /electrical / misc. Finder is excellent . The downside is that it is so expensive , but it certainly works .
I have the Zircon and my experience is exactly as he showed. I think he spent the most time with it because it, the zircon, can't make up its mind. Beep, there's a stud, but it doesn't see the pipe, and now there's no stud showing but it does seem to sense there's something electrical. It senses electricity everywhere. Hold hold let me turn it off and on again. Ok, now it's working - it sees a stud. (repeatedly turning off and on is a required part of owning a zircon).
It's funny though, because overall it does a decent job - but having patience is a requirement.
Most instructional and helpful video I’ve ever seen on YT thanks man
Good video. Just purchased the Walabot and checked it out this morning. Worked just like he said.
I always wanted to see one of the walabots work. Thank you very much.
I have the Franklin, the Zircon, some others, BUT the best one is CH HANSON for finding studs when you have to scew something on the wall. Nothing beat rare earth magnets to find screws already there on studs/drywalls. Go for the easier way!
Great video as usual. That said, no review of stud finders is complete if leaves out the STUDPOP magnetic stud finder. I've been using it since it came out 10 years ago. Unlike every other stud finder---electronic or magnetic---it is able to find studs (via the metal fasteners) in any kind of wall: sheetrock, tile over sheetrock, plasterboard, wood lath and plaster. It's actually...fun? to use, if that's possible : )
Mate, that was bloody brilliant! Well done.
Excellent review and professional video. Especially liked the transparent wall technique. Well done! Thank you.
I am a tv installer by trade and the best stud finder that has never ever failed me (and never will, unless it runs out of batteries) is the Franklin SS
I own the walabot and love it. It hasn't failed me yet.
Every morning my mirror finds a stud.
@Castlebury21 Lol!!
@Castlebury21 🤤🤤
Teehee! So, what'ch saying is, You're, semi-visually attractive, however, your smarts, and humor make up for this..!? 😉
Al Romero My wife calls me every day when she arrives safely to work. One day I pretended she was a girlfriend. I told her to stop calling, I was happily married and the wife would beat her up..... wife loved it. She never knows what I will say next. I have the best wife and marriage ever to exist. And she puts up with my stupid jokes. Lol
😂😂😂🙌👏👍
Best video I've seen so for on the subject. Thank you!!
great work on your videos, I wish I had the space to do some of the vid's you do on my channel. I like the clean look you are getting, very concise and clear cut. I have been working on getting better on my video's to get the feel you are getting. Thanks. I've put you on my Featured List of my channel, I don't have the following you have, but hopefully it will steer some more traffic to you.
This was an excellent instructional video. Like many of the other commenters here I appreciate the lack of loud background music and the xray image was very cool and useful. I was especially interested in the Zircon; however, they actually have several different models (about 5, I think) and I was wondering if you could do a video where you show the differences amongst them and where they are useful. Or is this just a way for Zircon to take more money out of our hands for little net effect. Thanks again for the informative video.
Doing electrical work good to also find if you have fire blocks. Franklyn rocks for simple stud finding.
Depending on sensing method(s), the wires may need to be live (EMI, unless speaker wire) and the water pipe full (conductive solid fluid, unless for drainage)
I’m always worried I’m going to drill into a wire going through a stud. I’ve also been looking at walabots, and now that I have a spare android phone handy, might actually get one (through your link). Good video!
I have the magnet and the Zircon. Actually, I have had several Zircons. You ask why several Zircons? Because they quickly stop working and keep hoping the next generation would be better. Nope. Thanks to your wonderful tutorial, I will opt for the pricier unit that was flawless. Why take chances. Been there, done that. $75 is nothing. Thank you so much
L550
BEST ZIRCON EVER MADE
Great comparison with X-ray imaging. As you describe, each has their pros & cons. I actually do have some brand or the actual described of all 4 of the 4 of these. The benefit of the magnetic finder, of which there are a couple brands, it won't mistake a wire or pipe for a stud as it will only pick up the drywall screws. For the price as well, very economical. Further, no worries about electrical errors such as with the Zircon or similar type (have a Ryobi but seems to be the least accurate & often requires a reset), and they're also very resilient to construction environment abuse. The original Walabot at times doesn't work properly due to software issues but I probably simply need to upgrade the app - this is the downside; requires use of your phone & an active internet connection. It's also the more cumbersome to hold & use; however, it is great for ensuring you don't accidentally screw into a wire or pipe that may be running immediately adjacent to a stud and doesn't mistake something like duct work as a stud. It is definitely the splurge of the types, but avoiding drilling into a water/gas/electrical pipe even once more than makes it worth the initial expense. Another positive, as long as your phone is charged, no batteries. I have a more original version Franklin and is moderately good at finding studs; con is that it is less accurate to use on uneven or already texture plastered walls and can mistake other in-wall solid objects as studs. When in doubt, use more than one tool to double check.
Very informative, with the variety of stud finders, and the layered image!
Good video. One improvement could have been to put some plywood sheathing on the back of part of the wall. Exterior sheathing can interfere with stud finders so it would be nice to know which ones are accurate in that scenario.
To be fair. Zircon does have different models. They go all the way up to $100. I personally have the HD 900C which is $60. It works very well and has not let me down.