Swore those expensive magnetic stud finders were a gimmick until I drilled into a live wire last month

After hitting a copper pipe with my old cheap stud finder and then borrowing my brother's Franklin Sensors one to finish the job, I had to admit it caught every stud and pipe perfectly on the first pass. Has anyone else had a tool they called overpriced save them from a major screw up?

3 comments

3 Comments

bethcarr1mo ago

You really think spending triple digits on a stud finder is the answer? I've been using the same $15 magnetic one from Home Depot for ten years and it's never let me down. Sounds like user error more than the tool's fault, honestly. People rush jobs and blame the equipment instead of taking five seconds to double check. Maybe save the money and learn to detect wires by looking at outlet boxes and switch locations.

william_miller1mo ago

Exactly right. Those magnetic ones are dead simple and never lie. If the magnet sticks you found a nail or screw, if it doesn't you keep moving. No batteries, no calibration, no false readings.

barbarahill21d ago

Blew a circuit breaker testing a free stud finder I got at a garage sale, still haven't learned my lesson.