# Forum Home Renovation Tools & Products  stud detector

## ibrox

Hi Everyone, 
                   I am hoping someone will point me in the right direction for a good quality stud detector. I have seen a Stanley model that is supposed to locate exact centre of stud, if this is true to its word it sounds like the one to me. I have a Bosch DMF10 which I paid good money for but find it very frustrating to use. Any feedback would be appreciated. 
Cheers
Ibrox

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## jago

> Hi Everyone, 
>                    I am hoping someone will point me in the right direction for a good quality stud detector. I have seen a Stanley model that is supposed to locate exact centre of stud, if this is true to its word it sounds like the one to me. I have a Bosch DMF10 which I paid good money for but find it very frustrating to use. Any feedback would be appreciated. 
> Cheers
> Ibrox

  Not a fan of the Stanley dector, mine sits on the shelf as I have more luck with a tape measure and a pin!

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## GCP310

i have used 3 of the stanley models, the bosch and now the ryobi. 
the cheap stanley unit with no electrical detector was great, the rest of the stanley models were crap. the bosch was expensive and useless, and now the ryobi just works perfectly. 
very happy with the ryobi.

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## Ozcar

> . . . 
> the cheap stanley unit with no electrical detector was great

  Non-electrical? How does that work? 
I bought a Stanley detector something like 20 years ago - definitely electronic, and I found it next to useless. I had more success tapping the wall or looking for nails/screws with a small magnet. 
More recently I got a "Digitech" detector from Jaycar. It works quite well. It has a LCD display with a sort of elliptical target pattern - I have seen other detectors with similar displays.

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## Batpig

Dear GCP, 
Given that it sounds like you've had your fair share of disappointments with the things, it is usefully meaningful to hear you being definitively positive regarding the Ryobi.  
I've had one of those supposedly stud-centre-finding Stanley Fatmax 400's that Ibrox is talking about, and I found it virtually useless too. My current unit is a Zircon Pro SL - which was about $50 from memory - and I've got to say that I'm disappointed with it too; not terribly consistent, and quite often unable to detect anything... :Frown:  
On the basis of your comments, I'll have a good look at the Ryobi if the Zircon ever gets my back up enough to make me reach for my wallet again... 
For the record, the ultimate unit as far as I know is this Pro-range unit from Bosch, but it costs several hundred dollars:  Wallscanner D-tect 100 Professional - Detector - Bosch Power Tools for Professionals 
I love the little "wheels" that allow it to easily track sideways across a surface... :Rolleyes:  
Best Wishes,
Batpig.

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## GCP310

what i meant was the Stanley has an electrical cable/current detector built into some of their models. the problem is they are too sensitive and constantly go off, even when i knew there was no wire near the area i was scanning [i wired the house myself] it was the 200 model. there was a version that did not have the electrical current sensor and it was ok until i lent it out. The 400 i spent good dollars on and i returned it, didn't do what it advertised it could do. 
the Bosch as i found out was only good for metal studs, so it went back. 
The Ryobi, seamed to have the basic feature of being auto calibrating, and will find the edge of the stud, and to date, it works for me. I dont normally consider Ryobi tools but i figure it was worth a go as i had been let down with the Stanley range. B&D was out of the question, Zircon tools was going to be next on the list via Ebay. 
stanley model that i used to have, the new model has the electrical fields sensor built in and its crap  
The Ryobi Model i have now

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## Haveago1

I've got the Stanley Fat Max and agree it is not worth the while - go over the same area and get different indications every time. Also agree about the electrical indicator confusing things as well...

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## ibrox

Sounds like I wont bother buying a new stud detector from all your responses, thanks for your replies. Can you tell me what is generally the distance between studs centre to centre? 
Cheers

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## Bedford

Usually 450 or 600 mm, but expect some odd spacings if the wall is not exactly divisible by those.

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## Terrian

I have the Ryobi STUDTECH™ PRO STUD SENSOR Ryobi - StudTech? Pro Stud Sensor  
For the most part it seems pretty good, gets a little 'iffy' if the wall has insulation batts in it though, but so far it hasn't caused me any grief. 
I can't recall how much I paid for it, but I did get it from bunnings 
one thing though, don't store it near strong magnets, the father in law has had 3 of them die and believes the strong magnets he had next to the stud finders are the cause of their deaths.

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## nethern

I have a stanley one with live wire sensor. It always alarm while the wire is meters away. I have to keep pressing the button very hard to do the scan. My hands normally feel sour after several goes.

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## Ozcar

> I have a stanley one with live wire sensor. It always alarm while the wire is meters away. I have to keep pressing the button very hard to do the scan. My hands normally feel sour after several goes.

  Sounds like you have got a lemon there.

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