When faced with having to replace some pet-damaged tongue-and-groove oak flooring, I didn’t want to add insult to injury by ruining a circular-saw blade on unseen nails. About 30 seconds spent sliding a rareearth magnet around the perimeter of the boards located all the nails, and I knew where it was safe to cut. The same magnet locates studs by stopping on the drywall fasteners, and I’ve even used it to recover a ball bearing I lost in the sawdust on my shop floor. I got mine at www.leevalley.com.
Andy Engel, Roxbury, CT
Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #178
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CH Hanson also makes a magnetic stud finder with 2 magnets and a small level in it. Amazingly effective, about $7 from the usual sources.