HF Metal Detector

[gsmittle]

My current HF email lists a Centech 9-volt Metal Detector Wand for $29.99. It looks very much like the Lumber Wizard.

Does anybody know how this compares to the $99 Lumber Wizard?

g.

[cabinetman]

Yeah, I do...it's $69.01 cheaper. Do I win anything?
.

[sweensdv]

I have one. For what I need one for it works just fine. It only finds metal that is within one inch of the surface but that's never been a problem for me.

[cgallery]

I just recently purchased the HF metal detector. My brief experiements with it seem to indicate it will work great.

[eezlock]

HF metal detector

I can't do a comparison between the two, since I only have the HF model.
It does what I need for a lot cheaper price. If any of them do a good job
of detecting buried nails, scrap iron, they are worth the money if it keeps you from damaging your expensive woodworking blades, cutters and such.
eezlock

[gsmittle]

Yeah, I do...it's $69.01 cheaper. Do I win anything?
.

You can have my Captain Obvious secret decoder ring...

g.

[atgcpaul]

I have the HF one and it seems to work fine for me.

[dbhost]

Not sure about the wand one, but I have a Centech Stud / Electrical / Metal sensor that runs off of 9v that I picked up at HF for about $19.00, and it hasn't let me down yet.

I have been working on reclaiming oak and ponderosa pine waterbed frames for lumber (all sorts of waterbeds are hitting curbs in my neighborhood) and this has yet to let me down in finding the screws, nails, and staples used in these things. Sure helps keep my planer knives in good shape!

[MikeMcCoy]

I don't know if one is better than the other but I know first hand that my Lumber Wizard can't find bullets if I don't use it.

[LinuxRandal]

I don't know if one is better than the other but I know first hand that my Lumber Wizard can't find bullets if I don't use it.

So you have the Lumber Wizard?

Any idea how deep it detects?

[MikeMcCoy]

Any idea how deep it detects?

I don't know what the maximum might be but I found a sheared off fencing staple that was 1 1/2" down on some 12/4 cherry a couple of weeks ago.

[LinuxRandal]

I don't know what the maximum might be but I found a sheared off fencing staple that was 1 1/2" down on some 12/4 cherry a couple of weeks ago.

Thanks, that does show that it is more powerful then the HF one. So if one uses a LOT of recycled lumber, rather then risking a tablesaw blade, it might be wise to invest in a better one.
If only occasionally, or using with a planer/jointer only, then the HF might be a better investment.

Thanks again.