Just in case folks are tempted to say otherwise, let me say this loud and clear: I had nothing to do with this review. The reason I'm sticking my nose into the comments is because another 'PoP review has been making the rounds over the past couple of weeks and the guy that owns the channel has been subjected to all kinds of trash talk because some could NOT believe that I wasn't paying him to say nice things. So, before that starts happening here: I do NOT know 1D10CRACY and he doesn't know me. Although, a good review like this one is more valuable than gold. So thank you 1D10CRACY.
I will add to this and to be clear, I never except money from any company to do video reviews. If I've done a review, it is simply because I liked the item I am reviewing or thought it was unique enough to mention. I purchased both of the Items in this video with my own money from Amazon and was not influenced by anything other than my own thoughts. My own thoughts can be scary and I highly encourage everyone to not be influenced by them. :D
Since I've heard it all before, here are more common misconceptions that people have about magnetic stud finders in general: 1. This is nothing more than screw finder therefore it is NOT a real stud finder. **** Well, since it is really good at finding screws and nails, then it is also VERY GOOD at pointing you at the studs that those metal fasteners are screwed into. 2. There are screws in the wall that go into nothing and that makes this thing useless. **** NOT true. If a screw isn't being pulled into something beyond just the wall board, it will just spin 'round and 'round and will NOT countersink below the surface...meaning that it can't be mudded over and hidden. So the installer will take it out and put it back in until it screws into the meat of the stud. 3. The installers never put the screws in the center of the stud. **** This one is really popular and it is also really wrong. On average, the screws will be within 1/4" of center. That's why you should mark the position of several screws in each stud and find the average. You're going to be as close to the center as any electronic stud finder. But ultimately the real test is when you screw in your bracket or whatever, if the screw tightens up nicely, then your TV or mirror isn't going anywhere. Remember that studs are 1.5" wide so unless your screw misses the stud altogether or is right on the edge, half in and half out, it's going to be plenty strong no matter where it is. On the other hand, if it spins around and doesn't tighten, then take it out and try again until it IS tight. 4. I can just use any magnet, like from my hard drive or my fridge. **** Yes you can -- but only on sheetrock. Beyond that it's going to be difficult to tell when the magnet is being pulled by metal in the wall or if it's just a rough patch on the wall. And don't under estimate the power of the popper. It is how an otherwise negligible tug, will be made visible to the user. The magnet/popper assembly is delicately balanced against gravity so all it takes is a tiny amount of attraction to have a dramatic effect on the popper. That's why it lifts up, even when it's over those tiny lath and plaster nails. Go ahead and try that with a magnet from your hard drive or your refrigerator, lol. If nothing else, at least you'll be able to find your brightly colored StudPoP the next time you need it -- whereas your little magnet will probably be stuck to the underside of your tool box. 5. This doesn't find actual wooden studs like the electronic ones do. **** Newsflash: the electronic ones aren't looking actual wooden studs either. They are looking for things that look like a stud. Could just as easily be a PVC vent pipe or a blob of mud or plaster. Basically anything that the stud finder sees as a change in the density of the wall. It is pretty much guessing. **** A little known rule of thumb with the electronic stud finders is that they are about as accurate as banging on the wall to hear the difference between stud and no stud. And this gets harder and harder to judge when you go from hollow walled sheetrock to insulated sheetrock to plaster to lath and plaster or tile over sheetrock. In those latter cases, the whole wall sounds the same. Thick and dense. 6. This thing is a waste of time. It will take FOREVER to find a screw on my walls. **** No it won't. I can find a screw or a nail in any wall within 15 seconds. Simply go back and forth and down rapidly and pay close attention to the popper because it will instantly jump when it senses a metal fastener. Make like you're painting the wall with the face of the StudPoP. You don't want to miss any part of the section of wall that you're scanning because if you miss the smallest section, that might be where the screw is. So you've got 15 seconds.....GO!
I have a very similar tool made by Craftsman. It was a hand me down tool I got from my Dad. It's a square block of clear plastic with a red 'pin' on pivots, right in the center. The pin has a strong magnet at it's base and when activated by a screw, the pin stands straight out from the tool. It too is the same width as a standard stud and also has notches to indicate the middle of the span. The thing is, my Dad bought it because we were adding shelves in the garage . . . in 1982.
For the metal stud, I think the benefit of the pro model is that you you can find the exact center of the stud. To do that, you can search for the stud, then with the stud pro thing at ~45 degree angle, you can rotate it until both pops stand up. Then, the push pin hole will be in the center of the stud.
Seems like a cool tool. However, what it lacks is the ability to locate and warn you about the presence of electric live wires. And yes, I agree with another commenter who stated that their battery operated stud finder can leave them guessing.
From my website: 1. What about detecting electrical wires? This is just a side effect of the way the electronic units work. They all have a sensitive receiver that is used to detect the reflected ultrasonic waves. This receiver unintentionally picks up electrical noise from wires in the wall. Someone in marketing decided to call this a "feature". The truth is, when you drill or screw in the same area that the StudPoP found the screw, then you can know for sure that there's no electric wires. 2. Isn't it safer to have wire detection? READ THIS CAREFULLY!! You should NEVER trust that there's no electricity in the wall no matter what your tester says. The only wires that it will detect are LIVE wires and not all wires in the wall are going to be live. For example, if there's wiring coming out of a wall switch and the switch is "off", your tester won't detect it and you could screw right through the center of that wire without a single spark...until that switch gets turned on. Then BAM! That's why we have fire insurance. 3. Then how do I avoid the wires? The advantage of a magnetic stud finder is that it will always point you towards an actual stud. And an actual stud will never have wires on its surface. Remember, magnets are looking for metal fasteners that are NEVER going to be anywhere near wires of any kind.
Just in case folks are tempted to say otherwise, let me say this loud and clear: I had nothing to do with this review. The reason I'm sticking my nose into the comments is because another 'PoP review has been making the rounds over the past couple of weeks and the guy that owns the channel has been subjected to all kinds of trash talk because some could NOT believe that I wasn't paying him to say nice things. So, before that starts happening here: I do NOT know 1D10CRACY and he doesn't know me. Although, a good review like this one is more valuable than gold. So thank you 1D10CRACY.
I will add to this and to be clear, I never except money from any company to do video reviews. If I've done a review, it is simply because I liked the item I am reviewing or thought it was unique enough to mention. I purchased both of the Items in this video with my own money from Amazon and was not influenced by anything other than my own thoughts. My own thoughts can be scary and I highly encourage everyone to not be influenced by them. :D
Since I've heard it all before, here are more common misconceptions that people have about magnetic stud finders in general:
1. This is nothing more than screw finder therefore it is NOT a real stud finder.
**** Well, since it is really good at finding screws and nails, then it is also VERY GOOD at pointing you at the studs that those metal fasteners are screwed into.
2. There are screws in the wall that go into nothing and that makes this thing useless.
**** NOT true. If a screw isn't being pulled into something beyond just the wall board, it will just spin 'round and 'round and will NOT countersink below the surface...meaning that it can't be mudded over and hidden. So the installer will take it out and put it back in until it screws into the meat of the stud.
3. The installers never put the screws in the center of the stud.
**** This one is really popular and it is also really wrong. On average, the screws will be within 1/4" of center. That's why you should mark the position of several screws in each stud and find the average. You're going to be as close to the center as any electronic stud finder.
But ultimately the real test is when you screw in your bracket or whatever, if the screw tightens up nicely, then your TV or mirror isn't going anywhere. Remember that studs are 1.5" wide so unless your screw misses the stud altogether or is right on the edge, half in and half out, it's going to be plenty strong no matter where it is.
On the other hand, if it spins around and doesn't tighten, then take it out and try again until it IS tight.
4. I can just use any magnet, like from my hard drive or my fridge.
**** Yes you can -- but only on sheetrock. Beyond that it's going to be difficult to tell when the magnet is being pulled by metal in the wall or if it's just a rough patch on the wall.
And don't under estimate the power of the popper. It is how an otherwise negligible tug, will be made visible to the user.
The magnet/popper assembly is delicately balanced against gravity so all it takes is a tiny amount of attraction to have a dramatic effect on the popper. That's why it lifts up, even when it's over those tiny lath and plaster nails. Go ahead and try that with a magnet from your hard drive or your refrigerator, lol.
If nothing else, at least you'll be able to find your brightly colored StudPoP the next time you need it -- whereas your little magnet will probably be stuck to the underside of your tool box.
5. This doesn't find actual wooden studs like the electronic ones do.
**** Newsflash: the electronic ones aren't looking actual wooden studs either. They are looking for things that look like a stud. Could just as easily be a PVC vent pipe or a blob of mud or plaster. Basically anything that the stud finder sees as a change in the density of the wall. It is pretty much guessing.
**** A little known rule of thumb with the electronic stud finders is that they are about as accurate as banging on the wall to hear the difference between stud and no stud. And this gets harder and harder to judge when you go from hollow walled sheetrock to insulated sheetrock to plaster to lath and plaster or tile over sheetrock. In those latter cases, the whole wall sounds the same. Thick and dense.
6. This thing is a waste of time. It will take FOREVER to find a screw on my walls.
**** No it won't. I can find a screw or a nail in any wall within 15 seconds. Simply go back and forth and down rapidly and pay close attention to the popper because it will instantly jump when it senses a metal fastener. Make like you're painting the wall with the face of the StudPoP. You don't want to miss any part of the section of wall that you're scanning because if you miss the smallest section, that might be where the screw is.
So you've got 15 seconds.....GO!
I have a very similar tool made by Craftsman. It was a hand me down tool I got from my Dad. It's a square block of clear plastic with a red 'pin' on pivots, right in the center. The pin has a strong magnet at it's base and when activated by a screw, the pin stands straight out from the tool. It too is the same width as a standard stud and also has notches to indicate the middle of the span. The thing is, my Dad bought it because we were adding shelves in the garage . . . in 1982.
For the metal stud, I think the benefit of the pro model is that you you can find the exact center of the stud. To do that, you can search for the stud, then with the stud pro thing at ~45 degree angle, you can rotate it until both pops stand up. Then, the push pin hole will be in the center of the stud.
Cool tool! My battery operated stud finders sometimes leave me guessing.
Great job with explaining tools how they work !
Excellent! Simple and effective!!!!!
These are freaking genius as long as the screws are magnetic enough to get the magnet to grab.
Interesting concept for sure!
Wow this is neat
excellent vid thanks
Seems like a cool tool. However, what it lacks is the ability to locate and warn you about the presence of electric live wires. And yes, I agree with another commenter who stated that their battery operated stud finder can leave them guessing.
From my website:
1. What about detecting electrical wires?
This is just a side effect of the way the electronic units work. They all have a sensitive receiver that is used to detect the reflected ultrasonic waves. This receiver unintentionally picks up electrical noise from wires in the wall. Someone in marketing decided to call this a "feature".
The truth is, when you drill or screw in the same area that the StudPoP found the screw, then you can know for sure that there's no electric wires.
2. Isn't it safer to have wire detection?
READ THIS CAREFULLY!!
You should NEVER trust that there's no electricity in the wall no matter what your tester says. The only wires that it will detect are LIVE wires and not all wires in the wall are going to be live. For example, if there's wiring coming out of a wall switch and the switch is "off", your tester won't detect it and you could screw right through the center of that wire without a single spark...until that switch gets turned on. Then BAM! That's why we have fire insurance.
3. Then how do I avoid the wires?
The advantage of a magnetic stud finder is that it will always point you towards an actual stud.
And an actual stud will never have wires on its surface. Remember, magnets are looking for metal fasteners that are NEVER going to be anywhere near wires of any kind.
@@TheStudpop Great, and thanks for the information. I love to learn new realities, truths and concepts.
Cool tool 🛠👍😊
Anyone tried it on double boarded walls? Would it detect the stud through 2x15mm boards?
AWW man they stole my old trick... (I used magnetic chess paws and a soda cap)
Did you find a stud or are you just happy to see me?
ALL stud finders are VOODOO