CH Hanson 03040 Magnetic Stud Finder

Full Overview

The Stud 4 Sure is a stud finder that uses powerful rare earth magnets to pinpoint the exact location of screws or nails in a stud. The tool doesn’t require batteries and never needs calibration. By keeping the tool free of moving or electronic parts, the Stud 4 Sure is easy to use and fits easily into any tool pouch. Just place the stud finder on the wall and sweep in an "S" pattern to locate any metal fastener. The rare earth magnets are strong enough to allow Stud 4 Sure to hang hands-free on a wall, eliminating the need for pencil markings. The ergonomically designed, China made product is guaranteed to last a lifetime of being tossed, dropped, and banged around.

Technical Details

- Small and compact, easily fits in pocket
- Powerful magnets allows hands free use
- 2 way level for ease of marking
- No batteries required
- Soft grip for easy grabbing and gentle touch

I agree with all the high praise for this low tech simple and highly effective approach to the age old stud finding task.

I don't know what took me so long it find this. Oh, I know. I didn't know 'this' kind of powerful finding magnet existed. I was use to being frustrated by the always questionable(is it a stud or isn't it) and unreliable high tech electronic ones, and at the other end, the low tech low power 'floating magnet pointer' kind.

Let me tell you the advantages from much OTJ experience. First, unlike the low power pointer kind, this one is much larger and there you can scan/cover an area much faster. Second, once you have located a stud nail its powerful magnet sticks to the nail providing an absolute positive ID, unlike an electronic one, and because it stays on the wall, it provides its own 'marker' until you are ready to attach your thingy. No marking on your wall.

Now, keep in mind once you have located a nail, if it is not where you want to attach something in the horizontal direction, measure in multiples of 16" increments in either direction to find other studs along your wall. Then move the magnet, to that location to scan again to verify the closest stud to your desired location. Also, once you have located your horizontal location, be sure your vertical location point selected to drive a larger nail or screw is really a full length stud locating a nail above and below your vertical point using this magnet.

Bottom line: Its simple, can't break, compact in your tool drawer, no marks(sticks to nail for reference point and is vinyl coated to protect wall while sliding/scanning), and can sub as a frig magnet. :)

After using a variety of "stud finding" tools, I've finally ended my search. Short of high tech instrumentation not available to the general public, this stud finder is as good as it gets. It's amazing how we spend a lot of money on battery powered stud finders with all sorts of lights and sounds, when all you really need is this boring yellow magnet.

Our house has lath and plaster walls that are covered by Sheetrock. It has always been very difficult to locate studs for hanging heavy items because of the thickness of the walls. The electronic studfinders are undependable. This one works astonishingly well. Just hold it somewhat loosely and move it around in a sort of figure-eight motion. When it finds a stud, it pulls out of your hand and hangs on the wall. You can double check it by trying the same process a foot or two lower. Great product!

I love this device's simplicity of design and use. It is an elegant solution to a difficult problem.

I have lath and plaster walls in my home. Evidently the plaster is thick, the tacks are small, or the magnets are not quite powerful enough; in any case I have trouble detecting the studs beneath. It takes a light hand and sensitivity to the magnets' pull. Once I think I have a stud I can move straight up and down to find the adjoining tacks, but it is still a fairly loose and imprecise process - especially if I have to nail a stud dead-on. I can get a pretty clear idea where the studs are, but the stud finder will not stick to any of the tacks in my walls.

This is a simple and reliable product. I am satisfied with my purchase, but be aware it is not exactly a silver bullet in all cases.

I design and install custom closets for a living and for me, knowing what's in the walls is critical. Another Closetmaid Mastersuite dealer turned me on to STUD-4-SURE magnet and it is awesome. It will find a nail or screw in the drywall and the magnet is so strong, it will hang on the wall (like magic!). You don't get a false reading like you do with battery operated studfinders. It works great with metal studs too. I liked the product so much, I bought one as a gift for another Closetmaid Mastersuite dealer. This product is worth the $15 price tag.

Closets by Courtois Sarasota, Florida

A few years ago, I was installing some new pantry shelving. I went and bought one of the best electronic studfinders in the market and proceeded to make my installation. A month or two later, I noticed that there was discoloration on my pantry wall....I had drilled my pantry shelfing into a sink pipe from upstairs!!!! I had to remove drywall, fix the pipe, and redo the shelving -- horrible experience.

My father-in law was laughing and mentioned that electronic studfinders are unreliable and can't distinguish a stud from a pipe. He mentioned how his father used a small magnet attached to a string and would use it to find the steel nails in the wall.

This little gadget works in much the same way, only the magnets in this devices are really strong and will stick to the wall when it finds a nail and it has a level so you know what is up and down.

If you own a home that has drywall, this little tool is is 100, no 1,000, times better than electronic studfinders.

The concept is simple, when drywall is applied, steel nails are used to nail it to the 2x4 studs underneath. These steel nails can be found with a strong magnet.

Just run this little gadget in a figure 8, box, or whatever little pattern gently over your wall and when it finds a steel nail, it'll magnetize itself to the wall: you can feel when you're close to the nail. Save $30 buy this instead - it's much more reliable. Just make sure that when you find a nail, move the tool vertical line up and down in a against your wall so you find the "line" of nails (they should be spaced one every foot or two) - that way, you're sure you have a stud and not some random nail in the wall -- there should be multiple nails along the nail line: that's where your stud will be. Not only that but construction guys will nail on the center of the stud. I can't tell you how many times I've just caught the edge of the stud with an electronic studfinder - frustrating.

Also, in the US standard construction places studs every 16 inches so you should be able to quickly determine where adjacent studs are. Just be careful, not all builders follow all practices and sometimes it's impractical to put studs ever 16 inches.

Also, when sheet rock nails are applied, the contractors nail them to the center of the studs (the good contractors do) so you know you've found the exact center of the stud. Finding the center of a stud (or water pipe) with an electronic studfinder can be frustrating.

Oh on size - it's small, maybe the size of a lighter but heavier because of the magnets.

Anyway - good luck on your projects.

For me the most frustrating issue with an electronic studfinder is the inconsistency--if you try the same reading the second time, the result is just slightly off, ditto for the third time, the fourth and so on. No so with Stud-4-sure! If you move this stud-finding candy-bar ever so slightly over the right area, it will practically pull out of your hand and snap over the nail head, with 100% reproducibility. This gizmo does only one thing, and it does it very well. If you're looking for flashing lights, pretty display, or secondary functions, this is not for you. But if you need something that does what it's supposed to do--as well as or better than anything else--then you've just found it.

I have wasted so much money and time on the electronic devices as they only work 50% of the time. No more exploratory holes in the wall. This has worked every time. Its secret is the strength of the magnet and how it just holds it self on the wall when it finds a screw under the sheet rock, wainscoting (wooden slats on wall) or plaster. I am ordering more for gifts.

One of my least favorite household duties as a husband is hanging picture frames and mirrors on walls. I owned a rather large Ryobi electronic stud finder previously and had set an appointment with my father to assist me in hanging a large mirror in our living room. I got the leveler, hammer, nails and extra muscle all ready to go on install day, only to be let down by the Ryobi stud finder. Grrr!! When I started hammering the nails in, it just went straight through the drywall. No stud. After putting about 4 nails in without successfully finding a stud, we gave up due to lack of proper equipment. I set off to find a more reliable stud finder with an increased budget, only to find this little doodad for less than the cost of a super-sized fast food meal.

The first thing I noticed when I received the Hanson stud finder was how teeny tiny it was. I thought it would be much bigger. It's probably no more than 2-3 inches in height and perhaps an inch wide. It contains a very strong magnet at the top and bottom, with a bubble level in between. You just slide the Stud4Sure in an "S" pattern across your wall and eventually it will find a nail/screw and stick to the wall. I am astounded at just how simple and accurate this low-tech stud finder is.

For kicks, I pulled out the Ryobi stud finder and tested it in locations where the Stud4Sure found studs. To my surprise, the Ryobi found them too and one that the Stud4Sure did not! This probably means that the stud found by the Ryobi did not contain any nails, which is likely very rare. I plan to use them both concurrently to achieve the best results. When the Hanson Stud4Sure finds a stud, it truly is there. That way, I can use the Ryobi to make sure it is also reading them accurately and search for other studs that the Hanson cannot physically find. I recommend the Hanson Stud4Sure, but it might work best when used along with an electronic stud finder.

After almost buying a $50 electronic version that needed batteries, I found this review and liked the low tech concept combined with high ratings. It works great and as another reviewer said, it hangs on the wall once the stud is found making placement of your hole easier. My husband, who thinks all objects weighing over 2 ounces must be hung into a stud, is thrilled. Probably any powerful magnet would work the same, but this is a nice size, with a flat side that doesn't damage walls, bright color, and decent container.