sn

samson

13/11/2007 9:28 AM

Checking for metal in wood

I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of borrowing
a metal detector to go over them.

Thanks,

S.


This topic has 11 replies

Ji

"Joe"

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

14/11/2007 12:45 PM


"Warren Weber" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "samson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
>> not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
>> woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of
>> borrowing
>> a metal detector to go over them.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> S.
>
> How about one of the magnetic dry wall nail finders that were used? Or a
> compass direction finder. Of course this would not show a brass screw.

Of course, you don't really have to worry that much about brass screws.....

Also, I don't think studfinders (if that's what you were talking about) work
on magnets, they detect changes in density to show where the studs are.

JG

"John Grossbohlin"

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 6:46 PM


"DS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Ldm_i.198860$Fc.86548@attbi_s21...
> I've found that a jointer with newly sharpened blades will find every
> piece of metal in a rough board.
>
> samson wrote:
>> I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but
>> I'm
>> not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
>> woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of
>> borrowing
>> a metal detector to go over them.

A new Forrest WWII or Freud blade works well for that too...

John
...who once, with the first cut with a new Freud blade in a 7 1/4" saw,
destroyed all the carbide on two embedded nails. ;~(

sn

samson

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 11:51 AM

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:38:03 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

> On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:28:55 -0600, samson <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
>>not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
>>woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of borrowing
>>a metal detector to go over them.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>S.
>
>
> I recommend the Wizard III. It easily finds the screws in my left leg
> or a tidbit in pallet wood. I bought mine at Woodcraft but there are
> other retailers.
>
> http://www.wizarddetectors.com/metaldt.cfm

This tool looks great, but I'm going to have to think about whether the 100
dollar price is justifiable given the amount of work I do, the amount of
work I'll do in the coming years, the cost of possible blade replacement,
&c.

S.

Cc

"Charley"

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 11:55 AM

The metal detector will work OK but it will be a bit clumsy if you plan on
using it a lot. A smaller metal detector, like the ones that they use on you
at the airport when you fail the walk through scan, are available. The ones
that sell for around $100 work fine, but the smaller and cheaper ones aren't
very good. Woodworkers Supply and Rockler carry them or you might find them
at a local security and police supply store.

Charley


"samson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
> not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
> woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of
borrowing
> a metal detector to go over them.
>
> Thanks,
>
> S.

WW

"Warren Weber"

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 8:56 PM


"samson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
> not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
> woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of
> borrowing
> a metal detector to go over them.
>
> Thanks,
>
> S.

How about one of the magnetic dry wall nail finders that were used? Or a
compass direction finder. Of course this would not show a brass screw.

LG

"Lee Gordon"

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 12:27 PM

The device you're looking for is called "Lumber Wizard."

Lee

--
To e-mail, replace "bucketofspam" with "dleegordon"

_________________________________
Lee Gordon
http://www.leegordonproductions.com

Dd

DS

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 6:41 PM

I've found that a jointer with newly sharpened blades will find every
piece of metal in a rough board.

samson wrote:
> I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
> not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
> woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of borrowing
> a metal detector to go over them.
>
> Thanks,
>
> S.

Pn

Phisherman

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

13/11/2007 5:38 PM

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 09:28:55 -0600, samson <[email protected]> wrote:

>I have some used lumber I want to run through my thickness planer, but I'm
>not 100 percent there's not a broken off screw in one of them. Is there a
>woodworking device that checks for metal in wood? I'm thinking of borrowing
>a metal detector to go over them.
>
>Thanks,
>
>S.


I recommend the Wizard III. It easily finds the screws in my left leg
or a tidbit in pallet wood. I bought mine at Woodcraft but there are
other retailers.

http://www.wizarddetectors.com/metaldt.cfm

Pn

Phisherman

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

17/11/2007 10:09 PM


What scanner size do you have? I have the Wizard III, the larger
Wizard. This unit picks up the smallest of metal pieces. I havn't
used the "Little Wizard" (about $20), but have read comments that this
smaller metal scanner is not nearly as sensitive.

On Thu, 15 Nov 2007 20:10:00 GMT, Pat Barber
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I got hit twice last night on some old poplar I recovered from a
>job site. Those 15" planer blades still found a screw after I used
>the "Wizard" brand scanner. I hate changing planer blades.
>
>On my Delta DC380, I don't think I can even use the "shift the blades"
>trick to help the situation.
>
>Andy Dingley wrote:
>> On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:51:22 -0600, samson <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>This tool looks great, but I'm going to have to think about whether the 100
>>>dollar price is justifiable given the amount of work I do,
>>
>>
>> IMHO, no. The "Wizard" detectors just aren't very good.
>>
>> I'm using a mixture of a mil-surplus mine detector (which isn't very
>> good - a cheap treaure-hunting metal detector works better), but mainly
>> I use blades I don't care about too much. Unless you're encountering
>> hardened drywall screws, most nails and woodscrews are actually pretty
>> soft.
>>

PB

Pat Barber

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

15/11/2007 8:10 PM

I got hit twice last night on some old poplar I recovered from a
job site. Those 15" planer blades still found a screw after I used
the "Wizard" brand scanner. I hate changing planer blades.

On my Delta DC380, I don't think I can even use the "shift the blades"
trick to help the situation.

Andy Dingley wrote:
> On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:51:22 -0600, samson <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>This tool looks great, but I'm going to have to think about whether the 100
>>dollar price is justifiable given the amount of work I do,
>
>
> IMHO, no. The "Wizard" detectors just aren't very good.
>
> I'm using a mixture of a mil-surplus mine detector (which isn't very
> good - a cheap treaure-hunting metal detector works better), but mainly
> I use blades I don't care about too much. Unless you're encountering
> hardened drywall screws, most nails and woodscrews are actually pretty
> soft.
>

AD

Andy Dingley

in reply to samson on 13/11/2007 9:28 AM

14/11/2007 12:53 AM

On Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:51:22 -0600, samson <[email protected]> wrote:

>This tool looks great, but I'm going to have to think about whether the 100
>dollar price is justifiable given the amount of work I do,

IMHO, no. The "Wizard" detectors just aren't very good.

I'm using a mixture of a mil-surplus mine detector (which isn't very
good - a cheap treaure-hunting metal detector works better), but mainly
I use blades I don't care about too much. Unless you're encountering
hardened drywall screws, most nails and woodscrews are actually pretty
soft.

--
Cats have nine lives, which is why they rarely post to Usenet.


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