Shopsmith Forums

I've got access to unlimited untreated pallet lumber. Any recommendations on a lumber metal detector that will do what it's supposed to do?

Little Wizard II for $20 'looks' like a good deal but their website doesn't get into any performance specs.

Mike,

I use the Wizard III and can recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Detectors-25506-Lumber-Detector/dp/B00005NMUN

Dick

Edit: It appears that, other than price, the Wizard III will detect metal buried up to 6" deep in wood whereas the Little Wizard II will detect up to about 2". For pallet lumber, and considering the price differential, the II may work OK.
Dick

I have the little wizard II I bought it at Woodcraft when it was on sale. So far for me it has worked well. I don't usualy use logs greater than 6 inches in diameter as that is the limit of my bandsaw for resawing so I just run the wizard all around the log several times and have not had an incident yet of missing any nails.

dickg1 wrote:Mike,

I use the Wizard III and can recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Detectors-25506-Lumber-Detector/dp/B00005NMUN

Dick

Edit: It appears that, other than price, the Wizard III will detect metal buried up to 6" deep in wood whereas the Little Wizard II will detect up to about 2". For pallet lumber, and considering the price differential, the II may work OK.
Dick

Although I admit it is possible, I find it highly unlikely that metal wood be buried in a piece of wood without extending all the way out, or at least to within 2" of the surface: Even though the Wizard III will detect metal up to 6" deep in wood, the capability of the Wizard II should do the job every time. Exceptions might include bullets, broken bolts (probably holes in the wood to give these items away) or even wire that the wood had grown around.

I agree that any detector that is rated to read 2"deep in wood should be great for pallets. Of course the only fool proof metal detector I have found for use inside wood is a bandsaw, finds those hidden inclusions every time.

Galway