Zircon scanners/sensors (was Re: Over-sensitive cable detector)

[Lobster]

ISTR Zircon being mentioned here before as being the only type worth

> having, right? They seem to do zillions of them - which model(s) are > the ones to go for - any of them? I'm off to the Land of the Free > fairly soon, where I believe they're about half the price they are here, > so I might just avail myself of one...

...the replies indicated that the Triscanner Pro was definitely the one to go for.

Anyway, I'm now posting from across the Pond and have called in to a "Home Depot" looking for one of these. They don't seem to sell them, but have a considerable other range of Zircon sensors, including their Multiscanner i500 OneStep for 20 quid, or the i700 OneStep for 25 quid. These are evidently 'higher' spec than the Triscanner Pro, and as far as I can see from the blurb on their website, seems to use the same technology??

So I'm just wondering whether anybody has tried either of these Multiscanners and can vouch for them?

One thing which worried me slightly (from the link above) is mention of erasable marker tips which you can order from customer services in the US (read: unobtainable in the UK!) so I wonder whether the device will work OK once the supplied marker tip has run out?

Thanks a lot David

PS - I know everyone hates a smug bastard (me included) but just take a look at the view from my window today:

(Sorry...)

[Andy Hall]

Interesting how Kingfisher has B&Q already packaged as a Home Depot ready company - wouldn't even need to change the signage.

You could also take a look in Lowes if there is one. They are number 2 worldwide after HD and before Kingfisher.

Yes I have one. It is a bit more sensitive than the Triscanner Pro, producing a more definitive indication of edge of a stud.

Yes, Really it's not essential for operation. When you have the device in position, you press a tit and it puts a mark on the wall for you. This is helpful for Americans who are still working in deprecated imperial units rather than following the Napoleonic Ideal.

However, you can just as easily mark the wall with a pencil.

Arizona?

A few tips for you for the return.

- You can bring back £145 worth of goods - i.e. $300 or so and have it exempt from duty and VAT. Duty on tools is in the 1.5-3% range depending on item.

- The TSA will almost certainly inspect what you have. If you have lockable luggage, you need to leave it unlocked unless the locks can be opened with a TSA key - a red logo shows this. Otherwise, they will break the locks to look. One solution is to buy a suitcase strap with a TSA combination lock in the buckle and then leave the case unlocked on its own locks. Alternatively, if you end up with a fair amount of stuff, a good solution is to buy a stout cardboard box from Office Depot plus some styrofoam packing popcorn and packaging tape - $20 max the lot. The TSA will still inspect, but seem not to turn everything upside down. Do take care about luggage weight *and* size and number of pieces. Excess baggage charges have become even more ridiculous than before - a classic distress purchase.

[david.m.pickles]

Excellent!

Great - that's what I was hoping but was just a bit worried that the marker bit might be more 'essential' than that.

Yup - Monument Valley to be precise.

Thanks - that's very useful to know. I had been eyeing up the power tools at Home Depot as they're so cheap compared to home; however I think the SWMBO veto might come into play as we're already choc-a- block and trying to travel light... we'll see!

Many thanks for the help Andy. David

[Ian White]

Every item of hold baggage is x-rayed, and is likely to be opened if it contains something that they can't identify from the screen. If the TSA do open anything, they will insert an "Inspected by TSA" slip before closing up.

If your hold baggage contains any unusual objects, then pack them so they can easily be inspected. If it's something highly specialised, stick an explanatory note on each item. For some electronic test equipment bought on eBay, I used a printout of the auction page which included a photograph, and added a note to confirm that I had checked inside.

There's no firm evidence that it does any good, but it certainly isn't doing any harm. On several occasions I have found a "TSA woz here" slip placed right on top of my note, and nothing has ever been lost or interfered with.

[Owain]

Why would the measurement system make a difference? Surely it's so Americans can have do the job one-handed with their gun in the other?

Owain

[Andy Hall]

Don't forget that you can use her allowance as well, or does she have that earmarked for baubles? Tell her that American ones are without taste and that power tools are a much more worthwhile investment.

Meanwhile....

If you do buy 110v power tools, do check that the motors are universal and that they will tolerate 50Hz. Generally they do. For use in the UK, you would need a yellow site transformer. If you think you might buy more than one power tool, then HD sells quite rugged U.S. power strips for site use. Chop off the plug and you can wire it into an IEC plug when you get home. Otherwise, same plug on the tool itself.

Cordless tools are easier. On the better ones, the charger autoranges and will happily run on 220-240v as well as 100-120v. For the 110v only ones, an autotransformer of 100 watts or so from RS would take care of it. Again think about how you plug it in - wallwart chargers need a power strip.

If you do shop at HD, ask them to open the box at the checkout and show you the contents...

[Andy Hall]

True. They also do video surveillance of the inspection area and the visiting slip has the inspector's number

[Andy Hall]

HD sells contractors' calculators that perform arithmetic on 32nds and so on. Such is the ridiculous extent of non-decimal measurement.

[Owain]

I don't see why adding up in 32nds is any more difficult than adding up in 10ths, unless someone is arithmetically retarded. If one converts to binary one can do it comfortably on the fingers and still have several digits left for whole units.

Owain

[Derek Geldard]

The first machines I worked on outputed in 6 digit 2* 421 BCD ( Why?)

Later machines I worked on output-ed in 6 digit 8421 BCD

After that I used to debug "Digital" (DEC) 8 bit computers in octal, that was very easy.

But, I never did come to terms with Hexadecimal. So IGWS that mental manipulation of 32 bit words would be out of the question.

Maybe with practice I could do mental 32 bit arithmetic as 4x8 bit manipulations in quad precision, but TBH a bit OTT Eg. for measuring a Ca. 1974 roof tile on top of a ladder to source a replacement.

Certainly the case for the average trailer park Yank. Just as well I suppose that he wouldn't have any roof tiles.

As regards fractional units of measurement the system we had in the UK worked perfectly well because we also had a monetary system which was based on fractions, the kids were rigourously taught both at school (So obviously that wouldn't work now). We had absolutely no problem..

All our grandparents who left school at age 12 or 14 had no difficulty whatsoever in counting their money, or buying 2 +1/2 ounces of corned beef at one and six pence per ounce USW. Without being ripped off.

The answer is "Three and ninepence" BTW.

Still the most efficient way to pack 10 bottles of wine, is to make a case for twelve and leave 2 spaces empty, of course this weakens the package.

BTW, I know very well that 32 bits and 32nds of an inch, (or an elephant) don't compare , but YSWIM. ;-)

DG

[Frank Erskine]

It seems that Andy is the only person to have a problem with his deprecated units of measurement. Everybody else in 'real life' seems to manage quite happily with either.

I'm all for personal choice :-)

I've never been an absolute whizz-kid at maths, but coped well enough at 11+ and GCE in 'deprecated units'. I really don't see the need to dumb down just for the sake of it, such as using '6·35mm' jack 'plugs' (or indeed router bits!), which have been ¼" for decades, and will likely be for many more years.

[Andy Hall]

You know that and I know that, but the average contractor doesn't.

If you work in millimetres, you are adding whole numbers in terms of construction applications or decimal parts thereof in engineering and fine work.

If you work in tenths of a deprecated unit, then the granularity is not good enough.

If you work in 32nds, then you have to add the pieces and subtract 32s rather than just shifting the decimal point.

[Andy Hall]

There isn't a problem at all, other than if one mixes units, the chances of errors increase dramatically

So do I, but the concept is still stupid.

I'm sure that the sizes won't change, but the units of expression have and will.

[Owain]

That's not dumbing down, that's over-complicating.

Owain