Customer Reviews

Wizard Detectors 25506 Lumber Wizard III Metal Detector

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This is a revamp of a previous review. I wasn't sure whether to order one after reading the other reviews, and after visiting the Wizard web site. Well I broke down and ordered one, and I am glad that I did. I noticed that they eliminated the large adjusting knob on the face of the unit. The plastic form pack and instructions that it is shipped in still have the bulge, where the knob used to go, and the cardboard placard still has the instructions on how to use the missing knob. Before it had the large fine adjusting knob, and a recessed fine adjust screw what was used to get the large knob within adjusting range.
Adjusting is simple now. With the single recessed screw, you simply hold it up in the air and turn the screw until it starts to squeal, then back it off just enough for it to get quiet. Now you are at the maximum sensitive setting. It is intuitive and simple enough, that you don't mind, setting it, every time you use it.
Next I wanted to check the accuracy of the unit. I took an aluminum screw and parked it under a 2x4. When I passed it over the squeal rang out. Good there, then I put the screw under two 2x4s, and it didn't find it. Hey if it is buried 3" deep, I wouldn't normally need to be concerned about it. The instructions call for passing over both sides of the wood, so that would cover even a piece of metal inside of a 3" piece of wood. Then I went over to a piece of 3/4 oak, and put a small brass screw under it, it rang out. Then I put it under two 3/4" pieces of wood it rang out again. Under three it failed to notice it. So the unit is great for depths up to 1 1/2".
The other thing worth mentioning is that this is a rather large unit, with the last 7" containing the sensor area. Since the sensor runs along the length of the unit, as compared to across the face, you get much better results, when making a pass that brings the length of the piece of metal into the length of the sensor. So you want to be sure and pass the detector over the same area at right angles to one another.
Sorry for mentioning the obvious but the larger the piece of metal, the easier it is to detect.
Pertaining to the battery holder, I noticed that a reviewer was having trouble with that. I don't know if that was improved over the earlier unit, but the way it is now is great. It removes easily, and reinstalls easily as well. You simply push in the tab and it pops right out. When reinstalling it, you simply push it back in until is snaps in place. I expect to get a lifetime of dependable use out of it.
The manufacturer suggests that you remove the battery when it is not in use, so that is why some people were not getting a lot of use out of a single battery. With the ease of removing the battery, makes this a no hassle procedure. Simply put, you don't mind having to remove it.
In conclusion I have to say that I now highly recommend the Wizard Detector. It is easy to use, works dependably, even when testing it on different pieces of wood. Considering the price of buying an airport security level of detector, makes this Wizard a no brainer. I don't know how it worked before, but this new upgraded unit does the job I was hoping it would. Buy it you won't be sorry.

I upgraded to the lumber wizard after having really good success with the smaller (and cheaper) little wizard from the same company. This is similar to security wands at the airports, but more "woodworker" friendly (you don't have to scrape your knuckles to get close to the wood since the handle is raised - and its half the price of the others). The vibration feature is really nice to have when the workshop gets noisy. I had to fine tune it when I first got it, but haven't touched it since (nearly 3 months). It's super sensitive, but when you get it tuned right and move it slowly and thoroughly, I doubt anything metal would get past it. Much faster to use than the little wizard as well, since the scanner area is much bigger. Well worth it if blades and time are important to you.

This tool can be made to work, and can save blades. But, it is far from perfect. Keep a test board with a known nail handy, and swipe it occasionally during use. Otherwise, the tool will drift off sensitivity, and you won't know it until your $$ carbide blade tells you... The tool is VERY sensitive to humidity, which is fine if you're in one of those spiffy shops that Fine Woodworking is always featuring, but if you're under a tin roof shed on a humid, rainy day, trying to turn salvaged heart pine siding into flooring, well... just forget it.

I have purchased both units separately. The small unit can pickup heads of nail etc in walls but it is not sensitive enough to check for metal in wood before planing. The large red unit is great - it has an ear piece so you can hear sound as it senses metal while you in a noisy shop or other area as well as a vibrating mode or both.

I did one sensitivity test. I drove 1/2" 18guage finish nail from my air gun into a 3/4" block of wood recessing it a fraction of an inch below the surface. The big unit picked up the brad on both sides of the wood. The little unit couldn't find it. I believe it's because their isn't enough mass in the tiny nail. If you like to recycle lumber or repair old furniture then the red unit will save your planer and saw blades which = frustration and money. It's great for finding hidden nails in repaired furniture

Although slow to be shipped (after two weeks) the detector seems to work as advertised. I tested scrap oak with embedded 18 gauge by 1/2" brads, heads removed, and found the Wizard detected them at depths up to 1/4", sufficient to protect my surface planer. Follow the manufacturer's recomendation to perform two scans, the second scan at 90 degrees from the first, or you can miss horizontal nail orientations. The audible warning feature is a plus for these small objects.

This is a real winner. Worth its weight in gold. Not only has our workshop made this a mandatory tool for anyone using one of our 26 planers but I have one at my home shop that has saved me on several occasions. I bought a Garrett Security Scanner...and it does not scan even half as deep as a Wizard. Wizard also has a rock solid warranty. We had one unit that had a slight problem and not only did the folks at Wizard replace it they did it quickly and did not put us to any amount of the usual torture that most companies put customers through. I have to say this is one great tool. I highly recommend it. Also there are several great articles in the top woodworking magazines.

Great piece of equipment for anyone who has occasion to use old lumber or who processes their own lumber. I am a woodworker who specializes in historic structures. The Lumber Wizard III Metal Detector does everything it is suppose to do and paid for itself in the first day of use on a 1790's mantel when more than twenty nails were removed. The Wizard is highly recomended.

I bought the lumber Wizard III metal detector to use before planing down some used rough cut pine that I had. This item performed perfectly, with no exceptions. The boards that I was scanning were 1"x9" pine, and when I started the process I quickly learned that I couldn't scan the boards while they were stacked. I spent awhile looking for something in one board because the detector kept going off in one spot. I finally found out that there was a small carpet tack in the board below the one that I was scanning. This detector was plenty strong enough to detect small nails, staples and BB's in the boards. After scanning with the Lumber Wizard I was able to plane them down with confidence, and did not find any objects in them that the wizard did not detect.

I would highly recommend this product for this purpose!

Easy to follow instructions. A little sensitive to tune in but once tuned ln I checked 30 to 40 ft. of 1X2 oak with no problem. This wood had three quarter inch long finish nails in it. I thought I found them all till I ran the Wizard over it. I like the long length and offset handle on wide boards so your knuckles dont scrape. Light weight and wide scan path make this product easy to use. Little price to pay for what it can save in nicked tooling. This is the updated Lumber Wizard III.

This is an excellent tool! I should have purchased one before runnig recycled wood through my new 15 inch planer. Oh well, live and learn.
I tested mine by hiding an office staple under a board. It found it much to my surprise. This puppy certainly is sensitive.

Now the sour part. Like most new tools today there is a weak spot. The battery holder is poorly designed. It came out OK, but will not stay seated with a battery installed. It continues to drop out. I called the 800 number and they promised to ship me TWO replacements - maybe a trend??? The method of retainment is poor at best. Until the new clips arrive, the clip is duck taped on. Kinda sad for a brand new...tool!