review – As I mentioned in my previous review, I’m a serious DIYer and I make sure I have all the tools to accomplish every task. It’s an expensive method, so when I get a chance to test and review the tool, I’m very happy. Since I’ve been remodeling my basement, including building walls and shelves out of studs, the Walabot DIY 2 Visual Stud Finder should be a great addition to my kit.
What is it?
Walabot DIY 2 is an advanced wall scanner/stud finder for Android and iOS smartphones. Its ability to find the center of wood and metal studs, detect and track the paths of pipes and wires, and even show movement within walls, making it ideal for exterminators.
what’s in the box
1 x Walabot DIY 2 Vision Stud Finder
1 x USB charging cable
1 x User Manual
Design and Features
feature
- Fully compatible with iOS and Android phones
- Extended range: Wi-Fi connection – work away from your phone
- Built-in rechargeable battery – won’t drain your phone
- Enhanced product housing with smooth scan bar
- Locate studs, stud centers, pipes, wires and pests
- Great for scanning drywall
- Detects objects up to 4″/10cm deep
- 2 scan modes – Image and Expert
The Walabot DIY 2 is a small and compact device with a footprint about the size of a smartphone. At the top, there is the name and logo, with a “raised” circle in the middle. The other side is flat except for the two scan bars that interface with the scanned wall. On one of the thin edges, next to it is a power button with an LED status indicator, and in the middle is a USB charging port next to the power button. There is also an LED indicator next to the charging port.
Performance
I have finished building the pantry in my newly built laundry room and I need to install 3 shelves. I have framed with metal studs including frame rails for me to attach the shelf supports. Once the drywall is installed and the walls are painted, it’s time to install the shelving. I decided this would be a good test for the Walabot to find the metal studs I installed. Connecting the Walabot to my phone is easy. It has a built-in wifi hotspot for connection. So once I fully charged it, I followed the connection process and it was ready to use.
The photo below shows the space where I installed the shelf.
The main screen in the app shows the types of materials the Walabot DIY 2 Vision Stud Finder can work with, as well as a choice of image or expert mode.
This photo shows the Walabot DIY 2 visual stud finder in image mode accurately identifying metal studs in the correct location.
The image below shows the view in expert mode, also identifying the center of the stud.
The next photo shows Walabot recognizing dowels in image mode, even though there are no dowels on the wall, nor any wood at all.
The last photo shows the successful installation of the shelf.
As you can see from the photo above, the Walabot DIY 2 Vision Stud Finder has some success in identifying studs. A few times, it did identify the metal studs as wood. Also, I do have a few PEX-A wires on the wall behind the Rockwool insulation, and the Walabot can’t see them. The mandatory process of calibrating the device every time it is used is a bit annoying, and despite the strips on the device to protect the walls, the device seems to scratch my walls at times. Maybe I pressed too hard. It would be nice if the next version had a built-in screen that could display images directly on the device, eliminating the need to connect to assistive devices for visual effects. Built-in hotspots can remain to allow users to provide visuals to a larger audience through large TV screens, etc.
what do I like
- it’s wireless
- mini
- it has a built-in battery
- It can detect studs and other objects behind drywall
- It is easy to set up using
what would i change
- I would add a screen on the front so that the device becomes a standalone device
- The upgrade allows you to use it without calibration every time you turn it on
- Soft padding of the scan bar so it won’t cause any damage to the surface being scanned
final thoughts
When I first heard about the Walabot DIY 2 Vision Stud Detector, I was really excited and thought it would do the job of identifying studs, or in rare cases for me copper pipes inside walls . After using it for about a month, I have to honestly be a little overwhelmed. I think if possible it should be designed as a separate device with a screen on one side and a scanning surface on the other. Also, I lost trust in it when it started recognizing my metal studs as wood studs. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but to me it speaks to my overall confidence in the device that it could cause me to screw or drill into pipes or wires with false readings. When it does identify studs, my simple and much cheaper stud finder seems to be just as accurate.
price: $159.95
Where to buy: Wallabot website
source: The samples for this review were provided by Walabot.
