Grr. Frickin' wall anchors.

[stretch]

So, I'm trying to hang some random bits of decor (+- 15lbs) for my wife on the interior wall of our screened porch. Carefully measured everything out to get the arrangement nice and symmetrical. Ran a stud sensor over the mount points, nada, so I figure two self-boring anchors per piece will be fine. Two screw in no sweat, but two (at different levels) hit something hard and apparently metallic 1/2 inch in and just rip out a nice, neat plug of drywall. Sh*t! Back to the studsensor. Deep scan, zilch. Metal scan, zilch. AC scan, zilch. WTF? The other side of the wall is a pantry cupboard in the kitchen. Thought it might be the shelf mount hardware, but looks like they're just nailed up.

Off to Lowe's tomorrow for drywall joint compound and touch-up paint. What am I hitting? How the heck am I going to hang this junk now? Why me, cruel universe? :roll:

[DaveB]

Duct work?

[stretch]

1994.

And I took it out of the box and pressed the "on" button. There's more to it than that? :???:

No, seriously, it's worked fine in the past. Since I'm gonna have to patch anyway, I may just cut some wall out and have a look see.

[woodchuck]

All the worms in the can are laughing laughing laughing .

[Hockeyfan]

Could it be brass? Some water lines. They likely still used brass back then right? Not like now adays. Most other duct work would be plastic I think, but who am I to know. I just pulled an old light that is in the 2nd bathroom (the one we use) that sits above the mirror. I am remodeling so I can sell. I took the old light down and low and behold. The darn bracket is mounted to a 4 inch piece of plastic pipe. I think it is a vent for the downstairs bathroom going to the roof, but who knows for sure. Took some inventive cutting to make a old-work round plastic mounting thingamabob to fit in that space. Only had about 1 inch of mounting depth in the middle where the pipe passed by.

Is there any way you can use one of them expanding screws with the wings that spread and pull towards the jiprock from the inside of the wall? Likely not enough room.

[SideShowCecil]

It’s a box of money! Bash the wall out! :D

Is there anything in the basement, on the floor above (if there is one) or on the roof that is in line with the wall that would indicate what might be in there; water line, a drain vent, electrical conduit or central vac pipe.

I can’t use a stud finder here. Our house is going on forty years old. There’s something in our wall board that makes it impervious to stud finders. Depleted uranium, kryptonite, recycled Anik A satellites parts, I have no idea what’s in there but the gypsum is pink. I’ve resorted to locating the drywall nails with a magnet.

[sao95]

how did you calibrate your stud finder?

I took it out of the box and pressed the "on" button.


laughing laughing laughing laughing that had me rollin on the floor laughing laughing laughing laughing

[Jackson's Dad]

That happens all the friggin time. Supposed to be such a simple job, hanging stuff on the wall. But no matter how much you check, there's always something in there trying to foil you.

Might be chipmunks.

[DaddyO]

how did you calibrate your stud finder?

I got her drunk and sent her to the bar.

[jeffus]

Might be chipmunks.

laughing laughing

[Weston]

You aren't on a corner are you? They use metal corner pieces for drywall... extends about an inch or so from the corner.

[SGTDad]

Jimmy Hoffa?

My guess is a cast iron drain pipe.