I'm trying to attach a heavy duty hinge for use with gymnastic rings and/or swing.

I used magnets to map out the beam. I drilled my first hole (between the yellow and red magnets) and hit the beam as planned. I drilled the second hold (between the yellow and black magnets) and did not hit the beam. I tested with a paper clip, it easily pushes up (whereas in the first hole the paperclip hits the beam).

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

Take a piece of wire or coat hanger and bend about 3 inches in a l. stick in hole and feel around in there to see where beam is.

 

If you got a hit between red and yellow, then that surely is your line. Not the snake of other pins. It's gotta be in a straight line. Which way are your joists (not beams) running? Every 24" you should be able to hit a joist once you find one.

 

The magnets are sticking to the sheetrock screws which may alternate back and forth across center if there happens to be a sheetrock seam at this joist. So one may be a little the left of center, another a little to the right of center, etc. The true center of the joist likely splits the difference.

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. CarbideTipped, that is exactly what I thought and so the two holes were placed to hit that line. So, on the image that Chandler drew lines on, from BLACK to BLUE was the line I was working with, taking RED to be an outlier. I'm pretty confident this is the line of the beam because I can find other nails going left or right at a regular 16". I'll try a coat hanger tomorrow.

 

Or spend $30 for a nice stud sensor.

 

Feels like doing algebra with a TI-82 but without understanding the theory.

 

A stud sensor will use a sonar type reflective technology. It will reflect denser items behind the sheetrock such as studs or joists. It will continue to alert until the denseness is gone. Some have deep scan properties and electrical alarms for when you get too close to an electrical cable. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Zircon-St...6229/205224475

 

Possible that the joists run in the opposite direction. The picture with offset magnets suggests that you are hitting the next joists as opposed to walking down the line on the same joist.

 

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply, it was much appreciated.

The builder of the unit had someone over and so I asked him which way the ceiling studs run. His response was to put a BUNCH of holes in the ceiling. I guess when they've got all the equipment ready to go for a quick patch, it's just easier.

It looks like I was on the the right track, but put off by an inability to judge the line based on nail placement.


I replaced the magnets to try and show the final 'line' in the pictures. My original pilot hole (that hit as expected) is the larger of the 2 holes between the purple and red pins. The second pilot hole (which missed) is just visible under the hinge edge, which now gives me reason to worry that the screw there is too close to the stud edge. I guess we'll see.

I've ordered a stud finder with LEDs, I'll post back with what that shows. Thanks again.

 

What type of fasteners did you use if you have metal studs as joists in your ceiling? Would hate to have the whole thing come crashing down the first time you use it.

 

I used 3" 3/8 lag bolts with the wooden studs in the ceiling.