It was no better than my 20 year old Stanley Stud Finder. I did the same thing, just with a nicer display. I ended up buying a Johnson 710, which is less fancy and far from perfect but easier to use than this thing. So I used 3 different electronic spike finders. Despite all this technology, I still think the best tool for finding nails is some rare earth magnets and mapping all the drywall screws to find where all your nails are.