locating rebar

[volaredon]

would a metal detector run over the surface be able to tell me where my rebar is? would this penetrate the concrete? I want to drill in to put some Red Head type anchors and not directly hit any rebar...

 

[nehog]

Have a smart phone (Droid or iPhone?) They have metal detectors (magnometers) and you can get apps to detect ferrous metal (and wires) for free. I'm sure they would work to a certain extent with concrete, but depth would affect accuracy.

 

[elevator joe]

Try an earth magnet on a string/(like a dousing rod) just a thought, good luck!!

 

[ConCretin]

I doubt you'd have much luck with a standard metal detector. A testing lab might have one of the specialized devices that can locate rebar but it wouldn't be cheap to bring them in.

You have a pretty good chance of missing any rebar that might be in the slab and they make hammer drill bit that can cut through it if you happened to find some.

 

[skamp]

would a metal detector run over the surface be able to tell me where my rebar is? would this penetrate the concrete? I want to drill in to put some Red Head type anchors and not directly hit any rebar...

I used one of these to find my post tension cables. It worked perfect.

http://www.zircon.com/products/metal_mt6.html

Steve

 

[Sureshot]

Did you try a studfinder?
If you know a surveyor they have very good metal detectors. They can find pipelines etc many feet down and then give an approximate depth by turning the detector on a 45 degree angle and side locating it.

 

[volaredon]

Have a smart phone (Droid or iPhone?) They have metal detectors (magnometers) and you can get apps to detect ferrous metal (and wires) for free. I'm sure they would work to a certain extent with concrete, but depth would affect accuracy.

nope. I can't find a new phone like I want (those "smart phones" pack too much **** in too small a package, too much to go wrong) I cannot find a phone any more like I want; a standard flip that is more "construction grade" than my current Motorola Tundra turned out to be. Even it is supposed to do alot of stuff I never use. My kid has one of those I phones I want to smash it every time I see it as I am so sick of seeing him text constantly. but thanks for the idea.

 

[volaredon]

Did you try a studfinder?
If you know a surveyor they have very good metal detectors. They can find pipelines etc many feet down and then give an approximate depth by turning the detector on a 45 degree angle and side locating it.

have not tried anything as of yet. I bought myself a twin post above ground hoist that I want to put up and between the "have you ever tried to drill thru rebar" to "it'll rip your arms out" and then hearing that if I happen to hit rebar when I drill for the Redheads, I have to move the whole post (and the other one correspondingly) and start over; I can see my slab looking like Swiss cheese if that is true.

That is why I am asking the questions "now" instead of after I screw something up; I'm by far more of a mechanical guy than concrete guy....
thanks for the comments and suggestions, keep em comin; I have 2 dead vehicles in the garage at the moment that gotta get finished up before I do anything else; one my "extra" vehicle and the other a side job for someone else.

 

[RPH]

The company I work for builds induction heating equipment. One product built for restoration work on buildings involves heat the rebar with the unit and using a thermal camera to take a picture showing where the rebar is located. There are hundreds of home designs for this equipment. One could even use 60 hertz for this. Google induction heating and see if anything works. Now just to find the thermal camera?