Stud finder

[truck]

I'm working on putting a tv antenna tripod mount on the roof of my house.
How can I find the roof rafters so that I can lag screw the three legs into the rafters?
Will a stud finder work through the shingles and plywood?

[northbrun]

cut a hole and you will be able to see the rafters 

seriously though, go into the atic where you want the antena, and drive a nail up through the roof right beside the rafter. then go up top and the rafter will be right beside the nail you step on and pierce your foot with. you will have to seal the lag holes and if you plan it right the nail hole will be right beside the lag and just get sealed with the lags.

[1JITSU1]

Truck TV is changing to digital next month

[road-dawgs1]

My stud finder has a "deep" setting for such a thing.

[HenryJ]

A good stud finder should work but might be a little cloudy on the results.  Double check by finding several studs on the correct centers before you punch any holes.

[truck]

cut a hole and you will be able to see the rafters 

seriously though, go into the atic where you want the antena, and drive a nail up through the roof right beside the rafter. then go up top and the rafter will be right beside the nail you step on and pierce your foot with.

That is not an option.
Short story.
When I was working for Deka, a lot of times I would back the trailer up to the dock at the railroad siding to be loaded with stacks of lead ingots.
The stacks were held from moving by lots of 2x6's nailed into the nailable steel floor.
Using a five foot long crow bar I would remove the boards while the Tow Motor operator was loading my trailer. I would work in one end of the boxcar while he would work in the other.
Sometimes the nails didn't come out with the wood and I had to go back and pull the nails, and at times the nail heads pop off.
Most times I would put the nail in the claw then bend it sideways with my foot and it would come out when I pried the bar.
Once I didn't have time to bend and pull so I decided to bend and stand back while Fas, the lift truck driver did his thing.
I stepped on the nail too straight and tried to bend it out of the way. Nail goes into my foot and punches a hole in my second metatarsal head.
Fever, swollen foot, surgery to remove foreign matter, six weeks out of work.
Not an option. Besides, that will work for one leg, how would you find the location for the other two legs while keeping the whole thing plumb to the horizon?

[truck]

Truck TV is changing to digital next month

Actually it's June, but that is the reason I need a different antenna, I'm in the fringe area and digital flakes out on me.
I need a bigger antenna and don't want to use the chimney mount that I have now for the antenna that worked well on analog.

[truck]

My stud finder has a "deep" setting for such a thing.

What is the brand of your stud finder, and have you tried it on a roof to find rafters?

[harpo1313]

whats gonna fool the studfinder into thinking the differance from roofing nails and plywood nails? i would lag right into the shingles and plywood,then back them all out,go into the attick and add some crossbracing depending on the height and weight going up there,then lag them down into your bracing.

[Bruno]

It won't cost you anything to try a good antenna inside the attic (although being on the fringe won't help you any). It's worth a try and you might get lucky.

If you are worried about stepping on a nail, you might try drilling a hole from inside and run a straw or piece of wire through the hole. I agree with harpo that the stud finder might get fooled by roofing nails. You also might want to reconsider the chimney mount.

[FXDBI]

Climb in the attic and measure from the center of the stack for the furnace to the center of the closest stud,also check your center to center on your trusses.  Get up on the roof measure out the center to center and mark it. Pre-drill the hole for the lag to check it.  Now if you come out the side of the stud nail a 2x4 on that side a couple of feet long, but make sure you correct the spot you measure from now to find the next truss. Put a nail part way into a leg and leave it loose so u can move the base easy,and move it around to see if you can catch another truss. When you happy with the next hole location mark both holes,pull the nail and move the base and pre-drill the holes. Then go back in the attic and has said in a previous post add some lumber to the trusses for the lags. Make sure you pre-drill the holes for the lags or is a good chance u will split the wood other wise. That's how i did my dish on the roof and its been though some nasty wind storms and its still there.....Bob

[truck]

Thanks for the suggestions but I still need more.
The chimney is totally external, so no measurements are possible.
The stud finder that I am familiar with locates wood, not nails like the old ones that worked by magnetism.
My attic isn't big enough for the size of antenna that I need, nine feet wide and eleven feet long.

[96FLSTF]

I used to have a stud finder but every time I got near it the friging thing went off......................

Gene

[1JITSU1]

TRUCK how about put a 2x6 or 2x8 15"-151/2" lad flat
nail between the rafters you will need total of 3
one for each leg of the tripod
then nut and bolt thought the roof

[82fxrstroker]

  I like 1jitsu1's idea.  I think it may be tough finding a rafter for all three legs and lagging dead center.  His way has much more permissible error when drilling and would be very secure.

[road-dawgs1]

My stud finder has a "deep" setting for such a thing.

What is the brand of your stud finder, and have you tried it on a roof to find rafters?

It's a Zircon http://www.zircon.com/  I haven't used it through shingles, but I've used it through some other thick materials and had it work.

[northbrun]

truck, the stepping on the nail part was only the way i would end up doing it.   if you were to drive a nail up through beside a rafter, then you would know where that rafter is.. then by measuring the rafters on the inside you can transfer the measurements to the outside and locate the other rafters, just remember to move 3/4' to the side of the nail for 1-1/2" rafters, and you will be right in the center of the rafter.

[MrClean]

I Googled TV Antenna Towers but they are expensive. 

Googled TV Antennas and found this.

If you are not a do-it-yourself type, you can find an installer in the Yellow Pages under “Antennas” (or possibly “Televisions â€" Dealers & Services”).  The total cost (parts and labor) will range from $100 for an easy install to $800 for a difficult install, with $300 being the most typical bill.  If you do it yourself, you will pay almost $200 just for the hardware.  (Antenna: $70, amplifier: $70, 50 feet of RG-6: $30)  You might be able to get some free advice or a free rough estimate over the phone or by visiting the installer’s shop.  If he comes to your home, the estimate will not be free but it will be accurate.



There is a chance that the first antenna you install will not meet your expectations.  Once an outdoor antenna has been installed, the seller will rarely take it back.  Even Radio Shack will not take back an installed outdoor antenna.  The cost of a second antenna might wipe out any savings you hoped for by doing it yourself.  An installer will never charge you for two antennas if he is wrong on the first try.  Generally, indoor antennas can be returned if in the original packaging.

[PoorUB]

You also might want to reconsider the chimney mount.

Not a good idea, certainly with a large antenna. The wind and vibrations can break a masonry chimney off. My house is proof of that! I had a antenna mounted to my chimney for a few years and it is broken below the roof line in the attic. It was pretty spooky when I shingled the roof a few years ago, leaned against the chimney and it moved. The only thing holding it in place is the roof!
One day when I get real ambitious the whole thing is coming down. The water heater exhaust through, and that can be replaced with B-vent.

[Wingnut]

Rmove two or three pcs. of  the shingle caps.  You should be able to see where the top piece of plywood was nailed to the rafters.

[RPG59]

If your gutters have the long spikes through them they are usually nailed into the rafter ends. May give you a point of reference.

[Rags722]

Why make this so hard?  Buy a 12 ~ 18 inch drill Go in the attic and drill all the way through the stud and roof.  Push the drill bit in the hole and leave it there.  Go up on the roof, find the drill bit and bolt the first leg down with a long bolt ( not a lag screw).  That way you will be all the way through the rafter and bolted down with a nut and big assed washer.  From that point, you should be able to template out exactly where the next two holes go so you hit studs.

Rags

[truck]

Why make this so hard?  Buy a 12 ~ 18 inch drill Go in the attic and drill all the way through the stud and roof.  Push the drill bit in the hole and leave it there.  Go up on the roof, find the drill bit and bolt the first leg down with a long bolt ( not a lag screw).  That way you will be all the way through the rafter and bolted down with a nut and big assed washer.  From that point, you should be able to template out exactly where the next two holes go so you hit studs.

Rags

Thanks for the suggestion, but I want the antenna mast to be vertical when the job is done.

[tinkerman]

Hey Truck,

I get what rags is saying. If you can get in your attic drill out (up) through a rafter/truss and leave the bit in place. While your there meaure the distance across to the rafters on either side. Then when your back on the roof you can use the drilled hole for the first of your mounting points and measure from that to pick up whatever other rafter/truss that you need. Not sure of your wind conditions but with the windfs howling up here today in the NE I'd really want anything bolted to the roof to be bolted to some structure and not just the sheeting.

Good luck with it,

Tinkerman

[Rags722]

Tinkerman,

You got what I was telling him.  Not knowing what his tripod looks like, I'm guessing he needs to be near the peak, but my way should still work.  Plus, if he uses the right sized bit, the bolt he runs back in should fit nice and snug and not take away any of the rafter/joists dimensional strength.   As far as lagging to the sheathing, I wouldn't do that cause it will have no holding strength, BUT he can cut a stud to fit between the joists, nail it in place and drill through that as well.

Rags