Another way to find studs is to drill exploratory holes for them in the wall.

A surer, less expensive way of locating studs is to drill exploratory one-eighth-inch-diameter holes into the wall a few inches from the floor, just above the baseboard molding.

Rick did an exploratory hole on the other side and, though there wasn't any switch, he ran into the glassy smooth immobile dirt.

They used probes to check for signs of ore in soil a few feet under the surface and dug exploratory holes or trenches in promising places.

This battery-operated device detects studs and other framing inside walls and ceilings, making it unnecessary to drill exploratory holes to find them.

But Mr. Gioia said last week said he wanted more exploratory holes drilled on the Queens side of Newtown Creek to help determine if more homeowners should seek legal action.

The young larvae eat the chorion and bore into the cone after making exploratory holes.

Borehole Any exploratory hole drilled into the Earth or ice to gather geophysical data.

However, studs can be found just as easily by drilling exploratory holes in the wall.

Simple precautions, like drilling exploratory holes to locate the exact border of the flooded mine, might have easily prevented the breakthrough.