Compact stud finder

A pocket-sized object finder, comprising:

• a battery;
• electronic circuitry for detecting an object hidden behind a wall, the circuitry being powered by the battery and including a signal indicator that illuminates when the object is detected;
• a capacitor plate coupled to the circuitry, the circuitry being responsive to variations in capacitance effected in the capacitor plate arising from the presence of the object and activating the signal indicator in response thereto;
• and
• a housing having a width and length and a front wall from where the signal indicator is visible and where a pocket clip is located, the front wall being joined to a rear wall by side and end walls to define a cavity having a width of no more than two inches and no more than one third the length of the housing, the cavity containing the battery, the circuitry and the capacitor plate, wherein the capacitor plate is disposed in the cavity along the rear wall, the rear wall being flat and adapted for sliding along the wall so as to capacitively couple the capacitor plate to the object.