Moisture Meters

[jttheclockman]

Over the years I have basically bought my lumber from a certain dealer. Both exotics and domestics. I would buy lumber in advance because i was using so much and was no big deal storing it and using as I went. So it could sit for 6 months or better and never had any problems. Well that source dried up on me due to them have a fire and they never came back. Also I sort of gotten away from making wood projects much any more since I started making pens about 12 years ago or so. But lately I want to get back into making small wood projects and have been buying lumber from on line places. Now most these places say kiln dried or air dried. But I would like to be able to measure moisture content before making projects because if the moisture is too high to start it can come back and bite me a ruin projects when it does dry. i know all about wood movement and that stuff. What I am looking for is a VERY GOOD moisture meter that is reliable.Are the pin meters better than the nonpin ones? What is a good meter? Hopefully you are talking from experience. Thanks in advance.

 

[monophoto]

John

I suppose there could be an argument between the pin aficionados and the pinless folks (there could be an argument about anything), but I got a pin-type meter and it works just fine for me.

But one point that I saw somewhere - rather than relying on the numerical value that you read on a meter as an absolute number, the better way to use one is a means of comparison between a piece of timber you are thinking about turning, and some kind of reference. The moisture content of wood isn't constant, and varies with ambient humidity. The humidity in the space where wood is stored imposes a limit on how dry the wood can get, which means unless you are in a desert area, the moisture content in wood is going to stabilize at some level governed by storage conditions. So what a meter can do is tell you if the moisture content in the wood has stabilized to the degree possible in your environment.

Specifically, if you are starting with green wood and do a rough turning and then put the piece aside to dry, note the measurement on the workpiece when you put it into storage, and then compare that reading with the number when you are about to start turning. The absolute values can vary between meters - some always read high, and others always read low, but if you compare readings when the wood is fresh and again before you finish turn the piece, the difference will tell you a lot more about the condition of the wood.

Another suggestion is to have a reference piece for comparison. I have a scrap of wood hanging from the shelf next to my meter, and I simply measure the reference piece (which has been in my shop for at least 10 years and is as dry as it can get given the ambient humidity in the shop) and compare that with the reading from the blank I want to turn. Some people just use the wooden top of their workbench as the reference timber.

 

[SteveG]

Feature comparison: The surface of the lumber MUST be flat and smooth IOT get accurate reading with pinless. The somewhat ruff surface from a saw mill blade is not smooth enough. An odd shaped piece will need the pin-type. The pin style leave tracks where you stab it.

Moisture Content variation within a single board. You will discover this significant variation in some pieces, especially those partially dry. (Ex: lower MC near the end vs the center of the board. Also near heavy figure areas, especially knots or close to where a knot was located. I would take multiple readings, then record results, including date, right on the board at the location of the reading.

Some meters allow settings for different species. They provide those settings for wide variety of timbers. Nice feature

Over the many years, the cost of these meters have dropped a lot. I have both types, ready for the variations described.

 

[bsshog40]

I have both types myself. Both of them are "General" Brand. Usually if I have to test wood, I use both just to see if there's a middle ground to the measurements. Usually it's only about 1% difference between the two. Both seem to work fine for me.

 

[NJturner]

JT - Guessing you used to buy from the great folks at US Mahogany from your description of a past fire. The family there was great to work with and the loss of their business was tough for all us local woodworkers. The one resource I have found around is Jaeger in Belmar or Madison only. Their hardwood supplies are decent, but not as good as when the gentleman that was their previous hardwood buyer who passed was around. Board stock only and they will not cut a piece off.

My other recommendation is Willard Brothers Woodcutters in Trenton. They have a pretty good selection of local and exotic hardwoods, some burls, some turning blanks including pen blanks, and a selection of quality finishes. They will cut a piece off anything in stock for short stuff needs so you don't have to buy the whole board which is not something most yards will do. They do a great sale in spring and fall for some cheaper prices.

As for moisture meters, I have two - an inexpensive General and a more expensive Lignomat - both pin models. They both deliver similar results. I normally use them more for comparative readings on wood, versus looking for hard moisture numbers. I test the wood, get a reading, do what ever method I want for drying, testing along the way and repeating until I get comparatively stable numbers. At that point, I figure the wood dry as it is going to be and do use the meter reading for an approximate (in that moment) moisture level. I have to really say I don't use the meters much - but do use them when forcing something to dry.

Kevin