Moisture meter

[fredito]

I find myself in need of a moisture meter. I know a lot of guys recommend the Wagner but there are not any locally and the nearest lowes is 1.5 hours away. I found this one on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00R0WRBO4/ref=s9_newr_hm_b2Jvi_g469_i1
Seems to have more features then the $17 one I was looking at also on amazon, mainly the surface read. I was wondering if anyone had experience with this one? This is about my price range for a meter at this point in time.
Thanks

 

[DKMD]

I've got this one from Lowe's... Works well for my purposes:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00275F5O2/ref=pd_aw_sbs_hi_2?refRID=0GYEK7HS58KSB6J9QNMN

It's a few bucks more than the one you listed, but it's pretty popular with the turning crowd.

 

[JR Custom Calls]

I have the same one as Doc. Seems to work well.

 

[Mike1950]

I have the same as Doc's . I was smart and bought a cheaper one first. It was great except for you had to take the battery out to keep it from sucking the juice out. I am on my first battery in the general- 3 yrs.............

 

[Schroedc]

It's unanimous! Go with the one Doc posted the link for. It's the same one I use.

 

[fredito]

I agree, looks pretty unanimous to me as well!

 

[ripjack13]

Most certainly unanimous...I actually just bought that one last week!!!

 

[duncsuss]

Thanks folks -- I've had a meter on my wish-list for a while but never got around to doing anything about it ... perfect timing as I have an Amazon gift card to cover it

 

[fredito]

Thanks for all the responses. Do you guys find the pins pretty durable on this one? And how do you get them in a really hard wood? I mostly need readings in mountain mahogany which has a janka really close to DIW

 

[JR Custom Calls]

I stick em deep in hedge all the time. No issues

 

[fredito]

I stick em deep in hedge all the time. No issues

Hedge is 2760 on the janka and mm is 3200...close enough for me. Do you go in the end or side grain when you measure?

 

[JR Custom Calls]

I generally go somewhere in the middle. Whichever ends up being best. I guess it doesn't matter, but I always like to think the ends are drier than the middle.

 

[Sprung]

Same one here as everyone else above. Have had it for about 6 weeks now - was a very worthwhile purchase!

 

[David Hill]

I have the pin model too. Use to think that moisture was a big deal.
Have to say though--when I have a piece of wood and I feel like turning it, moisture isn't going to stop me. If it moves/warps-- it just does.

 

[duncsuss]

My meter arrived from Amazon -- the General Tools & Instruments one as recommended. As usual, I followed the "ready, shoot, aim" protocol -- I have no idea how to interpret the numbers it's giving me.

I've stabbed the pins into a few pieces of wood to see what happens, and it's registered from 0% to 15%. (Zero? Really? Any idea how that can happen when the air it's sitting in has some moisture content?)

How would you interpret these numbers? Is there a percentage that you consider to be "dry"?

Thanks!

 

[thrainson]

So when you insert the little prongs into your wood the unit sends a small electrical current through them. And depending on the resistance gives you the percentage of moisture. The basics is that water conducts electricity, air and wood don't. So as long there is water in the wood you will get higher then 0%. In my opinion 6 - 10 percent water is considered dry. Hope this helps.

 

[duncsuss]

I know the principle behind these meters, my confusion stems from the fact that it read the moisture content as zero. Isn't there always going to be some residual moisture in wood that hasn't been kiln dried (because the air it's sitting in has non-zero moisture content)?

Anyway, I'll follow your lead and say that a "single digit" readout qualifies as "dry". Thanks!

 

[thrainson]

My understanding is that when they calibrate those things they do so at about 22% air moisture. So they really aren't 100% accurate.