Help choose Moisture meter - $100 budget

[Marc Jeske]

Rather than look at reviews, I'm asking the Pros.

Pin type is totally fine, +- 2% probably OK.

Will be used for 1-2" boards, no veneers, and usually Pine, sometime Oak.

Usually checking at lumberyard S4S boards before purchase.

AND, OCD here, is there a way to confirm it's reading accurately w/o an oven test and accurate scale ?

Thank you, Marc

[Marc Jeske]

Been reading Search results.. can I get by for less $ ?

Maybe General Tool brand ?

Basically occasional light serious hobbyist use.

But concerned about reliability more than exact accuracy, just need a close measure.

Going back to reading.

Marc

[Brian Lefort]

https://woodcraft-production-weblinc.netdna-ssl.com/product_images/lignomat-mini-ligno-e-d-moisture-meter/5843c34069702d025300082c/detail.jpg?c=1480835904This is what I have . $120 from Woodcraft. Works well. I only use lumber locally milled, and air dry myself. This has never let me down.

[Phillip Mitchell]

I have the same model Lignomat, and I'm happy with it. I would recommend it as the best choice for around $100. I also have a General Tool brand model bought from Lowes years ago. I use it for checking firewood just to give me a rough idea, but I haven't been satisfied using it for anything critical. It doesn't seem to have the consistency of the Lignomat. It was around $25, if I remember correctly.

I bought the Lignomat recently from Amazon for $100. In my experience, Woodcraft never has the best prices on anything that is also available elsewhere.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

I recently bought a General tools because I could not pass up the introductory sale price of 25 bucks. The general tools line is a new line for us, it retails in the store I work at for 45 bucks. The general seemed to be the same as the mini ligno, and has a larger range than the ligno I have. (I have a very old LED scale ligno, so decimal readings are not happening.) I compared the 2 for quite a while using my kiln just to see if they were close. The general retails in the store I work at for 45 bucks. I'd be happy with either. The mini ligno served me well for a long long time. Good luck in you search.

[Lee Schierer]

I have an older version of the Mini Ligno and it has worked well for many years. I checked it against a more sexpensive meter at a lumber mill once and they read the same on the same piece of wood. I think both the new version and older led version are available from Amazon for around $100.

[Jim Andrew]

I bought the same mini-ligno from Grizzly on sale. It was in one of their sale catalogs a couple years ago.

[Nick Decker]

I've never used one of these meters. How far into the wood do the pins gave to go?

[Dimitrios Fradelakis]

I've never used one of these meters. How far into the wood do the pins gave to go?

Just deep enough to break the surface.

[Nick Decker]

Thanks. I recently learned of a small saw mill near me, and bought a couple of nice walnut boards from him. Started milling it, and it was obviously still pretty green, so I'll be letting it sit until next year. It'd be nice to make a more informed purchase next time.

[Marc Jeske]

Looks like I'm getting a Ligno Scanner SD from a fellow Creeker, so I should be good.

Being pinless, I read about using the block plane on roughcut wood.

Than you all for help. Marc