Anyone with a Wagner Pinless Moisture Meter?

[Greg Crawford]

I'm wanting a moisture meter, and don't want to use pins for various reasons. Does anyone have a Wagner pinless that can attest to it's quality?

Thanks

[Jason Beam]

I do - i'd have to look which one i have, but it's very well made. I think they all require a special "conversion" code for getting a decent measurement. Each species of wood has a differn't specific gravity and that can affect the moisture reading. The one I have comes with a book of a whole bunch of species (hundreds, if i remember right) and it's fairly straightforward to enter the code into the device.

Just did a quick check, here's the one i have:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000063XI9/

it has 10 "favorites" so you can store the specfic gravity of ten species in there to save you from having to carry the book around.

I really like it. It was a little spendy, but worthwhile in my opinion :)

[Jim Becker]

Yes, I have one...older model...but it's performed well. "Best" on at least skip-planed material, but ok for rough measurements on rough stock. Pin-type is best for rough. There are some combo units out there that do both pin and pinless...

[Brad Schmid]

I've had the Wagner MMC 220 for I guess 4-5yrs? Works good, I like the SG correction and extended range, no complaints.

[Rick Levine]

I also have a Wagner meter but it is a different model. Mine does not show 10ths and I'm not sure how necessary it is to be that precise. Here is the one I have (it's also less expensive):

[Jerry White]

Hey, Greg!

I have the Wagner L606. It is an older, analog type and appears to be reasonably accurate. I think some of the newer digital moisture meters have programmable settings for the different species of wood.

You are welcome to come over and try mine if you like.

Jerry

[Greg Crawford]

Thanks for all the answers. I talked to a guy today that has the LED model 609, and says it works great as well. Thanks for the offer Jerry. I may take you up on it if they ever finish that freeway.

[Roger Bell]

Greg..........I have had the L606 for over ten years. Analog electronic.

I have built two houses in that period and have used it to check hardwood flooring prior to approving installation. That alone made it worth the $200 cost. I use it a lot and it seems more than accurate enough.

Like Jim said, it is great for planed wood and not so great for rough cut. It has a 2x2 pad that really needs good full surface contact with the wood to work well. I take a block plane with me to the lumberyard and the MM when moisture content matters.

There is a booklet that comes with it so that you can apply a multiplier factor to different species. Typically I just want to know when a wood is "too wet" or "dry enough" and a couple of percentages points doesn't matter much to me.

[Cary Swoveland]

I also have a Wagner meter but it is a different model. Mine does not show 10ths and I'm not sure how necessary it is to be that precise. Here is the one I have (it's also less expensive):

Rick,

I think that's the MMC205, which Amazon sells for $170. As I understand it, if differs from the MMC220 ($290 on Amazon) mainly as follows:

- one button rather than two for on/off and species selection;
- results to the closest percent (versus tenth of a percent);
- lack of the "press and hold" feature for checking areas you can't see;
- moisture readings between 5% and 20% (versus 5%-30%); and
- ability to enter specific gravities between 0.3 and 0.7, covering most domestic woods (versus 0.2-1.0).

I am only concerned with the last difference. I would like to know if there is a way to use your MM with species having specific gravities greater than 0.7. For example, to test a species with a SG of 0.8, could you multiply (or is it divide?) the indicated result by 0.8/0.7, or use a table or graph to make the correction?

Cary

[John Thompson]

I have an older Wagner I use for shop stock an a pin type Timber-check I take to my supplier or when buying rough from other sources.. Both have a function and both work rather well IMO.

Sarge..

[Cary Swoveland]

Rick,

I think that's the MMC205, which Amazon sells for $170. As I understand it, if differs from the MMC220 ($290 on Amazon) mainly as follows:...

- ability to enter specific gravities between 0.3 and 0.7, covering most domestic woods (versus 0.2-1.0).

I am only concerned with the last difference. I would like to know if there is a way to use your MM with species having specific gravities greater than 0.7....

Cary

For anyone interested, a Wagner rep provided the following advice:

"You could use a manual correction that would get you close. For woods with SG’s greater than .70, I suggest that you set the meter on .70 and then apply a minus correction of approximately .7% (7/10%) MC for every .05 change in the SG. This is a conservative correction that should get you pretty close."

I think that makes the MMC205 pretty attractive (among pinless MMs) for the hobbiest.

Cary