Moisture meter - what do you use?

[Tim Einwalter]

Shopping for a moisture meter so I can monitor some wood that I had milled. Looking on Amazon there are a lot of people liking the cheapo Chinese moisture meters. Generally I try to shy away from the cheap tools, but it has me wondering if I really need an expensive meter? What are you guys using?

[Doug Hepler]

Timber check moisture meter link. Not fancy but a good solid instrument.

Doug

[J.R. Rutter]

Wagner - it is an older model, but the speed and ease of use makes it simple to spot check incoming lumber.

[Lee Schierer]

I have an older Mini Ligno by Lignomat. It has worked well for many years.

[Jim Andrew]

The cheaper meters are less accurate than more expensive. Think the wood doctor said you need to spend about 300$ if you really want accuracy. Personally I have a mini ligno I purchased on sale from Grizzly.

[Dean Arthur]

I initially bought that $20 General pin type meter on Amazon and I can't understand how it has such good reviews. The pins are incredibly fragile and there seems to be no place to get replacements. It's faulty by design. I did a lot of research afterwards and ended up buying a Lignomat Scanner SD which works wonderfully. The worst you can say is the plastic case feels a bit light but I've used it all over the place since and no issues. American made as well.-- NORMAL --

[William Hodge]

I bought an Extec moisture meter. It couldn't tell the difference between dry wood that had been in the rack in the heated shop for years, and soaking wet wood thrown out in the demolition pile a yearearlier.

The Lignomat moisture meter, for about $110., has been great. I check wood all the time with it. To keep standard conditions, I make sure that the wood is up to shop temperature. By the way, the wood in the rack measured 9%, and the wood in the demolition pile was 22%. As a side benefit, I can check the moisture content of my firewood.

https://www.amazon.com/Lignomat-Mois...0766640&sr=1-4

[Jacob Reverb]

I don't use one for WW, but I see a lot of guys are using multimeters for judging the dryness of firewood. Sounds like a way to save money to me, since a wood moisture meter is just a glorified ohmmeter...

See:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/...e-level.40033/

[Warren Lake]

I guess you cant post without some words, so much for a picture being worth 1000 words



Capture.jpg

[Bradley Gray]

I have a smaller Delmhorst with built in pins. 30 years old and still ticking.

[Tom M King]

I'm still using a Delmhorst similar to the one Warren posted the picture of, but I bought mine before they were digital. Mine has an analog gauge on it. I have always taken the battery out between uses, so it still works as well as when I bought it. That slide hammer weighs a couple of pounds, and will drive the pins in any wood. If I was buying one today, I'd get a pinless one, but probably still stick with Delmhorst, since it's served so well, for so long.

[Warren Lake]

have over 30 years on that and never taken the battery out. I got that model as that was what they used at one lumber company I was purchasing from. If i did replace a battery it was likely not more than once. Id have to take it out now and see what is in there, normally I have notes on that stuff. I have some other battery stuff that tries to eat batteries in the time it takes me to make a coffee, I might be exaggerating a bit but some tools like my Digital Caliper feel like they run forever this has been one of them. Very reliable used on cabinet wood and firewood as well. Its a bit complicated and you need a heat sensor to check the material temp as well.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Wagner - it is an older model, but the speed and ease of use makes it simple to spot check incoming lumber.

I have a pinless Wagner : MMC 205. It's tricky to use. You have to have a good idea of the density of the lumber for it to be accurate.

[Matthew Curtis]

Wow! Some of them are expensive.

[Jim Becker]

I have a pinless Wagner : MMC 205. It's tricky to use. You have to have a good idea of the density of the lumber for it to be accurate.

Same here...and I guard the little piece of paper with the chart!