moisture meters - Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts Message Board

sgimbel · 10-31-2008, 10:01 PM

Antbody use them? Are they needed? I buy my wood through EBay and other sources but Arizona doesn't know what a sawmill is so the stuff i get I'm told is dry. Do I need to invest in a meter?

greatdane2 · 11-01-2008, 01:07 AM

I use mine all the time when buying wood. If I buy good dressed hardwood I don't but the sawmill stuff I definatlly do. I made a saddle rack a while back and went to home depot to get the spruce I used. Each pile of 2X stock was different. As I needed to build it and paint it and deliver it fast haveing the meter paid off.
If you get one make sure you get the chart that goes with it. All woods are different and you must have the chart to learn what a certain wood is.

Alan.

sgimbel · 11-01-2008, 02:53 AM

Greatdane,

Thanks for the answer.

marshall · 11-01-2008, 01:08 PM

Hey there Alan is their a certain brand that you would say would be a good meter to buy, I have thought about one of these but I've heard their very high !!! What brand do you have , Thanks for your come back !!!!!! Marshall

tomsteve · 11-01-2008, 09:58 PM

it is a good purchase in my opinion. it is a good idea to have wood in the 6-8% range. lumber from the lumber yard will probably be in the 15-20% range, really too wet to build with as when the iece goes inside the air inside will suck more moisture out. i am guessin the unless the ebay lumber is wrapped up pretty good, the moisture level can change during shipping, depending on the type of wood. so do some research and one thing for sure is get a pinned meter.

sgimbel · 11-02-2008, 03:02 PM

Anyone want to recommend a moisture meter?

greatdane2 · 11-02-2008, 07:24 PM

Sorry it took me a while to answer you but I could not find my meter after tidying up my shop. Anyway I found the little succer. it is a Lignomat Mini C. I like it and it works for me. The unit has 2 pins that are on the end. The better ones have 2 pins on the end of wires that you can drive deeper into the wood, and get a more acurate reading.
I am happy with the one I have and bought it at Grizzly tools about 10 years ago.

Alan.

Rolf · 11-03-2008, 01:28 PM

I bought one when I started turning green bowls. I rough turn the bown and measure the moisture content then brown bag it for a while and periodicaly measure the moisture when it stabilizes I finish the turning. I have also bought a digital scale which is even easier for this process as I don't have to take my bowl out of the bag I just weigh it and when it stops loosing weight I finish it. ( I still measure the moisture just for refference.)
I don't remember the brand I will look when I get home.
I think I have a mini Lignomat.

greatdane2 · 11-07-2008, 02:44 AM

There are 2 on the Government auction right now.
bcauction.ca
one is like mine and the other has the pins on wires.

Alan.

sawdustus · 11-07-2008, 01:07 PM

Mine is a mini-Lignomat and I use it all the time, especially for wood I have milled and dried myself. Don't lose the card that comes with it since you have to set it for the species of wood you are measuring.

sawdustus

10-31-2008, 10:01 PM	#1
sgimbel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Round Rock, Texas Posts: 184	moisture meters Antbody use them? Are they needed? I buy my wood through EBay and other sources but Arizona doesn't know what a sawmill is so the stuff i get I'm told is dry. Do I need to invest in a meter? __________________ Scott in Round Rock, Texas

11-01-2008, 02:53 AM	#3
sgimbel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Round Rock, Texas Posts: 184	Greatdane, Thanks for the answer. __________________ Scott in Round Rock, Texas

11-01-2008, 01:08 PM	#4
marshall Just love Being Here Join Date: May 2008 Location: Jonesboro AR Posts: 2,117	Moisture Meters ????????????? Hey there Alan is their a certain brand that you would say would be a good meter to buy, I have thought about one of these but I've heard their very high !!! What brand do you have , Thanks for your come back !!!!!! Marshall __________________ Usually busier than a cat in a sandbox !!!!!!!!!!! { Dewalt 788 only }

11-02-2008, 03:02 PM	#6
sgimbel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Round Rock, Texas Posts: 184	Anyone want to recommend a moisture meter? __________________ Scott in Round Rock, Texas

11-03-2008, 01:28 PM	#8
Rolf Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Bellport, LI New York Posts: 2,809	I bought one when I started turning green bowls. I rough turn the bown and measure the moisture content then brown bag it for a while and periodicaly measure the moisture when it stabilizes I finish the turning. I have also bought a digital scale which is even easier for this process as I don't have to take my bowl out of the bag I just weigh it and when it stops loosing weight I finish it. ( I still measure the moisture just for refference.) I don't remember the brand I will look when I get home. I think I have a mini Lignomat. __________________ Rolf RBI G4 Hawk, Delta SS350 Philosophy "I don't know that I can't, therefore I can" Last edited by Rolf; 11-03-2008 at 01:33 PM.

11-01-2008, 01:07 AM	#2
greatdane2 Dumb Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Vancouver Island, BC. Canada Posts: 2,227	I use mine all the time when buying wood. If I buy good dressed hardwood I don't but the sawmill stuff I definatlly do. I made a saddle rack a while back and went to home depot to get the spruce I used. Each pile of 2X stock was different. As I needed to build it and paint it and deliver it fast haveing the meter paid off. If you get one make sure you get the chart that goes with it. All woods are different and you must have the chart to learn what a certain wood is. Alan.

11-01-2008, 09:58 PM	#5
tomsteve Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 407	it is a good purchase in my opinion. it is a good idea to have wood in the 6-8% range. lumber from the lumber yard will probably be in the 15-20% range, really too wet to build with as when the iece goes inside the air inside will suck more moisture out. i am guessin the unless the ebay lumber is wrapped up pretty good, the moisture level can change during shipping, depending on the type of wood. so do some research and one thing for sure is get a pinned meter.

11-02-2008, 07:24 PM	#7
greatdane2 Dumb Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Vancouver Island, BC. Canada Posts: 2,227	Sorry it took me a while to answer you but I could not find my meter after tidying up my shop. Anyway I found the little succer. it is a Lignomat Mini C. I like it and it works for me. The unit has 2 pins that are on the end. The better ones have 2 pins on the end of wires that you can drive deeper into the wood, and get a more acurate reading. I am happy with the one I have and bought it at Grizzly tools about 10 years ago. Alan.

11-07-2008, 02:44 AM	#9
greatdane2 Dumb Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Vancouver Island, BC. Canada Posts: 2,227	There are 2 on the Government auction right now. bcauction.ca one is like mine and the other has the pins on wires. Alan.

11-07-2008, 01:07 PM	#10
sawdustus Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Jersey Posts: 1,975	Mine is a mini-Lignomat and I use it all the time, especially for wood I have milled and dried myself. Don't lose the card that comes with it since you have to set it for the species of wood you are measuring. sawdustus __________________ A day without sawdust is a day without sunshine. George delta 650, hawk G426

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