Any opinions on moisture meters?

Hi, Gary, I don’t know much about moisture meters but I’ll kick this back to the top and see if it gets any response.
Tom

-- Thos. Angle

I have a Wagners Pin-less (Not found since the move from NJ) and so I bought a Lignomat. Because I didn’t figure that I needed two of the same if I found the first one.

They both seem to work great. I can’t say about the accuracy between them because I can’t use them on the same board, because I can’t find one.

Mark Decou and I worked on a blog that Mark started. You might look there also.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

I am also very interested in opinions on moisture meters. I see prices from $25 to well over $120. my usual rule is “bigger is better” and “you get what you pay for” but those rules have failed me in the past :) not often but enough times so that I want to do my research.

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

Well, it doesn’t look like anyone has really used on here with the exception of Karson.

It looks like at this point I have decided on the Wagner L609. It’s cheaper than the Wagner MMC220
which has a wider range, and more precision, but at $100 more.

Wagner L609 – 4% to 22% $149
(Amazon)

Wagner MMC220 – 5-to 30% $249
(Amazon)

Anything above 22% I’m not going to deal with anyway, and that extra decimal point won’t help that much either. It’s only a half a percent difference between the two.

6.4% would equal 6% and
6.6% would euqal 7% on the L609

I’ll let you know.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Well, I received my new meter today, and have returned it already.

Very inconsistent readings. I spent about an hour testing it. The readings were just all over the place even re-testing the same piece after a while.

The last straw is when I measured a couple pieces of maple from on old bowling alley lane, and it said it had 16% moisture. Probably kiln dried 20 some years ago, and air drying the rest. No way it’s going to suck up
to the 16% level.

Not worth even $25.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

So are you going to try the fancier one?

-- Drew, Pleasant Grove, Utah

Hey Gary,

Did you find a moisture meter that worked for you? I’m in the market for one and the price range is huge. I’m seeing prices from $20 to almost $400!

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

I’ve got the mmc220 on my list – kind of a dream-o-meter…

Talked with a fellow yesterday that uses a Lignomat- a Portland, OR company…

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Mike – I have given up after my disappointment with my last purchase. I have gone all these years without one
I guess I can go longer.

They all seem to be calibrated for douglas fir and you have to adjust the number given for whatever wood
you are testing. That means either you need a really good memory or use the pamplet with the conversions.

Gary

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Thanks for the update Gary. There are some that let you can pick the specie of lumber you are testing, but those are the ones that are on the expensive side. Like the one on Dorje’s wishlist, it’s one expensive unit :).

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

All I know is that if ya whack it with a hammer, and it spits back at ya…well, if it’s wood, then it’s too wet. If it ain’t wood, then it’s still alive and you’ve really pissed it off!

Hahahahahahaha! Sorry Gary…my bad. Had to say it. The temptation, ya know?

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Dadoo – I like it!

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Any new information on this subject, time for me to get a new one, my last low budget model took a dump.

-- Ron, Twain Harte, Ca. Portable on site Sawmill Service http://westcoastlands.net/Sawmill.html http://westcoastlands.net/SawBucks2/phpBB3 http://www.portablesawmill.biz/concrete/

Buy cheap. I think there is a saying in there someplace.

I’ve got the Ligonmat and I’m happy with it. It uses wood density and moisture to figure out the % moisture. If you hit a knot the readings change.

I still haven’t found my Wagner pinless one. so no comparison between them.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

dang Karson I was hoping when you found it you’d offer to sell one cheap…. ????
I’m a bit surprised that there wasn’t more input on this. My wife is looking into one of these and I’m quite ignorant about them. I know people use them who/whom I still can’t say
Gary I am curious why the choice to avoid the pin type?
need to rummage in the piles of Wood magazine and see if they have an article on these. Something’s ringing a bell – either that its the echo again…

-- CaptnA - "When someone hurts you, write it in the sand so the winds of forgiveness will scatter the memory... "

I finally decided to pick up a Delmhorst J-2000. Amazon has them for $187. Not exactly cheap, but no the most expensive one either. I did a few test readings and it seemed consistent. I’ll write a review after I have ran it through its paces.

Woodworking Magazine reviewed moisture meter awhile back, I can’t remember which issue it was. I’ll have to go back and look.

-- http://theinquisitivewoodworker.com/

I just searched eh site to find anything about moisture meteres. This is all I found. i have a Sonin combination meter that is suposed to be a combination moisture meter, stud finder, power line locator and metal finder. It doesn’t seem to do much of anything. I contacted the company, basically, they don’t care. Save your bucks. Tap the wall or use a cow magnet to find studs and metal in walls.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Lignomat has a sale going this month

I’ve got a mini ligno and I’ve been real happy with it. A friend has the Delmhorst j-lite and that seems to work well. Both are pin type MM’s.

-- -JimmyC...Clayton,NC- "Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave"

JimmyC, how do you know if it’s too moist if it is off the scale?

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

I didn’t see any mention of the fact pinless are only for milled surfaces and won’t work of rough surfaces. I would suggest the pin type for choosing lumbr from the yard as a more practical option unless you buy milled wood.

The oven dry method is an other cheap option which we use for odd species that aren’t on the chart or certain submerged lumber which picks salts and throws off the meter. We use a duo-ligno which goes from pinless to pin type but it’s for a business.

-- Whatever!

I have the Lignomat E/D, it has pins, but I am very happy with it. Accuracy? I haven’t checked with another meter, but it is consistant. I just bought some kiln dried rough sawn Red Oak and they measured 6-8% mc. right where it should be. I bought mine on Ebay for $70 (including shipping) and that to me is a great deal, this unit is in excellent condition and works great.

-- Doug, Cass City, Michigan