Moisture Meters - Do you use them?

Try this link. I asked about the same thing.

http://lumberjocks.com/topics/1049

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

Thanks for the info Gary. Did you ever decide to get one or still sworn off?

-- "None of us is as dumb as all of us"

Still without.

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

I’ve got a Wagner pinless meter and use it but I don’t really worry about the moisture content that it displays. I buy rough kiln dried wood and some of it has been sitting in my shop for at least 2 years. I still get a 12% reading on the meter. The bottom line is that I simply have no control over the moisture content of the wood so I go ahead and use it anyway.

Not one of my wisest purchases.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I always use a moisture meter when working with solid stock. Without knowing the moisture content one risks having a problem down the road. A nice project can have problems with shrinking or swelling of the joints or veneered substrate if material with different moisture content is used. It also is important to know if the piece is to be in a dry or humid area. My stock of wood normally runs in the 6 to 8 % range. I prefer as low as possible because of where I live. Wood and manufactured wood products are a medium that is always alive. They move constantly and thus demand that the project be designed with that in mind. I have seen 3 feet of 4”x4” Maple move 3/16” lengthwise from winter to summer.

-- Oldworld, Fair Oaks, Ca