Moisture Meters

[Gord in Newmarket]

I am looking at buying a moisture meter and I am trying to wade through all the manufacture's hype. Pin or pinless, digital or analog, I can't seem to get the answers I want. Does anyone have a unit that they are happy with and why. TIA. Gord

[Bryan Cowing]

I bought a simple pin type LED unit from Electrophysics at the Wood show in Woodstock 10 yrs ago. In hardwood you need to make holes ( or drive in two finish nails )first to put the needles into as damage could occur if you force it. Its a OK unit for the hobbist.

[Doug Knight in Little Spa]

I bought a pin type from Electrophysics at last year's Woodstock show.

The pinless type has the advantage of being able to read moisture levels at the store without marking the lumber, but it doesn't read accurately if the wood is rough cut.

The microprocessor models have built in compensation for different species of wood. You just set it for the wood type. Also, I have temperature compensation as well because I want to use the tester in a solar kiln at some point.

If you plan to dry your own lumber, you can drive nails into the lumber at a sample of places in the centre of the stack, run your wire leads out and connect them to the pins on your tester for a reading. I don't believe that's possible with a pinless type.

Bottom line: If you buy planed dried lumber and you want the tester to confirm dryness, buy a pinless type. If you like to buy rough sawn lumber and dry it yourself, buy the pin type.

[Jim P, outside Perth, Ont]

...and look in the back issues of WOOD magazine. I know that they did a test of the various ones within he last year to year and a half. You might want to check their web site for an index that will pin-point which issue you're after. I do remember them saying the the one sold by Lee Valley was the only one calibrated for oak...the the rest were for Douglas Fir.

[maurice]

Hi Gord ,I bought mine from Lee Valley ,it works well ,It was $85.00 then but it's up to $95.00
It has 2 pins and comes with 2 extras.But on hard wood you have to drill 2 tiny holes.The closest one to Newmarket is on Morningside North of Sheppard.Maurice

[Barry in London]

It's in the October 2000 issue, page 70

Barry

[Barry in London]

Sorry, clicked too fast! Here's the online version of the magazine story.

Regards

Barry

Wood Online (http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodmall/charts/moisture_meters/index.html)