Moisture Meters... Tool Of The Week 12/2-12/9

[Jace Weber]

  This weeks subject is moisture meters.  Just over the past few years, the moisture meter has became affordable for nearly everyone and with that same availability has come accuracy and ease of use.  Even pinless meters now are affordable by hobbyist users. 
  What brand and model do you own or which are you planing on buying and why?  What are some of the features that you like about your meter?

[Dave Heinlein]

I have a Mini-Ligno, the digital one which I can get the remote pins and slide hammer for. I like it because it's accurate, and fits in my pocket.

I can see a distinct advantage with a pin-less meter, though.

[rsteffey]

This is a tool that anyone wanting to buy cheaper lumber from a saw mill must have, especially if it is air dried lumber which I prefer.

[Jim Cunningham]

All I buy is rough sawn lumber from a supplier in Miami.  A long way from any mill or source.  I don't know what the moisture content is but am pretty sure it's in the single digits

[Paul in N. NM]

I have the Wagner L609 pinless http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=3208 and IMHO is all you need for shop use.  Rough of finished lumber, hardwoods or soft.  I like the fact that even in dim light  you can read the LED's.

[panofish]

I have the harbor freight pin moisture meter.
I haven't used it yet, but it was only $20 on sale.
I'd prefer the wagner pinless, but its kinda expensive.

[Tokyo Stu Ablett]

I've got this one...........



...........from Lee Valley, only $74.50

I like it for a number of reasons, it is not expensive, is just about indestructible and it is made in Canada, not just assembled there but made there.

I think it is better than the pinless ones, as the pinless ones don't read that deep, and they seem to be more sensitive to the smoothness of the lumber.

I was out at a wood place here, and I asked the guy what the moisture content of the wood was, he got a Japanese pinless unit and checked, it was really low, he said "just a sec" grabbed a hand plane, planed the wood down in one spot from rough to fairly smooth, checked it again, and this time the number was more in the range I was expecting.

For me also, checking the wood I have drying on the roof and in the Dungeon Annex, I just drove in two small nails in to several boards about mid-pile on each stack then I just touch the pins of the meter to those pins and I get an instant reading.

Yep, I like mine, I'd buy it again in a heart beat.

Cheers!

[Rick LoDico]

Mini-Ligno here.  Very accurate and not too expensive.

[Scott Priebe]

Mini-Ligno... we don't have much moisture here, so it pretty much sits in the case.  Used it on my flooring install and confirmed what I thought, it was dry.  I might try using it on martinis soon.

[Steve Petersen]

There are a couple of things that I don't have.   One of them is a moisture meter, the other is a wife.   If  I have to pick which one I'll have first, bet the farm that it will be the moisture meter.

[Rich in MA]

There are a couple of things that I don't have.   One of them is a moisture meter, the other is a wife.   If  I have to pick which one I'll have first, bet the farm that it will be the moisture meter.

Steve, you can get a good moisture meter for under $200.  You can't get a good wife for under $200 from HF, Sears or anywhere else.  I'd buy the meter first too. 

[Mike in Leduc]

This is an extremely timely subject for me, Jace because I have been looking for one but the number on the market boggles the mind. I was leaning toward the one that Tokyo Stu has from Lee Valley but I wasn't sure but after reading his post, I think I have made up my mind. Thanks, Stu.

[Rich in MA]

This is an extremely timely subject for me, Jace because I have been looking for one but the number on the market boggles the mind. I was leaning toward the one that Tokyo Stu has from Lee Valley but I wasn't sure but after reading his post, I think I have made up my mind. Thanks, Stu.

You mean the one that looks like it doubles as a Tazer or cattle prod ?!?! 

[Mike in Leduc]

reminds me of the time I didn't know what a cattle prod looked like and stuck my wife on the butt with one that had been turned on. I wonder if she'll clobber me again if she sees this one?

[rusty nail]

I just ordered a minn-ligno e/d (digital) direct from Lignomat on sale for $99.00 and that includes shipping, haven't got it yet, but I hope it's a good one ...

[C. John Hebert]

I have the mini ligno with pins and luv it