Metal Detector & Moister Meter- what do you use?

[Flatheadyoungin]

Do you like it?  Do you wish you had bought something different?  Anything else or ideas?

[Magicman]

Welcome with your first post.....   I bought a moisture meter from WM and don't need/use it.

I have a WoodWizard metal detector but very seldom use/need it.  I really don't think that it has kept me from hitting anything.   You can read the log and almost always tell if there is metal in it.  Ask where the tree came from.  Yard tree? Large cedar or walnut.  Look for growth indications on the bark that indicate that there is fence wire in it.  Look for blue stain especially on the butt cut.  I do everything that I can to prevent hitting metal, but in my case, if I hit metal it cost the customer $20.  That puts the burden on the customer to provide clean logs.  That's also why I never use the metal detector in the presence of the customer.  That would tend to shift some of the responsibility for hitting metal to me.

[Flatheadyoungin]

some good points...

i'll only be sawing for myself, school and friends.......

as i'm reading through some old posts, i see many people are just using regular metal detectors not the wood specific kind......i used to have a cheapie one that i used on rough cut 1x and 2x material and it worked ok but it didn't last long.....

i have a pretty good regular style metal detector.....might just use it and see how it goes.....

i've been on here about a year or so, so i thought i did an intro.....

i'll do one

[Tom]

I have an old Garrett Masterhunter 7.  I like it.  I use it.
I have a mini ligno moisture meter that I have used on and off, for many years.  I like it.  I use it, but usually for customer satisfaction. (customers will call me back to see if the lumber is ready for treatment or dry enough to work.  I can usually tell by the time it had been cut and feeling it, but the "machine" makes them feel better.  Most of this stuff is for construction.)

[Chuck White]

I put the burden of metal onto the customer!
$5.00 if the blade needs to be resharpened earlier than normal!
$10.00 if the blade needs to be run through the sharpener more than once!
$25.00 if the blade is ruined!

I don't have a fancy metal detector, so I look the log over a little, then use the band to hopefully "not" detect metal.

[Cedarman]

I can find even small nails down to about 8".  This is good bor about any cedar log we saw.  If we hit metal in any log, we take it off the mill and I check it for more metal.  I have 95% success rate.  If I miss metal it is because I didn't detect carefully enough.  You have to be in a quiet area and listen for the very soft buzz if the metal is deep.  You have to roll the log and check all faces.  I can do a whole log in less than a minute.  I check all suspect logs.

I use a pinless Wagner moisture meter.  I do not know its accuracy. But AD reads 12% and I dry down to 8 to 9% for full drying.  Neveer had a complaint on drying.  It works well for 1" but is not too accurate for 2" which we dry very little.

Everything is ERC

[Kansas]

Timberking has a good cheap moisture meter they carry-pin type. We have cross checked it with others and it seems to be as accurate as any of them.

[Larry]

I bought two meters about 15 years ago.  The first was a top of the line Electrophysis pin meter.  I can program in the temperature along with the species and get a dead accurate reading...I hardly ever use it.  The second was a Wagner pinless...it was one of there less expensive models.  It came with a conversion chart for different species.  I use it all the time.  It reads red oak consistently, 1% less than an oven dry sample...good nuff for me.

One important item is being able to check the accuracy of your meter...my Electrophysis has a calibration check plug.  I check the Wagner against the Electrophysis or a oven dry sample.

I have a metal detector...lets see...wonder which kid borrowed it last and where it's at now. ???  Didn't much like using it and prefer the blade method.

[Rockn H]

I use a Bounty Hunter metal detector sometimes if I suspect the log has metal in it.  I don't know why because I normally don't trash the log.  It just tells me where to watch for stains and knots or abnormal growth rings.  These are what I really use to miss metal.... Try to miss metal. :   I don't have a need to check moisture content that much.  When I do, I just use the microwave and a kitchen scale.  That's what most of the hardwood mills around here always fall back on when the moisture meters don't show what they should.  I already had a microwave and scale. ;D

[rpg52]

Cedarman, what kind of detector do you use?  It sounds like you are one of the more successful at detection.  Thanks,
Ray

[backwoods sawyer]

You have to be in a quiet area and listen for the very soft buzz if the metal is deep.  You have to roll the log and check all faces. 

That would explain why I do not use a metal detector. As my hearing cannot detect the very soft buzz. >:( Sparks I can see, ;D that is unless they are to close :.

As for a moisture meter, I just use my calibrated arm
"Nope, that ones heavy" high moisture content.
"Yep, that ones light" low Moisture content.
It works for me, and the cabinet shop guys bring there own meter because they know it and trust it.

[DR Buck]

I have an old  White's treasure hunter metal detector.  I hardly use it as it takes more time to bore out the metal than just sawing through it.   The burden is on the log owner.  I hit metal, they pay $35.   Thats the cost of a blade and lost milling time.    You could argue that the blades can be resharpened and it shouldn't cost $35.  But if you break a tooth or 2 or 3, then the blade is shot.   My contract says $35 for metal hit and thats what I get.

I have a Delmhorst J2000 moisture meter, I use it and I like it.   While drying every kiln load is checked just about everyday with it.

[Cedarman]

I have been using metal detectors since I built a Heathkit in 1969.  Those were the days you could go into virgin school yards, churchyards, old fairgrounds and find coins by the thousands.  I have used it to find tools plowed under, chains in the woods, anything metal.  One time we lost a small electronic piece off of a skid steer in the Chickasaw National Rec Area.  Bought a cheap Radioshack detector and went to work.  The ranger came out for an inspection and was somewhat concerned as to what I was doing.  It took about an hour of hunting , but we found the part.  The area was an old townsite and they sure smoked a lot of Prince Phillip.  A lot of metal just under the surface.  No coins though.  (A week later the ranger picked up an 1874 quarter beside my foot as we stood along the highway looking at a fireant nest).   My experience using the detector in lots of conditions helps a lot. 

For noisy areas, use a set of good headphones.
I use a Tesoro detector, but any detector set on all metal will do just fine.
Practice, practice, .   Put a nail on the ground and see how high you can go and still hear that faint whispeer of tone.  Put nail point down and try.  Also as you sweep move the detector only a few inches per pass.  You must be 4 or 5 feet away from large chunks of metal like the mill or chainsaw.

[Flatheadyoungin]

good tips, thanks...

the detector is my father-in-laws, and i'd like to use it all over my fields just for curiosity.....i did spend about 5 minutes around the old farm house site and found a double bit axe head and an old style hoe.....

i sat them aside next to the camper so that i could sandblast them and hang them near our stone fire place in the house we are building......but, i lost them in the weeds.......so, i need to take the detector back out there again....

[DR Buck]

I also have a White's Spectrum XLT I use for relic hunting.   Living on a Cival War encampment site  I just had to get a good one.   I can find bullets almost everytime I go out.  ;D   It's a wonder they had any to shoot with considering the number they dropped along the way.

We also find lots of railroad spikes.  The Union soldiers used them for tent stakes since there were no trees here then and the property borders the old Orange & Alexander RR.   My best find so far is a signal canon.  It's about 15" long and has a 1" bore.   Almost didn't dig it up.  I thought it was more railroad spikes.  :D

[DanG]

I have a Fisher X-2500 metal detector.  It seems pretty good to me, but I have no other experience to compare.  One thing for sure, you won't have any trouble hearing this one!  You might even need ear protection. :D