Author Topic: Wood Moisture Meter (Read 1276 times)

jmur1 · « **on:** May 06, 2021, 04:59:38 PM »

Curious if any folks on here have bothered with a wood moisture meter. I am curious to try one out but would be more than happy to hear comments on good or bad or preferred brand or any other feedback. There are getting quite cheap $20 for the lower models and up to $500 for the higher end. I imagine you get what you pay for to a point.
I am pretty good with the old weight/color/crack method but recently Ive been splitting alot of unusual woods (for me) so a meter may help out.

Let me know.
jmur1

Rick Alger · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2021, 05:35:22 AM »

Now that I'm too old to climb up on the roof to clean the chimney, I've become a believer in moisture meters. Last year I "metered" the wood I burned to 17% moisture or less. I didn't have to clean he chimney once.
The complication is that you have to split the wood again to get a realistic reading. To test, I split about one piece in ten. The bottom of the stacks tended to be wetter as did some species like rock maple. I restacked the moist stuff and will use it next year.
My meter was a cheapie from Harbor Freight.

Nathan4104 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2021, 08:53:15 PM »

I got a moisture meter for Christmas. It’s an unknown brand from Amazon. Has a mode selector to select a species...
I’ve found a range when checking a piece of wood, as the little probes don’t go very deep into the wood and it’s hard to push them far into dry wood. Easy to get 15% on the outside, then split it and check what was the middle and see it in the 20’s.
To really show some folk at a party that you know dry wood, smear some dish soap on one end of a dry looking piece, blow on the other and make bubbles. People will be amazed.

tomalophicon · « **Reply #3 on:** May 09, 2021, 10:54:29 PM »

Yes I use a cheap one.
Once I started using it, I was amazed that wood I previously thought was dry based on appearance and 'knocking' sound wasn't as dry as I would have hoped.
Tom.

62oliver · « **Reply #4 on:** June 22, 2021, 03:50:33 PM »

I've thought of getting one, but my wood is stored in an old barn and usually sits for at least 3 years so I haven't bothered.

Wood Shed · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2021, 08:53:18 PM »

I got one of those from Amazon to check the dryness of standing dead ash, just a neat easy way to gather some info. I was surprised to see how dry some of the EAB killed ash really is straight from the woods.

jmur1 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2021, 02:27:37 PM »

I got the super cheap version from Walmart. actually does seem to work ok. You can definitely see the difference from a freshly split middle check and the end of a stacked chunk. its about 5-10% diffence. Ill have to check the Ash Im bringing home. I have seen that some of them that have been dead for a while are starting to rot in place. Time is not on our side!

jmur1

SwampDonkey · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2021, 05:25:36 PM »

I use one, came with the new furnace. Don't check through the bark, but in actual xylem wood. I never get much in the flu, but I brush it every month. My flu is straight up from the elbow, no climbing roofs involved. 42 feet up.

Napoleon Wood Moisture Meter

Upton44 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 17, 2021, 12:28:23 PM »

Quote from: Wood Shed on June 30, 2021, 08:53:18 PM

I got one of those from Amazon to check the dryness of standing dead ash, just a neat easy way to gather some info. I was surprised to see how dry some of the EAB killed ash really is straight from the woods.

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

Same unit I have.works well

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