Moister Meter

[markblue777]

Hi all,
I was just wondering what recommendations people have for a reasonably priced moister meter. Cheaper the better obviously but I would like something that works. I have been looking around and seen some for £10 but not sure if they are all that, would the £20 is ones be more of a good entry level one?

A few examples I have seen
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brennenstuh...qid=1394188051&sr=8-2&keywords=Moisture+Meter

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dr-Meter®-D...qid=1394188051&sr=8-1&keywords=Moisture+Meter

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Faithfull-D...qid=1394188051&sr=8-9&keywords=Moisture+Meter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-W..._Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item35b2c9c51e

Cheers
Mark

 

[RogerS]

To be brutally honest they are all much as a muchness. They all work on the basic principle of sticking a couple of pins in and measuring the resistance. If there is a lot of surface moisture then they will measure that.

You can feel if something is too damp.

I think they are a waste of money.

 

[markblue777]

Hi Roger,
Does that go for all of them no matter what you pay for them?
Cheers
Mark

 

[deema]

I have a few meters. And in my opinion they vary greatly. It all depends what you are doing, if it's not too critical a cheap meter is Ok. If your spending a small fortune on lumber, why would you economise on the one thing that will tell you if it's at the right moisture level for say fine cabinet work? After a few Billy Do's with cheap meters, a lot of swearing and a pile of expensive timber in the log pile, I finally bought a Timbermaster. Never looked back!

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I got one after it being posted here from Aldi for under a tenner and its absolutely brilliant. Cant fault it. I'm not generally a fan of cheap tools but every now and then Aldi and Lidl get some real bargains in that just plain work and are very very inexpensive.

 

[RogerS]

Hi Roger,
Does that go for all of them no matter what you pay for them?
Cheers
Mark

If they use pins then yes.

 

[John15]

Hi Mark,
I use one of the £10 cheapies. It gives consistent results when checking a stack of several boards kept under the same conditions but whether it is the correct reading I don't know - I guess I would need an expensive fully calibrated instrument to check it against!!
Cheers,
John

 

[Grahamshed]

I have never really understood how moisture metres work. Surely they can only measure resistance in the position they are placed in, what we want to know is how much moisture there still is deeper down. No ?

 

[RogerS]

I have never really understood how moisture metres work. Surely they can only measure resistance in the position they are placed in, what we want to know is how much moisture there still is deeper down. No ?

Exactly and which is why the contactless meters like the Wagner wins hands down every time as they do 'look' deeper into the wood.

 

[Harbo]

I use my cheapo one as a guide to when the wood stops drying out.
I generally buy my wood when it's a bit green and cheaper - leave it stacked for a few years and check it occasionally. When the moisture reading is at a reasonable static low level then I consider it to be ready?

Rod

 

[Grahamshed]

Weighing would do the same thing but I guess that can be difficult with large pieces.