Moisture meter

[Petey83]

have embarked on a project to build all of the furniture for our new house as we can't afford to buy stuff of the quality and style we would like (not fans of ikea!!). The first projects are a coffee table and media unit out of reclaimed scaffold board and a dining table out of some lovely ceadr or Lebanon.

The cedar came as two slabs which i have now rough cut into planks and have staked in the dining room with spacers to aid air circulation. I was planning on leaving it there for a month or two before starting but given we spent a good chunk of change on the timber and the other projects coming up i am thinking i may need to invest in a moisture meter. I don't want to spend a fortune but wont something that is reliable and suitable for furniture work.

 

[Doug71]

I have had a Protimeter mini for a few years now and have been pleased with it. Not really much I can say about it apart from it does what it's supposed to do and is quite ruggedly built. Not a cheap option though.

Doug

 

[Mike Jordan]

I don't think you will get an accurate meter at a reasonable price so I suggest that you resort to an old fashioned method at no cost.
Conditioning the timber in its planned area of use is always the best method, since you are already doing this why not weigh a couple of the largest (thickest) pieces using kitchen or bathroom scales and then weigh again at weekly intervals.. Loss of moisture will be easily seen and rate of loss can be judged. In theory when weight loss stops the timber is ready.
Mike.

 

[Br5d]

I don't think you will get an accurate meter at a reasonable price so I suggest that you resort to an old fashioned method at no cost.
Conditioning the timber in its planned area of use is always the best method, since you are already doing this why not weigh a couple of the largest (thickest) pieces using kitchen or bathroom scales and then weigh again at weekly intervals.. Loss of moisture will be easily seen and rate of loss can be judged. In theory when weight loss stops the timber is ready.
Mike.

Which is a great plan if you have lots of time to play with. You would be aiming for the timber to achieve a moisture content around 8-10% so that your table top doesn't become hockey stick. You might be able to rent one from a local tool hire or timber supplier. The last thing you want to do is to start working it while its wet only to have it warp.

 

[pollys13]

I've just looked on Ebay quite a few listed, not so expensive. A while back I bought a Chinese digital laser measure, top quality and a load cheaper than buying almost same thing in UK but had to wait a week or two until it arrived from China. Regards Ebay moisture meters, would probably find same models on Amazon uk and com + - genuine - customer reviews.

 

[pollys13]

Features to look for in moisture meters, different types etc

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/ameri ... ure-meters

 

[Harbo]

I bought a cheapo one - no idea if the figures are accurate but wait until the readings go down and level off for a month or so.

Rod

 

[dkaardal]

I have a £20 one I picked up from Axminster a while back that works just fine (Brennenstuhl MD Damp Detector), and back in Canada I used a Timber Check moisture meter which also worked perfectly well. Back in Canada I'd buy fresh cut lumber from various yards and dry it myself, so having a moisture meter was pretty critical. Here in the UK I think I've been unlucky with the places I've bought lumber from - so much of the 'kiln dried' ready to use wood ended up warping like crazy that I bought a moisture meter in self defence. It was averaging 18% for a while there, and some of it was so wet I was convinced they were storing it in a swimming pool!

<sigh>