Timber Moisture Meter

[Moonsafari69]

I’ve just bought a Stihl Moisture Meter, hoping for a useful device to act as a guide rather than be 100% accurate.

The meter was cheap (£20) but it is absolute garbage, mostly reading 0% so I’m going to return it.

Do any of you use a meter that you think is ok? I don’t want to pay hundreds of pounds but would like something that is ‘more or less’ indicative.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, Dave.

 

[Beau]

Protimeter make some nice moisture meters. I still have one that must be 20 years old and in regular use. Within a whisker when compared to oven drying tests.

 

[Simo]

I brought a Lignomat Combi-Scan last year.. great bit of kit. As much as I'd like a Wagner meter, I just couldn't justify the price. The Lignomat is simple to use and more than accurate enough for my use.

https://www.scosarg.com/lignomat-combis ... ture-meter

 

[custard]

That Lignomat is also the one I've used for quite a few years. I've found it reliable, accurate, and consistent.

Nearly every cabinet making workshop I know uses either a pinless Wagner (if they're flush with cash!) or a pinless Lignomat (if they're not!).

Joinery workshops are generally better served by pin based moisture meters.

 

[Beau]

Joinery workshops are generally better served by pin based moisture meters.

Why the difference between cabinet making and joinery?

Never seen the problem with the pin type. I just cut boards down to approximate size and test the middle of the fresh cut ends. Then leave to settle before final planing. Mind you if I had pin less one I might well be a convert.

 

[Moonsafari69]

Thanks for the posts here guys. Looks like the Lignonat is the choice meter, which makes my £20 purchase a tad naive. Appreciate the help.

 

[julianf]

About 6 months ago I had a look about and it seemed you could get that design (ie density / painless) for about £40 from China.

Now I'm not commenting on accuracy beyond my testing of my <£20 (delivered) IR thermometer against a couple of hundred pounds of flir camera, and finding the £20 unit really quite impressive similar in measurement (but obviously no screen, sd slot, usb, etc.etc!)

I figured it was worth a gamble and then realised I was too ignorant to know for sure what wood I was working with most of the time, which kind of defeats the utility of the device!

 

[Moonsafari69]

Simo, Custard,

I took your advice and bought the Lignomat Combiscan from Scott & Sargeant. In short it's a game-changer and i wish i had it years ago.

There wasn't any user instructions in the box, and all I can find online is the German version. Do either of you have an english copy that you could e-mail over to me at all? Without that I don't know what timbers are included in the extra Wood Groups on the menu.

Thanks, Dave.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

I also bought the Lignomat a few years ago on Custard's recommendations, and it has been invaluable!!

I translated the German list of species which are included in each of the four 'Group' readings (see below image)

 

[Moonsafari69]

Sawdust, you are a star. Thank you!!