moisture meters?

[william Harris]

Anyone use these? Are the pins stuck into the ends of the firewood or the middle? Seems easy to bend or break those probes

 

[Wisneaky]

I push them in good and the pins don't bend or break. I check in multiple spots.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

I think most of the people on this forum use them. If you put them in straight and pull them out straight, they won't break. I use them for a little while now and I am pretty happy with it. Fairly cheap and gives you a good indication of what wood you have. Measure on the split side of the wood at room temperature.

 

[Jags]

Remember - procedure counts.
The wood should be above freezing
You should be measuring a newly split face
According to most manuals - you want to stay in the same grain line for both pins. I have tested both with and against the grain with little variation, but that is what most manuals state.

 

[william Harris]

Thank you folks. I think I will spend the 20 dollars. I think I can tell a seasoned piece of wood...checked or cracking ends, hollow sound, color of the split etc. But another tool cannot hurt

 

[nikolays]

Here's the one I use. It is very accurate but cost little more then $20

(broken link removed to http://www.wagnermeters.com/forestproducts/fp-hand-held-meters/l601-3-handheld-moisture-meter/)

 

[kborndale]

I thought that pinless ones were not good for firewood?

 

[nikolays]

It works for me. All the wood that shows <20% burns real good 20-25% ok but not as much heat from same amount. I do have calibrating block in lab. and ocasionaly check it. Never compared to the one with contact pins.

 

[mopar440_6]

I thought that pinless ones were not good for firewood?

The cheap box store pinless meters are not good for firewood. The meter that nikolays posted is a professional grade meter intended for use at lumber mills. It is far from a $20-30 meter (nearing the 4 digit price point).