I recently purchased a pinless moisture meter. I’ve used it on some red oak which has been in my shop for a month at least. For at least 2 weeks my shop has had a temperature of 60 – 70 degrees and 50% humidity. I used this moisture meter on the red oak and got readings of 5.6% to 9.1%. Since this lumber is to be used in one piece of furniture, how much variance of moisture is there to be in a piece of furniture? How little moisture and how much moisture should there be in furniture? Thanks for any help you can give.
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A bunch of things will cause the variation in readings you're getting, starting with the fact that the wood probably hasn't had time to acclimatize itself to your shop conditions. I usually allow a couple of months at least for each inch of thickness.
Another thing that can cause variations in readings is the surface of the lumber. Pinless meters require a smooth surface in order to work properly.
A couple of percentage points difference in moisture content between boards shouldn't cause any problems, however.
For an in-depth look at moisture meters and their use, see the current issue of FWW.
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