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Can you help me with the use of a moisture meter?
Is the reason you use one for the moisture that might be picked up during the storage or to tell if the wood is to ‘green’ to work?
If I am building a table, does it matter what the moisture reading is as long as all the wood is the same?
Any comments on what to look for as a meter or do they all (basically) do the same job?
Thanks
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You use them for both the reasons that you have listed. As far as furniture building, the wood should be dried to a moisture content of 6-9%. This means that you will, more than likely, have to have your wood dried by a kiln. Air drying where I am (PA) will only get you to about 12%. There are two types of meters, pin-type and pinless. The pin type measures the resistance of the wood between the pins. This resistance corresponds to a moisture content. The pinless type uses (if I remember correctly) Electromagnetic waves that measure the density of the wood and based on the density of the wood, you get a moisure content. Just make sure that you have the capability to measure to the center of the lumber that you are drying because the MC will be diferent between the outer layers of wood and the inner layers. You want the MC to be as constant as possible throughout the given piece of wood. Also, make sure it will measure down around the 6-7% range. Hope all this rambling helps!
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