moisture meter is a cheap one ok?

[bobha8]

habor freight has one one sell for 20 bucks. I won't use it often so I was wondering if this would be ok
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=02757

thanx,
bob

[williek69]

I have that one and it works for me.

All I wanted was a "ball park" reading and it does give me that. I'm not making my living drying wood, so all I need is an approximate moisture reading.

Afterall, how accurate does it have to be?

Willie

"Although two wrongs never make a right, three rights always make a left"

[Limey]

Can't speak for their moisture meters but have a multimeter and digital caliper and they are accurate and work just fine.
For $20 Bucks I will probably/almost certainly get one myself.

being a slightly skeptical person I won't rely on it 100% but supplement it with the cheek test for personal reassurance.

The cheek test ?????
Just hold a piece of wood to your cheek.. if it feels cold then its got a moisture content above the ambient condition you are working in .. if it feels warm then it's about at equilibrium.

But as a guide to how damp the wood is it should be fine.. Bear in mind though that the prongs only penetrate a certain distance and when dealing with 2" or thicker the wood might be higher moisture content in the centre.
Looks like it would be useful in plaster to check for rising damp !!

thanks for the heads up....now what else can I spend my money on !!!

[ImNo_1]

"...now what else can I spend my money on !!!"

Well Limey, ya could pick up [link:www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90891|this] Harbor Freight offering and lemme kno how it is. Ive been hummin and hawin over it for a while now.

http://vankuiken.us/lumber/sig.jpg

[Howard849]

Pete,

When shopping for a MS I looked for one with clear and easy to read graduations on the miter and bevel settings. What I have, Delta 12", looks good to me but didn't save my life when doing large crown molding, what I mostly wanted it for. It did get me close though and being able to see those settings is a big plus. Some saws I've seen don't do as good a job as others.

I guess this advise weighs more or less depending on what you want a MS to do for you.

As for the moisture content in wood, I have no ideas about that at all. But always wondered why after kiln drying lumber, most places store it in a shed with broken doors. I already knew I could install mositure in lumber without any help from lumber yards.

It seems that kiln dried lumber really means, we did have it dry. Once upon a time.

.... And finally I'd stay away from that Limey guys advise, he didn't say where the cheek is that he holds his wood to.... you know?


Howard

[Limey]

Well Pete as you may have seen I bought the HF 10" non slider for $69...yes $69... added a freud blade and a $29 laser guide from Home Despot and though I'm tempting providence by saying it it works like a champ ..It's a darn fine saw.

I was going to get the slider but as I lug it around in my van and take it in and out of peoples' houses I wimped out and bought the less heavy to carry non slider.

I'm amazed how accurate the thing is and the turntable locks up very close to the indents of the usual preset angles without a problem..I'm told that this is rare on any CMS. It has a hold down and feels far more rugged and solid than I expected. as I use it a lot at work I bought the extended warranty fo an extra $10 bucks thinking that the amount I use it it will be worth it if the motor gives out early which looking at it seems to be the only unknown!!!!

Shoot I thought the HF compressor and Cast Iron router table thatI previously bought were exceptional value ..but crossed fingers the non slider is amazing.. even the blade that came with it wasn't that bad ..but I had a spare Freud kicking about so thought why not!!

If the slider is built the same..and it looks to be..then what can you get for price in any power tool !!

Were it me and I needed one the credit card number would be winging it's way to them..This is one of the few items I would take out the extended warranty as the motor is the risk item.. and Think it wil only add a few bucks.

Let me know if you decide to get one.. I'm very interested to here a second opinion..

[bobha8]

Pastor Paul has one of those saws, see if you can get him to give it a review

[ImNo_1]

Sorry Bob, sure didnt mean to hijack your thread. I should have known better and just suggested Limey donate the dough burning a hole in his pocket to Pete's garage. ;) :) ;)

And now...back to moisture meters.

http://vankuiken.us/lumber/sig.jpg

[Tom D]

I purchased one of those meters from HF and it has been working just fine. As long as it gets you close that's all you normally need.

[woodchuck1954]

........................If ya gotta Forrest blade for it, you've doubled its value.