Welcome MikeyB - You're gonna like it here,, I guarantee it-we like pics, beer, dogs and spending your money on toys to help along your addiction, er, supplement your supply...and HDRock is correct, where and with good penetration will get you the most accurate reading, even though I've been accused of not knowing how to run a MM....Again, nice to meet you
I just got a cord of cherry that looked and felt dry as the tree has fallen a while back. Well, the outside tested 7% and the ends tested 13%. I was pumped because this is wood for this coming winter. Well I took my trusty fiskars and split the same log and it was 35% inside!!!! So I think as long as you test the inside you'll get an accurate reading.
OK when I said ends in this pic it was middle.. then ends would be 8 inches right or left on the same plane of a freshly split piece.
Am a fairly new at all this wood stuff as well. I picked up a MM while back, check a few logs I had split and it gave me under 20% reading which was acceptable as dry. Later found out the wood was still wet, if I split the log again as mentioned above it was very high moisture reading. My fires were very poor, lots of hissing and low low flames. So from my experience I think it's nice to have and helps a little but true test is letting them season for 1yr to be safe. I finally got into some dry dry wood and man what a difference.
Hey guys, got my Stihl moisture meter yesterday. I'd figure I test it out tonight, the first pic that reads 18% is from a split from my red oak that was cut down In January. Took a couple of readings on this piece and the readings range from 24% through 18%. (Along the grain) And the 2nd pic is from a piece left over for a bundle of firewood from the super market reading 6% (just for comparison) I brought that split in the house last night to give it a chance to come up to room temp before taking readings on it. I'm not sure what the moisture content would have been right after the tree was felled, but do you think it makes a difference in the moisture content when the tree is cut down in the winter? I can see this meter being a valuable tool for a newbie like me with firewood.
Green oak is about 85% fresh off the stump which is well beyond the range of a moisture meter. Did you re-split a piece and see what it was on the inside or was that a reading from the face of a split that has been drying? There will be a big difference between the the inside and the surface.
This is a reading from a split that has been drying since January It's from a round that was quartered. I'm curious to see how well it dries after good hot summer here on Long Island.
But did you split that round that was quartered right before taking the reading? Thats important and not clear in your post above. If not split right before taking a reading it wont register proper. Ive been burning for many years and still use my moisture meter. If you can get on the three year plan then you dont need one as much but if you cant store 9 plus cords of wood on your property like many of us it becomes another affordable valuable tool at your disposal.
Welcome MikeyB! Does that meter have ranges that you select to match the type of wood you are testing? Mine does (not a Stihl) and I'm just curious if anyone has one like mine or if they all have selectable ranges? Here's a fresh basswood split from last weekend after two days of rain.
No I didn't, it has been split and sitting/drying for a little while. I wish I had some more property. I think I can safely store about 3 cords if I set it up right, and if the wife won't notice, lol
I have one of these moisture meters. It has four modes. The problem is I have never cut nor seen any of these species in Australia. It needs a eucalyptus setting. I still use it trying to get a feel for the best setting by comparing fresh cut green versus seasoned wood. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Haha not rightly sure who makes it..... got it for Christmas but it seems similar to the one leoht has 4 settings depending on the type of wood and when you range between the settings there's quite a difference almost 30% swing
Wood dries at the surface. The interior moisture had to migrate thru to get to the surface before it can evaporate. That movement of moisture can be a very slow process and the interior can still be very wet when the outside surface is relatively dry. So what you need to do is check the interior by splitting one again. Being that you say it's 3 months from the standing up on the stump you will probably find the inside to be visually damp. Beyond the range where a moisture meter can accurately work.
Welcome MikeyB !! J. Dirt I have the same meter. Haven't used it much yet but will be this year to monitor the drying progress. Should be interesting to see how it goes.
I figure I'll check it green and just keep watching as the months go on as long as it goes down I guess it's working
I used mine a few times this winter to check my less than ideal wood and it did consistently go down. I figure it must be working
