Getting some unexpected high moisture reading with my harbor freight MM, 9 month CSS walnut mid 20's to mid 30's, Oak last fall read at 31%, mid 30's now. Mulberry CSS for 17 months reading mid 30's! These were all fresh splits, temp in the low 70's. I know the walnut will burn but I really wanted to use up the mulberry and get it out of my way. Would a solar kiln do any good for 2-3 months? Or just let it set another year?
How accurate is your HF mm? Have you ever tested it against a different mm? Also, super fresh , wet cut green wood can read abnormally. As in, not accurately.
MM reading INCREASED from reading 10 months ago on my oak and mulberry! Everything is CSS double rows on individual pallets set on concrete blocks to provide air flow. Depending on the stack 1/2 to all day sun, plenty of wind. I'll try a piece of scrap pine lumber to see what it reads.
Another good reason to get onto the 3 year plan. Then you can just throw that MM away. We've burned wood over 60 years and have never seen a need for one. I like it that way.
Last spring I made it to the 2 year plan, January-February I made it to 3 year plan CSS. I have close to another years supply in rounds and logs waiting on cooler weather to CSS, then I get to cut some more that will have me to 4-5 years ahead. The MM is more for fun, to see how the different species season at different rates and to guide in what I burn until everything is 3 + years seasoned!
Walnut can be tricky, it does the sponge thing in my past experience. Mulberry is a deceivingly dense wood. You would think otherwise how it grows like a weed but thwre are serious Bus there. Too cover and gibmve it another year..... or stack by the stove for a few days, it's get crispy dry that way.
How are you testing the wood? It should be split and taken from the center. Moisture meters loose accuracy at higher mc. You can test it on a phone book(if you can find one) should be close to 8%. I have two HF mms and they match each other even after leaving one outside in the rain couldn't find it so I bought another
Oh yeah another thing on the Harbor Freight meter, if the battery's Get Low you will get screwy readings
True, a MM can be for fun, but the only way to know the actual MC of wood is to use a moisture meter, regardless of whether it's seasoned for 5 years or 5 minutes.
Throw a couple splits in a campfire & see if they sizzle. As stated Walnut can be a pain to dry. I give mine 2 years. I have a hard time believing the MC is higher than a previous reading. I'd bet the Mulberry is ready to go unless it was in the shade in a no airflow area.
Well, it's obvious what the issue is... someone has either pp'd on yer wood or, soaked it with beer. What other explanation could there be?!
Depending on how deep you press it in, right? I mean if the probes go through, the reading will start to drop again..... Brian
Reading low to mid 20's on the palm, pine 2x4 split reading 10-12% amateur cutter ill try the camp fire and see how the mulberry burns, it's been setting by the garden so 8+hours of sun per day CSS since April 2016 I also have a hard time understanding this increase in MM