I have been taking moisture readings consistently this year because I will be cutting it close with just under 2 cords of dry wood left for this year. I have learned it is useless to take surface wood moisture levels in the days following rainy/damp days. I used 3 splits (red oak, birch, elm) to test this out. I was surprised by the surface fluctuations given almost all my wood was 12-16% given a dry period in December. Elm and Oak seem to really sponge things up at the surface. Rain on 1/12 - 1/13 Oak end:20% mid: 20% middle after split: 16% Birch end: 20% mid: 20% middle after split: 15% Elm 22% mid: 22% middle after split: 18%
If you weigh a few pieces with a scale sensitive to a gram you can really ‘see’ the water coming and going.
Yeah I think weighing is a better way to do it, but you need a half way decent scale. It kinda proves how important top covering can be, around here anyway, if you want to do something easiest to get max drying time down..
$26.99. Same or less than a moisture meter. 15 pound (6800 gram) capacity, which is a relatively big split when green.
We have one a lot like that. Bought for cooking recently as the small scale we had in the kitchen only did 16 ounces. If I go to use it for something non-kitcheny I get << the look>>. I avoid <<the look >> most of the time. Just kidding about <<the look>> , upper management actually has good communication skills. I have a UPS scale which is almost good enough for splits. I'm not 100% convinced of repeatable accuracy under 1 pound, but good enough. Digital would be better as some judgement comes into play with an analogue scale.
