I am going to buy a moisture meter. Who makes an inexpensive, but good one. I don't want a cheap one. I believe the "Get what you pay for." theory. Thanks.
Who makes a good moisture meter?
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I think most people would already have their own chain saw and be cutting and splitting their own wood before worrying about a moisture meter. And Why buy a $100 MM? MAYBE it will be a couple of points more accurate than a $30 MM but who cares? We're talking about firewood here, not detecting moisture behind a brick wall in your home. A moisture meter for firewood is just a simple guideline. For my purposes, my $30 MM does just fine.
I suggest you not get into the smug factor for a moisture meter and put your money into a chain saw. A GOOD chainsaw.
I suggest you not get into the smug factor for a moisture meter and put your money into a chain saw. A GOOD chainsaw.
I think most people would already have their own chain saw and be cutting and splitting their own wood before worrying about a moisture meter. And Why buy a $100 MM? MAYBE it will be a couple of points more accurate than a $30 MM but who cares? We’re talking about firewood here, not detecting moisture behind a brick wall in your home. A moisture meter for firewood is just a simple guideline. For my purposes, my $30 MM does just fine.
I suggest you not get into the smug factor for a moisture meter and put your money into a chain saw. A GOOD chainsaw.
Kenster,
:lol: Good to here from you man. Who is most people? Just so you know, I already own a chainsaw. In fact I have owned one for over 25 years. That's right, since I was about 18 years old. I am on my third one. Still keep one of the older ones for back-up. I also own a maul, two axes, a nice hatchet, and a serious, nicely weighted "pruning blade" as I like to call it. I have fell a few trees in my day. I have cut, blocked and split a lot of wood also. Just because I don't list my tools in my signature does not mean I don't have them. I am not a newby at this. Just new to wood burning boilers. I am not worrying about a moisture meter. I actually never said I was going to buy a $100 moisture meter. I just asked the question of Who makes a good moisture meter? I just did not want to get a peice of junk. See what I mean? You told all of us your $30 MM does just fine. I was just looking for you to share that and give me some guidance, that's it.
The only reason I am going to get a moisture meter is because I have moved to a wood burning gassification boiler. I will still have my wood stove for back up. We do get power outages up here and it happens more when it is -20 below zero and there is three feet of snow on the ground than in the summer. The people who make the gassification boiler say it runs best with 20-30% moisture content wood burned in it. Now I can tell if wood is dry. I have been looking at the cracks in the end of wood for a lot of years. Go through between 16-20 face cord a year. Just depends on the weather. But I can not tell if the wood is 15%, 20%,25%......... Can you do that without your meter? So what kind of a meter do you have man? Just curious. Oh, when does the "smug" factor for a moisture meter kick in. Is there a dollar amount on that? :cheese: Good to talk to ya man. How is the weather down in Texas? It has been doing nothing but raining up here and is about 45 Degrees right now. I have been to Dallas/Fort Worth area. Nice place. I have been to McCallen and Pharr. Can't remember if that is how you spell them. Have a good one man.
I suggest you not get into the smug factor for a moisture meter and put your money into a chain saw. A GOOD chainsaw.
Kenster,
:lol: Good to here from you man. Who is most people? Just so you know, I already own a chainsaw. In fact I have owned one for over 25 years. That's right, since I was about 18 years old. I am on my third one. Still keep one of the older ones for back-up. I also own a maul, two axes, a nice hatchet, and a serious, nicely weighted "pruning blade" as I like to call it. I have fell a few trees in my day. I have cut, blocked and split a lot of wood also. Just because I don't list my tools in my signature does not mean I don't have them. I am not a newby at this. Just new to wood burning boilers. I am not worrying about a moisture meter. I actually never said I was going to buy a $100 moisture meter. I just asked the question of Who makes a good moisture meter? I just did not want to get a peice of junk. See what I mean? You told all of us your $30 MM does just fine. I was just looking for you to share that and give me some guidance, that's it.
The only reason I am going to get a moisture meter is because I have moved to a wood burning gassification boiler. I will still have my wood stove for back up. We do get power outages up here and it happens more when it is -20 below zero and there is three feet of snow on the ground than in the summer. The people who make the gassification boiler say it runs best with 20-30% moisture content wood burned in it. Now I can tell if wood is dry. I have been looking at the cracks in the end of wood for a lot of years. Go through between 16-20 face cord a year. Just depends on the weather. But I can not tell if the wood is 15%, 20%,25%......... Can you do that without your meter? So what kind of a meter do you have man? Just curious. Oh, when does the "smug" factor for a moisture meter kick in. Is there a dollar amount on that? :cheese: Good to talk to ya man. How is the weather down in Texas? It has been doing nothing but raining up here and is about 45 Degrees right now. I have been to Dallas/Fort Worth area. Nice place. I have been to McCallen and Pharr. Can't remember if that is how you spell them. Have a good one man.
Oh, Kenster. I forgot to tell you. That looks like a nice Ford Tractor. My father has owed a 9N since I was a little kid. He must of had it for over 30 years. I was fortunate enough to work with it over the years. We did not have an arm on it for hauling logs though. That is a good idea. We had a brush hog(4'), and a York rake. Those are very handy for the road, parking lot, and I used it on many sections of my yard as I expanded over the years. He just recently decided to trade it in. It needed some serious brake work, and really needed an overhaul. Again. He did a completed overhaul on it with one of my older brothers about 15 years ago. But now he is 78 years old, and does not want to do that. So he traded it in on a slightly newer model. He bought a Ford Powermaster. Pretty similar, runs great. A guy down about 10 miles from our houses started buying old tractors and rebuilding them and then selling them. So he took the old 9n in on trade and my father has one that will start right up, run steady, and stop the way it should. What year is the 8N you have?
Gasifier, your reply made me go back and re-read my response to you. Damn! Did it really sound as arrogant to you and it does to me now? My apologies, my friend.
I guess I misjudged by the low number of posts and that no saws or equipment was posted in your signature list. I mistakenly assumed that you were a newbie willing to buy an expensive toy before you had the basic tools. Again. I apologize for that.
So, to answer your question... my Moisture Meter is a "General" that I bought at Lowes for $30. That is the current price, too.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_78059-56005...pl=1¤tURL;=/pl__0__s?Ntt=moisture+meter
I was told by another board member that, since these MMs are not made for cord wood, you have to adjust the percentage down by about 5 points.
So, if it reads 25%, the split is really closer to 20%. Now, I do not have a modern EPA stove. Mine is a 30 year old VC Vigilant. I love the thing and it is not so picky about the wood I feed it, but I still like to keep it at least in the low 20%. This little MC gizmo is handy, cheap, and gives me a ball park figure- close enough. I really don't know why anyone would want to spend a lot more money just to figure out the MC of firewood if one of these will get you there within a percentage point or two. You have a large acceptable spread (20% - 30%). This ought to work for you just fine.
Texas is beautiful for the past few days. We are in the midst of the worst drought in decades but we did get a little over an inch a couple of days ago. First measurable rain in months. We have a week coming up of lows in the 50s and highs in the low 80s. Just beautiful. We live about an hour west of Houston.
Cheers!
Ken
I guess I misjudged by the low number of posts and that no saws or equipment was posted in your signature list. I mistakenly assumed that you were a newbie willing to buy an expensive toy before you had the basic tools. Again. I apologize for that.
So, to answer your question... my Moisture Meter is a "General" that I bought at Lowes for $30. That is the current price, too.
http://www.lowes.com/pd_78059-56005...pl=1¤tURL;=/pl__0__s?Ntt=moisture+meter
I was told by another board member that, since these MMs are not made for cord wood, you have to adjust the percentage down by about 5 points.
So, if it reads 25%, the split is really closer to 20%. Now, I do not have a modern EPA stove. Mine is a 30 year old VC Vigilant. I love the thing and it is not so picky about the wood I feed it, but I still like to keep it at least in the low 20%. This little MC gizmo is handy, cheap, and gives me a ball park figure- close enough. I really don't know why anyone would want to spend a lot more money just to figure out the MC of firewood if one of these will get you there within a percentage point or two. You have a large acceptable spread (20% - 30%). This ought to work for you just fine.
Texas is beautiful for the past few days. We are in the midst of the worst drought in decades but we did get a little over an inch a couple of days ago. First measurable rain in months. We have a week coming up of lows in the 50s and highs in the low 80s. Just beautiful. We live about an hour west of Houston.
Cheers!
Ken
Gasifier said:
It's a 1952, just like me. I bought it about five years ago when we moved out to the country. It's a great tractor. It can sit for a few months during the winter and will fire right up the first time I try to start it.
I have a shredder (bush hog), a finish mower, a back blade, a two bottom plow, a dirt scoop, and a boom pole. I use all the implements. Well, I used the plow for one big job and now it just sits. Probably should sell it. It's a 1946 Fergusson two bottom plow. The boom pole is great to drag logs out of the woods.
It’s a 1952, just like me. I bought it about five years ago when we moved out to the country. It’s a great tractor. It can sit for a few months during the winter and will fire right up the first time I try to start it.
I have a shredder (bush hog), a finish mower, a back blade, a two bottom plow, a dirt scoop, and a boom pole. I use all the implements. Well, I used the plow for one big job and now it just sits. Probably should sell it. It’s a 1946 Fergusson two bottom plow. The boom pole is great to drag logs out of the woods.
Nice. That would be great for the three point on my fathers newer tractor. Did you buy that or make it? I can't see the specifics of how it is made in you picture. But that would help me considerably in bringing some logs out of my fathers land. You see, he owns about 80 acres of land. Mostly white and red pine. But the White Ash has come in on it's own over the years. It is free and burns well. The problem is the land is low in a lot of spots. Tough to get to in a truck. With one of those I could go where I want and bring the logs right to my house. He would be glad I was using it for something like that. Let me know. Thanks.
We actually had a few decent weather days last week. I had a chance to get the grass cut and the wife did some gardening. Now, it is back to rain. It has rained so much we are having a hard time getting the grass cut before it gets to long. Right now I am sipping a cold beer while watching the wood fire I am burning. Can you believe it? It is 40 degrees and raining right now. It has been so cold for the last 24 hours that I had to fire up the Super 27 so the oil boiler would not kick on. Get the chill and dampness out of the house. Good old northern N.Y. weather.
I have a shredder (bush hog), a finish mower, a back blade, a two bottom plow, a dirt scoop, and a boom pole. I use all the implements. Well, I used the plow for one big job and now it just sits. Probably should sell it. It’s a 1946 Fergusson two bottom plow. The boom pole is great to drag logs out of the woods.
Nice. That would be great for the three point on my fathers newer tractor. Did you buy that or make it? I can't see the specifics of how it is made in you picture. But that would help me considerably in bringing some logs out of my fathers land. You see, he owns about 80 acres of land. Mostly white and red pine. But the White Ash has come in on it's own over the years. It is free and burns well. The problem is the land is low in a lot of spots. Tough to get to in a truck. With one of those I could go where I want and bring the logs right to my house. He would be glad I was using it for something like that. Let me know. Thanks.
We actually had a few decent weather days last week. I had a chance to get the grass cut and the wife did some gardening. Now, it is back to rain. It has rained so much we are having a hard time getting the grass cut before it gets to long. Right now I am sipping a cold beer while watching the wood fire I am burning. Can you believe it? It is 40 degrees and raining right now. It has been so cold for the last 24 hours that I had to fire up the Super 27 so the oil boiler would not kick on. Get the chill and dampness out of the house. Good old northern N.Y. weather.
I know nothing about welding. I bought the pole at farm equipment consignment place. I think I paid $85 a few years ago. Very handy, not just for moving firewood but for lifting and moving all sorts of heavy things. You can buy them new pretty much anywhere, Tractor Supply etc. for about $100 or so. Nice tool to have around the place.
I know nothing about welding. I bought the pole at farm equipment consignment place. I think I paid $85 a few years ago. Very handy, not just for moving firewood but for lifting and moving all sorts of heavy things. You can buy them new pretty much anywhere, Tractor Supply etc. for about $100 or so. Nice tool to have around the place.
No kidding. I learn something new everyday. I did not know you could buy such a thing at a Tractor store. And that moisture meter is what I am talkin about cous. Looks like decent quality and not to expensive. I knew a guy who bought one off of E-bay one time. He said he got it for a steel. Only problem was it would read a moisture content about twice what the wood actually was. Don't ask me why. I will take a look the next time I am at Lowe's. Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. I gotta have one of those booms, and soon!
No kidding. I learn something new everyday. I did not know you could buy such a thing at a Tractor store. And that moisture meter is what I am talkin about cous. Looks like decent quality and not to expensive. I knew a guy who bought one off of E-bay one time. He said he got it for a steel. Only problem was it would read a moisture content about twice what the wood actually was. Don't ask me why. I will take a look the next time I am at Lowe's. Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. I gotta have one of those booms, and soon!
Here ya go, Gas. Current price at TSC is $120.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/agricu...ty-equipment/countyline-reg-boom-pole-2128147
http://www.tractorsupply.com/agricu...ty-equipment/countyline-reg-boom-pole-2128147
Gasifier.
I have 2 cheap MMs. One is a "Cen Tech digital mini" and the other is "Digital Moisture Meter JT-4G". Purchased both of them online....don't remember where exactly. Both of them read exactly the same. Seem to be pretty accurate based on wood I know is dry and wood that I know isn't.
I have 2 cheap MMs. One is a "Cen Tech digital mini" and the other is "Digital Moisture Meter JT-4G". Purchased both of them online....don't remember where exactly. Both of them read exactly the same. Seem to be pretty accurate based on wood I know is dry and wood that I know isn't.
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