Moisture meters which to buy?

[Bushmiller]

Those corrections are for a specific meter.



The CSIRO tested 6 different meters and found that corrections of as much as 6% are needed for other meters on Australian trees.

Bob

I didn't look too deeply into the detail there and I have to say that the tables I use are in the "Australian Timber Seasoning Manual," which is a publication produced by the Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Corporation.

I would expect most tables to be similar for electrical resistence meters, but perhaps that is where the difference in price rears it's ugly head.

I recommend the above publication, but have to point out it has a level of complexity that is unwarranted for people like ourselves as hobby woodworkers, timber millers and dryers. However, it covers all bases from air drying to solar through to high temperature kilns and even includes various drying schedules for the latter.

One point on air drying is that it takes an extraordinary amount of time and during that time the MC will probably go up and down a little particularly in the later stages. The common chorus is that you should allow one year of drying for every inch of timber thickness. Clearly that is dependent on where you live. It is just not going to work in Darwin. It may rot before it drys. The Gold Coast is going to be more problematical than where I live 200Km inland.

The other factor is that the drying process needs to be even if we are going to produce useable timber. As the thickness of the timber increases, the distance between boards (ie thickness of the stickers) in a stack needs to decrease. The importance of airflow and drainage through the stack cannot be over emphasised.

Regards
Paul

[section1]

In all honesty I have not had a problem air drying, I have left timbers up to 4 years to dry and I'm referring to slabs up to 3" thick then I bring it into the shop and don't get around to it sometimes for a further 6 months so it's well acclimated and I know it is dry. I'm not in a hurry when it comes to slabs that I get fairly cheap I mean you just can't pass up on a good looking cheap slab but I am just a tad worried about this new place I purchased new stock from. Sometimes people just give off a bad vibe and suspicion kicks in but once more it's so beautiful looking that I just couldn't resist.

[Bushmiller]

In all honesty I have not had a problem air drying, I have left timbers up to 4 years to dry and I'm referring to slabs up to 3" thick then I bring it into the shop and don't get around to it sometimes for a further 6 months so it's well acclimated and I know it is dry. I'm not in a hurry when it comes to slabs that I get fairly cheap I mean you just can't pass up on a good looking cheap slab but I am just a tad worried about this new place I purchased new stock from. Sometimes people just give off a bad vibe and suspicion kicks in but once more it's so beautiful looking that I just couldn't resist.

I have never been to the Gold Coast, although that is to be rectified this July when our group at work is taking four days for a retirement party for one of our number: No not me, this bloke is really old .

If your drying technique is working, you are clearly doing something right. Don't change anything.

Regards
Paul

[section1]

That's exactly right I have reverted to many things I have done in the past because it works for me, I don't think I have anything to do with the drying process but thankfully no issues.