After reading through many pages and reviews, etc, I chose to buy a PCE-PMI 2 moisture meter. I'm wondering if anybody here has experience with their meters?
I normally buy KD lumber. If I suspect that the wood wasn't dried properly I'll check with a moisture meter. Mine is a "General" brand that one of the kids got me for $10 from Lowes.
Is the meter accurate? I have no clue. However what I do is to check a piece of lumber that has been in the shop for a while. Then I check the suspect piece. If they are within a couple of tenths, all is cool. If not, then I'll let the suspect piece reach equilibrium in the shop.
The meter has probably been used 2 or 3 times in a dozen years. I've since learned that the number doesn't mean as much as equilibrium.
Just trying to save you money. Let the wood that you buy sit in the shop for 3-4 weeks. Unless it was very green the KD wood should have reached equilibrium.
If you are a turner, you may need the meter.
Also what I was trying to say is that the numbers are far less than equilibrium.
Well, I've done without a moisture meter for the 27 years that I have been a professional woodworker. I have chosen to get one now for various reasons, I was not seeking opinions on whether or not to get one. I also don't really think that your experience with a $10 General meter is anything to judge by.
Anyway, I asked a very specific question because I was really trying to avoid having to read through irrelevant responses. Alas, it never works.
After reading the manual, I can see why you chose this meter, simple to use, non destructive, uses pre set codes for various materials, and reads moisture almost 2" deep. And the price is excellent too.
I am hoping it lives up to its billing. Not being a big box item, I figure it's a long shot that anyone here has used their meters at all, but you never know.
I hope you’ll come back and let us know how that meter works. I had been looking at non-destructive meters for a while, but even the pricey ones didn’t reach deeper than 3/4 or so and that’s not useful on a 3” square turning blank. Not only that, but the first 3/4 of an inch is likely to be drier than the middle.
Anyway, I hope it works out. Please keep us posted.
Quickstep, I had been asked to build a couple of shelves for a woman whose whole family played music. They had baskets of music books lying around and she wanted to get them off the floor. She asked me to do something 'fun'.
Thanks! It is my 'claim to fame'. A photo of it from my website went viral, years ago, and it's been seen and shared by millions of people. I get emails from all over the world about it. It's been featured in 3 magazines, 2 online and 1 in print. The thing is, the beautiful side photo that went viral causes almost everyone to think it is a bench.
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