They’re also referred to as “non-damaging meters” because there is no need to penetrate the wood. No damage is necessary for an accurate reading. Selecting the right moisture meter for your woodworking needs is essential to ensure the quality and integrity of your work. Consider factors such as the type of wood you typically work with, your budget, and the desired depth and accuracy of measurement. And, depending on where you store your wood, its temperature can also affect a meter’s reading. Again, not with Orion meters which are virtually unaffected by temperature changes. Pinless meters provide non-invasive, comprehensive moisture readings, while pin meters leave holes in the wood.

Wood temperature had a small effect on this meter’s readings. At a low wood temperature of 33.6° F in the presence of low MC, the reading did not change at all when compared to the room temperature reading. At a high wood temperature of 110° F in the presence of high MC, the reading increased by about 0.7% MC.Scan the target area with the Orion 950 and press the “ON/HOLD” button when you want to send a reading to the FloorSmart or Woodshop MC app. Manufactured in the USA. This meter is unlikely to malfunction or break with normal use. Comfort – 4.0 out of 5.0 Open the FloorSmart or Woodshop MC app and enter a new job description or choose a current job to edit. Founder Delmer Wagner built his first moisture detector while working at a sawmill. His model was more compact and reliable—and cost less to manufacture. He began Wagner Electronics in 1965 with his second-generation in-line moisture detector. Wagner did more than design a more effective moisture detector. He revolutionized how mills could use them to improve kiln operations.

One of the stand-out features of this moisture meter is that it comes with an effective drywall function that can be used for measuring the moisture content in the subflooring. This meter requires minimal use of the manual to become familiar with how to operate it. The manual itself and the species settings booklet provide excellent documentation for resolving issues while using the Orion 910. Quality – 5.0 out of 5.0 Say you store your wood outside or someplace where it gets wet. That surface moisture will significantly skew the results of other meters. But Wagner’s IntelliSense™ technology in the 910, 930, 940 and 950 models, minimizes the effect of surface moisture so you have a better idea of the actual moisture content IN the wood. Just wipe off any standing water, wait 60 seconds and take your readings. Wood moisture meters measure the moisture content in wood by using two main technologies: Pinless and Pin-Type. Pinless moisture meters work with electromagnetic wave technology and don’t physically damage the surface. Pin-type moisture meters use resistance technologies and require two pins to penetrate the wood’s surface. Pin meters can be affected by variations in the natural chemical composition of different wood species, while density variations in the wood can impact pinless meters.The Wagner moisture meters in my area are about 10 years old. We run 10,000 to 15,000 board feet a day across them. They are key to our operation because if we get a wet piece with a dry piece, it will come apart or swell differently which will warp the panel. We use them to weed out the problems. Dean Churchill Moisture meters are key to assessing wood condition, including framing, floors, walls, and ceilings. Both pin and pinless meters are effective, but the choice depends on the acceptable invasiveness. The typical EMC to which wood will be exposed ranges from 7% to 19%. However, that’s too large a range to accept for a specific project. What we found was that the readings were reliable enough to determine the moisture content of the wood, with the device working within 0.1 increments. If they choose a Wagner meter, we often direct them to our local distributor partner nearest them. Buying a Wagner meter isn’t a transaction to us. It’s the start of a broader conversation. We want them to have close access to in-person training and support.