MC meter what ya got in your tool box?

[John Malone]

Hey guys, ive got a mc meter but its the two prong type and it will leave two fang marks in the wood. Don't think i could use it once a bow gets down toward finished dimensions. Probably could in the handle area. Any way just curios as to what you fellows use. Or who does it the old school way?

[Crooked Stic]

That one will not give you a good reading anyhow.  To properly measure MC you need to know the speciic gravity of your wood and a meter that can calibrate to it. .The Wagoner MC220 meter does this not cheap though.  web page

[Forwardhandle]

I bought one of the noninvasive ones that shoot a small signal in the wood its ok but I dont trust any of them I went back to just weighting the wood I have been bringing my staves that im going to work with in the house and hang them on the wall for about a year or so ,white wood for about 6 months to a year & osage I try to go 2 years or more I write the weights on the side with marker , I had the 2 prong one it never worked for me !

[Pat B]

I bought a pin type moisture meter years ago and ended up giving it away. I go by feel now, how the bow reacts when bent and recovers. I also start with well seasoned wood.

[John Malone]

I aged this one in another mans utility room for 2 years it should be good. I have some ideas from the Amish about future staves.

[Crooked Stic]

Ok here is what happened to me recently. The yellowheart tested with a pin meter good. After glued to G10 it moved. An opinion of a well known bowyer it had to be a moisture issue and he turned me on to the MC220 yhat he uses. that checks your wood by specific gravity.
 
 

[Wolftrail]

Never used a meter for my hobbies only in commercial applications.

The old school way for me is  months after drying wood I simply cut a sliver off one end and roll the sawdust between my fingers.  If the sawdust falls off in a dusty formation she's good to go.  If it clumps somewhat its probably over 12% MC.
Had lots of experience drying my own and Kiln-Dried.

[BMorv]

I have a cheap pin type and like others have said it isn’t accurate. And good luck sticking that pin in ipe.  
I use it for rough measurements when cutting something soaking wet.  So once it gets to around 20-30% you can put it in a hot box and speed up drying safety.  It will never be accurate enough to tell the difference between 8 and 12%.   When I’m about to work something, I throw it in the hot box for a week or so and keep it in there while I’m working it.  It’s too humid in my area to leave it in unconditioned areas.  
What’s that you made with yellow heart, crooked stick?  Looks cool.  Just bought 5 more boards of it.  It’s my favorite exotic.

[John Malone]

Thanks guys.

[mwosborn]

I have one I will sell you!    :D

[Crooked Stic]

One what you will sell?

[mwosborn]

I have a Delmhorst J-Lite I believe.  Bought it when I first started cutting wood to make selfbows about 10 years ago and really never have used it much.  As per the posts on this thread, not sure how well they really work.  I used it early on to measure "relative" moisture as a stave dried out.

[mikkekeswick]

Cut a small sample off the wood you intend to use. Weigh it accurately. Dry in either a microwave (short 20 second bursts) or an oven to zero % moisture content.
Weigh again.
Workl out water %age.
Simple, highly accurate and nothing to go wrong.
When making selfbows feel is good enough but when making a wood jigsaw you'd better be certain your wood is dry enough or else there will be delamination in your future!

[JamesV]

I had some 1 1/2 X 1 1/2 X 18" turning blanks that I dried in the freezer.

James

[Roy from Pa]

I use the pin type on the material before I start the bow. After that I don't use it anymore. My shop is very dry.

[Eric Krewson]

I have a Wagner pinless, I use it often as I store my wood under the house in a crawlspace where wood never dries out all the way. My Wagner is fool proof, dead on, if it says my wood is 12% (the local ambient) I know it is ready to make a bow out of.

I gave $100 for my meter 20 years ago, I had it refurbished by Wagner a couple of years ago for $90. The same type meter is pretty pricey now.

I can't count the times someone would give me what they said was dry, seasoned wood, my Wagner would say "not so" and was right every time.

[fujimo]

i have a pin type from Lee valley.
i find it extremely accurate and consistent.
 there is an adjustment chart- and its easy to use.
although the pins have to be properly sunk into the material for optimal accuracy.

having said that, i would love a pinless wagner!!
best there is- just pricey- but i would believe worth every cent!

[BMorv]

I might try that method, mikkekeswick.  How do you know when it's at zero %?

[BMorv]

Oh just thought about it.  You can check the weight until it doesn't change.      

[John Malone]

I have a good postal scale, that should work right.