500-62201-001 Rev. M Page 30 of 33
Note: If you’re measuring a door that has a plastic laminate or
Formica-type laminate, the Formica laminate is going to have
its own density, which is going to affect the reading of the
meter. You can determine the variance caused by the laminate
by first measuring only the core and then the core with the
laminate. For example, if the core measures 12% without the
laminate and 13.5% with, you will then know to correct your
readings of the combined material by 1.5%.
Q: Will Wagner Hand-Held Moisture Meters work the
same on rough lumber as they do on smooth clean
lumber?
A:
There are little fibers in very rough material that actually
allow a minute layer of air between the meter and the main
body of the wood. However, this should not materially affect
the reading, or if it does, only slightly lower.
Note: It’s important on rough material to use some pressure
and force the meter down firmly against the wood.
Occasionally, the measurement of exceptionally rough
material may necessitate adding 1 to 2% to get an accurate
reading.
Q: Can you check moisture content of plywood, particle
board or wafer board with hand-held meters?
A:
Because of the glues and mixed species nature of these
materials, it is very difficult to take reliable moisture readings
with pin-type or Wagner Hand-Held Moisture Meters.
Note: However, if you would like to work up your own
calibrations for materials you use repetitively, you can contact
Wagner for guidelines and suggestions.
Q: Does it matter which way you set a Wagner Hand-Held
Moisture Meter on the wood? Cross grain, with the grain,
or at an angle?
A:
Because Wagner Hand-Held Moisture Meters use
advanced electro-magnetic wave technology, they are
completely unaffected by orientation on the wood.
Q: Are the readings that I take with my Wagner Hand-Held
Moisture Meter affected by the temperature of the wood
like those taken with a pin-type meter? What about frozen
wood?
A:
Unlike pin-type meters which require corrections for
temperatures above or below 70 degrees F, the readings on
the Wagner Hand-Held Moisture Meter are essentially
unaffected by the temperature of the wood. Moisture content
can accurately be measured as soon as the hot wood is taken
out of the kiln. When the same wood is measured hours later,
again with the Wagner Hand-Held Moisture Meter, the
readings stay consistently the same, unless the wood
continues to dry during the cooling process.
For frozen wood, as long as the moisture content of the wood
you are measuring is below 15%, you can get reliable
readings. When moisture content readings in frozen wood
exceed 15%, you will need to make corrections.
Q: How rugged are the Wagner Hand-Held Moisture
Meters? Are they too delicate to be used on an abusive
production line?
