Moisture Meter

[PaulP]

As I am new to primitive archery I am trying to gather the needed tools.   Presently I am in search of a moisture meter.  What should I be looking for in the meter I purchase?    Any and all suggestions would be helpful.   

Thanks,

Paul

[Pat B]

Paul, A moisture meter isn't necessary to build wood bows. I bought one years ago and rarely use it. After you get a few bows under your belt and become a little more familiar with the feel and sounds of the wood you will be able to tell if a stave is dry enough to stress or just reduce and wait for it to dry more. Having a good stock pile of bow wood will keep you from being bored waiting for one stave to dry.
We are coming to the dry part of the season so wood drying will happen quicker and stay dryer than in the summer.     Pat

[PaulP]

Thanks; so I really don't need one?

Paul

[DanaM]

Your money would be better spent on something else.

[cowboy]

Like Pat and Dana, you really don't need one - don't think them primitive's used em hehe. You can work your staves down quite a bit and just let them cure for awhile in a dry place. If you can find some kind of fairly accurate scale (I use a digital postal scale) and weigh them every few days - when they stop loosing weight - they should be dry.

[adb]

Hi,
Like everyone else said, give it some thought, but if you're set on having a moisture meter, check out Lee Valley Tools. www.leevalley.com. They have a good quality one, and it's about $95.