Owner`s manual

Species Corrections
The dry specific gravity (density) values for a species are based on
the best, current world data, and are used to determine the species
correction factor within the meter. The values provide average
density values for the species. A coefficient of variation (COV) of
about 10% describes the variability inherent in many common
domestic (US) species.
If the specific gravity of your lumber cannot be found with the
resources listed above or you are dealing with an unknown species,
the value may be determined by referring to the “Determining the
Specific Gravity” section of this manual. Additional resources are: the
Forest Products Lab at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/
and the Wood
Handbook at
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fplgtr/fplgtr113/fplgtr113.htm
Wagner hand-meters can be used to measure non-wood materials if
the density is similar to wood products. Non-wood species can be
measured by using the meter reading as a relative value such as in
“go/no-go” applications, or when determining if one measurement
area contains more moisture than another, i.e. measurements that
do not require a high absolute accuracy. SG formulas can’t be
applied to non-solid wood species due to the presence of glues and
resins, which cause a non-linear moisture content curve. If greater
accuracy is required, the ASTM oven-dry procedure can be used to
determine a meter correction value for non-solid woods.
Please contact Wagner Meters at [phone] for additional
information on species corrections if needed.
Checking the Moisture Content in Veneer
You can check the moisture content of veneer with your Wagner
hand-held moisture meter as follows:
1. Put veneer into a tight stack of at least 1 inch, and separate the
stack by at least 3 inch to 4 inch from the rest of the stack.
Measuring a stack less than the scan depth of the meter will give you
a reading that is lower than the true moisture reading. Refer to the
species setting table for the wood you are using.
2. Electro Static Discharge (ESD) needs to be prevented, as
Wagner’s warranty doesn’t cover ESD damage. The instruments are
tested to withstand a 15 KV static charge but not the typical 150 -
250 KV found in a veneer charge. The veneer table should be earth
grounded with a metal wand attached by wire to the table. The wand
must then be run up and down the edge of a veneer stack to
discharge static, or the person using the moisture meter must have a
Velcro wrist band with a tethered strap which is grounded.
These same static precautions apply to lumber moving from a
planer; the hand-meter is not an in-line measurement system. This
unit is meant to check lumber while stationary.
If these guidelines are adhered to, the risk of ESD damage to your
moisture meter is greatly reduced or eliminated. Please call the
factory if you have any questions or concerns about this information.
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