Wood moisture meter for testing bud water content?

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
I saw this thing online about a guy testing his buds with a wood moisture meter. Ya know, the kind people use to measure water content in lumber or firewood and such. So he goes on saying that dried bud should read 10-12 % water. I found this kinda strange for some reason. Mostly cause 12% seems a little to dry? Has anyone around here actually used this method?? Or is it just another nutjob on you tube?? I'm curious to hear replies on this lol.
 

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
That is rather interesting. So it must really be a thing huh? Seems pretty accurate if it matches close to his state testing guidelines?
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
Awesome, do you measure right after you chop also? If so what's the percentage of fresh cut? Do you test after its cured? I'm going to have to try this then! :bigjoint: bongsmilie
Not really any need to measure after the chop... you know its wet, so really no point in it. After the cure, you're going to see readings in the 8-9% range. You gotta have a little moisture in there, otherwise, it'll turn to dust. We keep our inventory in a controlled environment at ~60% rh, and 65 degrees. (this is for trim and C buds),.. our A and B buds are in a CureTube in the same room, and after you get it locked in at ~61%rh, it'll stay there for a loooong time, as long as keep the conditions the same. It's like a big humidor.
 

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
Not really any need to measure after the chop... you know its wet, so really no point in it. After the cure, you're going to see readings in the 8-9% range. You gotta have a little moisture in there, otherwise, it'll turn to dust. We keep our inventory in a controlled environment at ~60% rh, and 65 degrees. (this is for trim and C buds),.. our A and B buds are in a CureTube in the same room, and after you get it locked in at ~61%rh, it'll stay there for a loooong time, as long as keep the conditions the same. It's like a big humidor.
Right On man, I have always done it by feel. I have only lost a few quart jars to moldy bud in a span of years and upwards of hundred or more jars. So I'm confident in my basically "go by feel and snappiness of branch" approach to drying. But drying in a regular household in summer runs 60-65 % humidity at no more than 75 F for 6-8 days in a dark room. But in the winter Jan. Feb. my buds drying are turning to dust at Just 4 days in the same room, and were un-curable but still jarred and was still F-in Fire. But the outdoor humidity is way lower because of the frigid temperatures in mid winter. That's why I think I will utilize this method for the winter indoor crop moisture test. Thanks for sharing your Info!! :D bongsmilie
 

MidnightSun72

Well-Known Member
Ya I got one of those wood moisture meters for this 11-12% is the number as already mentioned in this thread. I got one that does moisture with the prongs and without. But I think with the prongs it's better. But you gotta use a bud big enough to span the prongs. Lol.
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
Right On man, I have always done it by feel. I have only lost a few quart jars to moldy bud in a span of years and upwards of hundred or more jars. So I'm confident in my basically "go by feel and snappiness of branch" approach to drying. But drying in a regular household in summer runs 60-65 % humidity at no more than 75 F for 6-8 days in a dark room. But in the winter Jan. Feb. my buds drying are turning to dust at Just 4 days in the same room, and were un-curable but still jarred and was still F-in Fire. But the outdoor humidity is way lower because of the frigid temperatures in mid winter. That's why I think I will utilize this method for the winter indoor crop moisture test. Thanks for sharing your Info!! :D bongsmilie
I can imagine how hard it would be to dry and cure without a controlled enviro. After the chop, we run the dry room at 65 degrees and 60% RH for about a week, and then drop the RH to 53-55% for another week, then buck off, run it through the trimmers, hand finish, and then store them in the CureTubes for another month before we release anything on the market. Testing is done right after the trimming is finished.
 

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
I can imagine how hard it would be to dry and cure without a controlled enviro. After the chop, we run the dry room at 65 degrees and 60% RH for about a week, and then drop the RH to 53-55% for another week, then buck off, run it through the trimmers, hand finish, and then store them in the CureTubes for another month before we release anything on the market. Testing is done right after the trimming is finished.
Oh yes, but I got the feel for knowing when their dry enough really quickly after my first year of growing and curing. It was so Heartbreaking to lose even a half ounce of bud in a curing jar, But about 4 of them my first season. After That I Swore I would perfect the mason jar method. As I'm just a home grower. I Learned quickly LMAO :bigjoint: it's just the winter drying that seems to get my herb to dry to quick. And what is a CureTube btw, just curious?
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
Oh yes, but I got the feel for knowing when their dry enough really quickly after my first year of growing and curing. It was so Heartbreaking to lose even a half ounce of bud in a curing jar, But about 4 of them my first season. After That I Swore I would perfect the mason jar method. As I'm just a home grower. I Learned quickly LMAO :bigjoint: it's just the winter drying that seems to get my herb to dry to quick. And what is a CureTube btw, just curious?
CureTubes... they hold about 5-6lbs each, and have a dry erase notepad on the lid.F1EB1A6B-15A0-49CE-AE3E-EB89F4D0B87B.jpeg35C2522A-48AF-423E-A5A2-6E5114625E71.jpegD959C55C-21D3-4F51-A5A8-93D310415D67.jpeg
 
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2com

Well-Known Member
So he goes on saying that dried bud should read 10-12 % water. I found this kinda strange for some reason. Mostly cause 12% seems a little to dry?
I might be because you're thinking of RH numbers and this moisture content number sounds much lower. It's a different measurement/metric.

I looked into these meters some, after asking @DoubleAtotheRON about if he used one. For woodworking, at least, the cheap pin meters aren't that great and the pinless - quality brands are much better.
But for our use, a pin model, where we can stick the pinks right into the bud, should work good. At least another useful indicator to go off.

Was it the harvest helper video you came across?
 

Zephyrs

Well-Known Member
For a home grower, I think they make just the lid that fits a 5 gallon bucket. Otherwise, these are $265 each shipped. I worked a deal with CureTube in CA to ship me a pallet of 34 of them. This brought the cost down to $125 a unit shipped. I sold all but 9 of them.
www.thecuretube.com
Right O Buddy! But after I saw the pics of them. I just thought to myself, why I can't just make 1 outta a clean 5 gallon bucket wi a lid, and install a silicone in hydrometer on the lid myself :confused:.?! Or do peeps do this all the time, and I just haven't seen it from the big rock I live under??:blsmoke:
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
Right O Buddy! But after I saw the pics of them. I just thought to myself, why I can't just make 1 outta a clean 5 gallon bucket wi a lid, and install a silicone in hydrometer on the lid myself :confused:.?! Or do peeps do this all the time, and I just haven't seen it from the big rock I live under??:blsmoke:
I don't see any reason why you couldn't do that. Mine have some sort of silver lining in them.. not even really sure what it is, but as long as your bucket and lid are dark colored, It should work fine. If you don't like curing in plastic, we got some 2.5 gallon glass jars for our personal grow that we got off of Amz.... we just put them in the cure room cuz it's dark in there, and we already have the right conditions.
 

2com

Well-Known Member
Right O Buddy! But after I saw the pics of them. I just thought to myself, why I can't just make 1 outta a clean 5 gallon bucket wi a lid, and install a silicone in hydrometer on the lid myself :confused:.?! Or do peeps do this all the time, and I just haven't seen it from the big rock I live under??:blsmoke:
Derrick something, on youtube. DIY self curing buckets, or something like that. Lemme know if you can't find it.
Also, maybe those large diameter cardboard tubes they use for forming concrete into cylinders. Maybe look into that?

Edit: Derrick Gilman?

He uses a timer. I'd consider using an inkbird humidity controller maybe.



OR this link, https://nsfwyoutube.com/watchmore?v=Jho0qeTUZnA (If you don't wanna have to sign in to watch a video of a man calmly talking about putting plants in a bucket. Click the red "Here" text if the first player doesn't.)
 
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