Protimeter TimberMaster
The Protimeter TimberMaster is a pin moisture meter built for the timber industry. It is a resistance meter with eight built-in calibration scales covering 150 timber species, so a reading can be corrected for the species in front of you rather than quoted against a generic scale.
It is a purchase-to-order line at Carpet Cleaners Warehouse.
What is in the box
- TimberMaster instrument
- Heavy duty moisture probe (BLD5060)
- Pin calibration check and two spare pins
- Wood calibration chart
- Zip pouch
- Instructions and 9 V battery
How this differs from the version with the temperature probe
This is the same instrument without the plug-in temperature sensor, so readings are not automatically corrected for timber temperature. That is not a limitation indoors at stable temperature. It matters when stock is measured cold and again warm, because resistance readings shift with temperature. The version with the temperature probe handles that automatically, and the sensor (BLD5059) can also be added later — it fits the TimberMaster and nothing else in the Protimeter range.
Applications
- Incoming timber inspection and quality control
- Timber flooring installation, checking equilibrium before laying
- Joinery, cabinetmaking and furniture manufacture
- Structural timber assessment on restoration jobs
Reading timber correctly
Species matters. The same electrical resistance means a different moisture content in different timbers, which is why the instrument carries calibration scales rather than one universal scale. Select the scale for the species in front of you before recording a figure.
Temperature matters too. Resistance-based readings drift with the temperature of the timber, and a reading taken on cold stock in winter is not directly comparable with one taken in a heated workshop.
Readings above roughly 30% are relative rather than absolute. Above fibre saturation the scale still tells you the timber is wet and still tracks the direction of drying, which is what matters when monitoring stock.
Specifications
Taken from the TimberMaster instruction manual, INS5605 Rev D.
| Pin moisture range | 7.9% to 99% moisture content in wood / %WME (readings above 30% are relative) |
|---|---|
| Maximum needle depth | 10 mm |
| Calibration scales | Eight scales covering 150 timber species |
| Operating conditions | 0°C to 50°C, 0–90% RH non-condensing |
| Display | Backlit LCD |
| Buzzer | Audible key tone and measurement indication, user configurable |
| Power | 9 V alkaline, 550 mAh, low-battery indication on display |
| Size | 190 × 65 × 35 mm |
| Gross weight | 228 g without battery |
| Regulatory compliance | CE, RoHS, ETL |
| Warranty | 24 months on the instrument. Excludes wear on accessories and consumables |
Compatible accessories
- Heavy duty hammer electrode (BLD5055) — drives insulated pins into structural timber and hardwood to read below the surface
- Heavy duty moisture probe (BLD5060)
- Deep wall probes 127 mm (BLD5018)
- Mini extension pin probe (BLD5079)
- Calcheck calibration check device (BLD5086)
- Temperature sensor (BLD5059) — TimberMaster only, it fits no other Protimeter instrument
Calibration
Pin accuracy can be checked in the field at any time with the Calcheck device. For a documented conformance certificate, twelve months is a sensible starting interval, adjusted to your own work environment and quality procedures. Certification is available in Australia.
Care and maintenance
- Refit the pin cap after every use — bent pins are the most common reason an instrument comes in for service
- Check pin readings against a Calcheck device (BLD5086) before any job where the reading will be reported to a third party
- Remove the battery before extended storage
- Clean pins and housing with a dry cloth. No solvents on the display
Documents
- TimberMaster instruction manual (INS5605 Rev D, February 2018) — covers BLD5605 and BLD5609
- Wood calibration tables (INS003 Rev C)
Protimeter has since released a Bluetooth TimberMaster (BLD5675) which is a different instrument with its own manual. The manual above is the correct document for the meters on this page.
Not sure whether you need temperature correction, or which probe suits the timber you handle? Contact Carpet Cleaners Warehouse before ordering.
