Does anynone know what this is?

[+Mega Scooter]

Does anyone know what this is? I found it near a rain gage at the Rustlers Peak Lookout Tower site. It has four sticks on a balance beam with a pointer. There are one unit graduations from one to fifty from bottom to top, and the units get closer together as the numbers get higher. I’m trying to convince myself that it measures humidity, the more humid the air the heavier the sticks get. No, I don’t believe that for a minute. What is this really and how does it work?

MS

 

[+jwahl]

My guess is that it is probably a device for measuring the moisture content of wood (duff and fuels) used in assessing fire danger.

 

So not exactly air humidity, but similar.

 

- jlw

Edited August 29, 2009 by jwahl

[foxtrot_xray]

Look like Jwahl got it right.

 

Looks kinda like this, which is a Forester Fuel Moisture Scale model 121552. It was non-existant in google searches, except for one incomplete PDF from the Forest Service here: Part 1, Part 2.

 

neat little measuring tool!

[+pgrig]

And just when I thought this group would roll snake eyes in the crap game of arcane information... Wow!

-Paul

[+jwahl]

Here it is at Forestry Supply

 

Fuel Moisture Scale Forestry Supply Catalog

 

Shown in box on page 49 of this pdf

 

Instruments Manual

 

- jlw

Edited August 30, 2009 by jwahl

[+billwallace]

Cool, calibrated sticks.

[+Mega Scooter]

Thanks foxtrot xray and jwahl. You guys are two of the many reasons why I love this Forum. The problem I was having was; it hadn’t occurred to me that you could take the sticks off the scale and expose them to the environment. I guess the numbers indicate percent moisture. Mystery solved.

MS

[foxtrot_xray]

Thanks foxtrot xray and jwahl. You guys are two of the many reasons why I love this Forum. The problem I was having was; it hadn’t occurred to me that you could take the sticks off the scale and expose them to the environment. I guess the numbers indicate percent moisture. Mystery solved.

MS

 

Strange mechanical devices like that intrigue me, so when JWhal mentioned what it may be for, I dug around.

 

Personally, the weighted 'calibrated' sticks and all is a darn nifty idea.

[Wintertime]

Here it is at Forestry Supply

 

Fuel Moisture Scale Forestry Supply Catalog

"Ten-Hour Fuel Moisture Sticks"? Please tell me that doesn't mean you have to run out and change them 2.4 times a day...

 

Patty

[+Mega Scooter]

Here it is at Forestry Supply

 

Fuel Moisture Scale Forestry Supply Catalog

"Ten-Hour Fuel Moisture Sticks"? Please tell me that doesn't mean you have to run out and change them 2.4 times a day...

 

Patty

Hi Patty,

 

I found the sticks on the scale at the unoccupied LOT. I think they put them into the environment for ten or so hours until they reach equilibrium and then weigh them.

 

MS

[+jwahl]

One use schema I can imagine is that these are used to evaluate whether conditions are safe for a prescribed burn. That would be a go or no-go evaluation.

 

I can also imagine that during fire season the 'stick's' could be put down on their little stand most of the time. When a reading is desired, someone picks them up, weighs them on the scale, enters it into a log like other weather measurements and then puts the sticks back onto their ground stand. Nothing to keep you from doing that every hour if you wanted to.

Edited August 31, 2009 by jwahl

[+Klemmer]

Wow. You guys are awesome!

 

And did you notice there are now fancy electronic instruments to do the same thing now? Sometimes the old way is easier..... (or at least less expensive).