Woodworkers Use Technology to Work Smarter
Woodworking has always been about the skill of your hands, but today it’s also about the technology at your fingertips.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a passionate hobbyist, digital tools can make your work easier. This article looks at how woodworkers use smartphones and apps to work more efficiently.
- Mobile Devices Improve Life and Work
- Smartphone App with Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) Calculator
Every woodworker, professional and hobbyist alike, has a set of tools for cutting, planing, drilling, shaping, and sanding.
But many of today’s woodworkers also carry a few more “tools”: smartphones, tablets, and laptops. With these devices, woodworkers can work smarter and faster.
The smartphone in particular has changed how many woodworkers work. Today’s smartphones are phones, digital cameras, video cameras, GPS navigation units, and web browsers all in one.
Woodworkers use them to quickly access woodworking calculators, view project plans and designs, and find the nearest hardware store.
Mobile Devices Improve Life and Work
Here are just a few ways smartphones and tablets help professional woodworkers (and, in many cases, hobbyists too):
- Take before-and-after photos for customers, which show the value of the work.
- Take photos of broken parts or unusual repair conditions and send them back to the shop for a consultation, or so someone can verify a part number and order it, saving an extra trip.
- Make customer presentations that are interactive, visually appealing, and easy to share.
- Use web-based project management tools to stay on top of projects, track time, and meet deadlines. These tools also make it easy to share information and collaborate, and customers can even get updates on a project’s progress.
One of the most useful features of smartphones and tablets is apps. Apps provide handy utilities, such as calculators and reference tools.
There are also apps for project plans, design tools, and video libraries, along with apps for conversions, math and reference material, nail and screw size guides, joint types, decimal-to-fraction conversions, angle finding, wood comparisons, and much more.
There are even apps that turn your smartphone into a level.
Many apps for DIYers and contractors are free, and many others cost just a few dollars.
Free Download – Is a Pin or Pinless Moisture Meter Best For You?
Smartphone App with Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) Calculator
One app built specifically for people who work with wood is the Wagner Meters WoodH2O app. It’s free and works on both iPhone and Android.
The WoodH2O app includes an EMC calculator: enter the temperature and relative humidity, and it calculates the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of wood in those conditions. It also has a wood moisture content calculator and an EMC reference tool, plus links to species settings, manuals, and other wood moisture resources.
EMC is the moisture content at which wood neither gains nor loses moisture in its surrounding air.
Why is knowing the EMC important?
Wood constantly takes on and gives off moisture as it moves toward equilibrium with the relative humidity around it. As wood gains moisture, it swells. As it loses moisture, it shrinks, which can open joints or cause cracks.
Very high or very low humidity can cause lasting damage to fine woodwork.
Work with wood once its MC matches the EMC where it will be used
When the wood’s moisture content is close to the EMC for the place where the finished piece will live, it will stay much more stable after you build with it. A wood moisture meter tells you when the wood is there.
It’s Never Too Late
Technology keeps changing quickly, and woodworkers who aren’t using these devices yet may want to take a second look at how they can help them work better and faster.
These tools don’t replace craftsmanship; they support it.
If you’re new to wood moisture meters, our guide on how to use a moisture meter can help you get started.
Tony Morgan is a senior technician for Wagner Meters, where he serves on a team for product testing, development, and also customer service and training for moisture measurement products. Along with 19 years field experience for a number of electronics companies, Tony holds a B.A. in Management and his AAS in Electronics Technology.
Last updated on October 13th, 2026
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