I want to turn a cool looking toolbox into a humidor. I had a couple questions about humidors that I was hoping you guys could help me out with. Firstly does anyone know where to buy Spanish cedar, and does it have to be kiln dried or can I bake myself? If I can’t find Spanish cedar are there other woods I can use that have similar qualities? Any other tips would be greatly appreciated!!
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Building a humidor
- Thread starter Brother.Dain
- Start date
PetersCreek
Brother Borealis
Bell Forest Products is but one vendor of Spanish cedar. Unless you're buying green from a mill, lumber is normally sold after drying...either by air or by kiln. If by baking, you mean in a home oven, that can be tricky and it still takes a lot of time at the low temperature required.
Are you equipped to mill rough or oversize lumber to the final dimensions you need? If not, stores like Woodcraft sell small dimensioned boards but you do pay a higher cost for that.
For most cigar smokers, there is no substitute for Spanish cedar. It absorbs/releases humidity nicely and imparts just the right amount of flavor over the long haul. In a pinch, one could use Honduran mahogany. It has similar woodworking and humidification properties but it isn't as insect/worm resistant. Whatever you do, don't use aromatic cedar as you would for a chest or closet.
Are you equipped to mill rough or oversize lumber to the final dimensions you need? If not, stores like Woodcraft sell small dimensioned boards but you do pay a higher cost for that.
For most cigar smokers, there is no substitute for Spanish cedar. It absorbs/releases humidity nicely and imparts just the right amount of flavor over the long haul. In a pinch, one could use Honduran mahogany. It has similar woodworking and humidification properties but it isn't as insect/worm resistant. Whatever you do, don't use aromatic cedar as you would for a chest or closet.
FWIW - I recall when I was learning about cigar box guitars, hearing warnings about cedar dust in the lungs can be very regrettable later.
Get one of those paper surgeon masks on your shopping list for when you're cutting cedar.
@bostoneo was just shopping for cedar project. Maybe he has some ideas.
But it's for shelving so maybe not the same thing like the above post mentions.
Get one of those paper surgeon masks on your shopping list for when you're cutting cedar.
@bostoneo was just shopping for cedar project. Maybe he has some ideas.
But it's for shelving so maybe not the same thing like the above post mentions.
bostoneo
The Chosen One
No, not me but I should build a massive chest humidor. My wife would love that!
http://www.acadianhardwoods.net/ In Ponchatoula, La has spanish cedar in 1x 6,8 at a reasonable cost, not sure what shipping would be. I planned to cut on a band saw to 1/4' thickness to line the interior, I have some cypress boards that are1x 18-24 inches wide, that I planned to make the exterior out of and line it with Spanish cedar, but other than having a nice piece of furniture, it is difficult to justify the time and cost, when an ice chest makes a superior humidor, with less hassle and total ease of maintenance. easily for $100.00 it is hard to beat a cooler!
My plan was to buy a cooler when I walked into Walmart today, but my biggest problem was I am only putting 2 boxes of cigars in it in about a week. I knew to humidify a big empty space would cost me quite of bit of money in either Boveda or beads. So I started looking at the smaller coolers and the ones they had cost a similar amount to the bigger ones. So as I was walking to the Tupperware section I came across a cool looking toolbox and instantly had an idea of how to turn it into a humidor that can fit 2 boxes of cigars until I got enough to justify having a coolidor. I like to work with my hands and having a one of kind humidor is just to good of an opportunity to miss!
Thanks everyone for you reply, the couple websites that were posted were sold out of the thickness I wanted, after a couple hours of searching I found a website that has it in stock and seems to have some good reviews. https://cigarreserve.com/collections/spanish-cedar/products/spanish-cedar-veneer-per-square-foot Maybe this will help someone in the future.
Coolidors have a magical property that, shortly after building them, they magically end up full of cigars. I mean, after all, you have all that space so why not get going on CigarBid, CigarMonster, etc.
I built my coolidor quite a while before I thought I needed it and I ended up filling it long before I thought I would. With this hobby, I'd recommend you get something you'll grow into and not out of.
That being said, the toolbox sounds like a fun idea - but as others ahve said, find the proper Spanish Cedar. I used Rockler when I needed some.