Future project (Coolidor) (Updated with manufacturer pictures)

[siepattu]

First off, hello to everyone!
I just registered yesterday, although I have been lurking a while for some time. I have been smoking cigars for a while but just recently been putting more effort and time in this precious activity.

I bought a small, standard no-frills desktop humidor a couple of months ago but you guessed it, it's full to the rims! I do my best to try and smoke some space for more sticks but this seems like a fight I can not win :laugh:


So, I have been planning to build a 'Coolidor'.
Because I live in Europe (Finland to be precise) I have had no luck finding a retailer or webshop selling the Avanti model here. There would be little sense to order it from the US because of taxes and shipping costs.

With a lot of searching I found a German retailer that sells a similar one:
http://cgi.ebay.de/AK-40-110C-Weinkuehlschrank-im-Shop-ilve-Baumatic-smeg_W0QQitemZ280105014707QQihZ018QQcategoryZ77228QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

I am thinking of the 28 bottle count. I this would be perfect for me. I know, I know, you should get the biggest possible etc. but I really think the A&K AK-28.70C fits the bill perfectly (being priced at 289,00 EUR).
Pic (the first one):

But for those who would want a bigger THERMOELECTRICAL cooler than a 28 bottle count, there's one for you, the AK-40.110C model for 40 bottles (110 litres/116qt). Altough most of you guys are probably from the US, right?
Pic:

Anyway, I will be buying this in a couple of weeks but couldn't resist starting a topic (patience?, what is that?), and report how it goes.

The plan is to use Heartfelt Beads (works wonders in my small humi!), build cedar trays and lining the underside of those trays with humidity sheets.

I will probably do 1001 other things to it also but we'll see :smile:

But today, I think I'll go down to a little wine-pub in my neighbour and have a Cohiba Robusto :starrylov

It's been a while since I last smoked a Cohiba so I think it will be very nice.

(Robusto is my size preference, and Cuba my favourite manufacturing country. Honduras is a very good runner-up)

Well, enough of my ramblings. Go smoke a stick! :eyepoke:

 

[jwintosh]

howdy! if you haven't yet, go to the intro post and tell us about yourself!

as for the coolidor, here's an excellent link by a fine BOTL:

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=8917

enjoy,

jeff

 

[Rank_Tyro]

I like the Cohibas myself.

 

[rpb67]

Nice intro.

Welcome to Botl !

 

[aleam_38]

welcome

 

[Electric Sheep]

No need to BUILD trays when you can buy them for less than the raw wood alone would cost you:

http://www.cheaphumidors.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=ch&Product_Code=TRAY

:waving:

 

[siepattu]

Wow!

Registering and posting here quickly paid off! :waving:

 

[Electric Sheep]

Oh and for what it's worth, I'm running a 28-bottle VinoTemp THERMOELECTRIC wine cooler with 1.5lbs of 65% Heartfelt beads and an external Rancho ETC temp switch:

http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/ranco-etc111000000-prewired-digital-temperature-controller-p-87.html?osCsid=ac1308a872dd9a2bfde593fa9dfab354

It's rock-solid; it pretty much holds 68º and 65% with very little maintenance.

:waving:

 

[siepattu]

Oh and for what it's worth, I'm running a 28-bottle VinoTemp THERMOELECTRIC wine cooler with 1.5lbs of 65% Heartfelt beads and an external Rancho ETC temp switch:

It's rock-solid; it pretty much holds 68º and 65% with very little maintenance.

:waving:

I'm sorry but can you clarify some of this?

Is this a replacement thermostat?
Does it need rewireing?

The thermostat on the model I was going to buy apparently is very sensitive and quite accurate. That's what I've been told from various sources.
The future will reveal The Truth™.

What ambient temps are you at?

We have 75F-77F and rh is fluctuating greatly due to our winters hatred on nordic cigar aficionados items of obsession.

 

[Electric Sheep]

I'd suggest you just buy your wine cooler and TRY the built-in thermostat...it might be good enough. Personally, I haven't been happy with the built-in thermostat on either my old Avanti or my new VinoTemp, but it seems your unit might perform better.

The Rancho ETC is an external plug-in thermostat (no wiring necessary, but you CAN buy the self-wire kit if you want, which might be useful in Europe) that I use simply because it's MUCH more accurate. Without it, the temp inside my humi varies by 15 degrees (according to my digital gauge, anyways). With the Rancho ETC, I vary less than 5 degrees.

BTW, the ambient temp range here in Dallas, Texas is extremely hot. :grin: we typically have 30 or more days of 100ºF+ days in the summers. The winters get down around freezing for a few weeks, but otherwise winters are very mild.

 

[siepattu]

Try -15 F combined with central heating accoupled with rh at 25-32.

 

[Electric Sheep]

You'd melt here. :grin:

 

[siepattu]

No, I love warm weather, I was placed in wrong location somehow.
I would love to live in a warmer climate where my cigars would need less attention.
But it's an act of passion.

I'll look after them be it in the Sahara desert.

 

[siepattu]

Any ideas where to get cedar trays that would fit a little better than the ones from the link above?

The trays are 190mm wide and 317,5mm deep
The trays in that cooler are 295mm wide and 370mm deep
OK, maybe I'm being picky. They would leave 5cm empty on each side.
But on the other hand, would like to make this as good as I can and maximise the space.

 

[siepattu]

Arte Original trays recieved from Cuban Crafters.
They should be a perfect fit.

Oooohh. I cant wait. This is rediculous!

I havent been able to smoke this week (one esplendidos) because I have no smokes to smoke in the week. I 'only' have "better" smokes (like the cohiba and a few MC's)

Poor me ;P