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Rehydrating humidor and cigars.

Jreyesortiz

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If you got a $60 humidor on Amazon, you might have one like it started off with. One with a paper-thin piece of "Spanish cedar" on the bottom that had a little thin sheet of pressboard under that with the felt bottom. Those simply won't hold RH. I tossed mine and got a tupperdor. Sitting happily at 65% with no muss, no fuss.
This one seems constructed well... But whatdo I really know. Might be crap for all I know. Will upload pics later today.

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They don't look pretty but it is hard to beat the ability to completely control the environment the way a tupperdor provides. The problem on most of the cheap humidors are the cheap seams and the seal around the lid.
 
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If you just drop the lid, is there a "swoosh" sound or does it just bang closed? Is the bottom of the humi paper thin? I gave up on wood humi's 7 years ago.

I made the switch to 120qt Coleman coolers, exponentially better control than a wooden box as it doesn't allow moisture to escape at a rate that is significant enough to cause worry. Then I bought a wineador. I still like my cooler way more as far as keeping RH stability is concerned, but the wino with the custom trays are really nice looking. So that stays out in the office, and my box storage cooler stays in the closet. Tupperdor, Wineador, Cooler, all are better options than that wooden humi. I'm sure Amazon will take it back and refund you (use that refund money for 65% Boveda packs and a cooler) if you email them and just tell them that the thing isn't holding humidity. Which really, is it's only job.

They do look nice and all, but they are just too high maintenance and don't hold RH like they're supposed to.

Hope that helps.
 

Jreyesortiz

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If you just drop the lid, is there a "swoosh" sound or does it just bang closed? Is the bottom of the humi paper thin? I gave up on wood humi's 7 years ago.

I made the switch to 120qt Coleman coolers, exponentially better control than a wooden box as it doesn't allow moisture to escape at a rate that is significant enough to cause worry. Then I bought a wineador. I still like my cooler way more as far as keeping RH stability is concerned, but the wino with the custom trays are really nice looking. So that stays out in the office, and my box storage cooler stays in the closet. Tupperdor, Wineador, Cooler, all are better options than that wooden humi. I'm sure Amazon will take it back and refund you (use that refund money for 65% Boveda packs and a cooler) if you email them and just tell them that the thing isn't holding humidity. Which really, is it's only job.

They do look nice and all, but they are just too high maintenance and don't hold RH like they're supposed to.

Hope that helps.
Its not paper thin. It doesnt make a "swoosh" sound. I have already given up on it. I still have distilled water in there just beacuse but humidity still drops. I've had it for 3 months or so. Not sure if Amazon will give me my money back but I can see. I have a cube cooler that is holding up real nicely with Boveda packs. About 68 degrees and 68% RH. Its pretty much full. So looking for one a bit bigger soon. But it's working fine for now.

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Its not paper thin. It doesnt make a "swoosh" sound. I have already given up on it. I still have distilled water in there just beacuse but humidity still drops. I've had it for 3 months or so. Not sure if Amazon will give me my money back but I can see. I have a cube cooler that is holding up real nicely with Boveda packs. About 68 degrees and 68% RH. Its pretty much full. So looking for one a bit bigger soon. But it's working fine for now.

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Yep, this thing is just leaking RH all day, especially since it doesn't "swoosh" thats usually a good indicator that you have a strong seal. Glad you gave up on it early on man. I held on to mine for years trying to make them work. I was in FL at the time so it was actually a bit easier as RH outside was usually higher that it was in the humi. Rh indoors was a little dryer due to AC running all the time, but still not terribly low at all.

Glad you are already into the coolers. Just get a 120 or 150qt Coleman for ~$100 and be done with it. I bet you can fit 500-750 sticks in the 120qt.

EDIT: Also consider using only 65% Bovedas and nothing else. Mixing media tends to not have the greatest effect on things inside the "ecosystem" of a humi. I've learned my lessons through the years. I now just to one media per humi. The wino has 65% Heartfelt beads in the wino. The cooler is still rockin my old school KL because it's holding up just fine. It's been dry AF in my apartment recently (1%RH) So I've been spraying more than usual but just set up a humidifier so hopefully that solves my spraying beads every two days issue.
 

Jreyesortiz

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Yep, this thing is just leaking RH all day, especially since it doesn't "swoosh" thats usually a good indicator that you have a strong seal. Glad you gave up on it early on man. I held on to mine for years trying to make them work. I was in FL at the time so it was actually a bit easier as RH outside was usually higher that it was in the humi. Rh indoors was a little dryer due to AC running all the time, but still not terribly low at all.

Glad you are already into the coolers. Just get a 120 or 150qt Coleman for ~$100 and be done with it. I bet you can fit 500-750 sticks in the 120qt.

EDIT: Also consider using only 65% Bovedas and nothing else. Mixing media tends to not have the greatest effect on things inside the "ecosystem" of a humi. I've learned my lessons through the years. I now just to one media per humi. The wino has 65% Heartfelt beads in the wino. The cooler is still rockin my old school KL because it's holding up just fine. It's been dry AF in my apartment recently (1%RH) So I've been spraying more than usual but just set up a humidifier so hopefully that solves my spraying beads every two days issue.
Thankd for the tip! I have 68% pack and some beads. But just until I recieve my package of 68% packs. I have a 12qt cube cooler for now. In an apartment and I don't have the room. Currently looking for our first house. So until then I'm satisfied with it... Besides its single digit weather in Chicago right now. Hard to smoke cigars.

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If you're giving up on the humidor, and Amazon won't let you return it, try peeling off the bottom felt lining. See what's under there. I promise it's a sheet of particle board with a paper thin Spanish cedar sheet over it. That is why it won't hold humidity.
Wooden humidors aren't too bad if built with quality materials. Someday I'll get a nice one to keep a selection of singles in while the rest chill in the Tupper/cooler/wino.
 
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Thankd for the tip! I have 68% pack and some beads. But just until I recieve my package of 68% packs. I have a 12qt cube cooler for now. In an apartment and I don't have the room. Currently looking for our first house. So until then I'm satisfied with it... Besides its single digit weather in Chicago right now. Hard to smoke cigars.

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I feel that. Winter time is time for me to stock up for summer smoking. Gets a few months on the sticks that way too. I attempt to hit up a lounge once a week, but have been slippin bad on that lately. Went last night, so that's a start :) Maybe that will be my NY resolution.

I know it's not much of a difference, but with the 2% variance in the Boveda packs, you're better off with the 65%. Worse you can get is 63 or 67%. If you're 68 is pushing 70% that's a bit too moist for cigars. If it's pushing 66% then you're golden. Like I said, not much difference, but for me, that's just more piece of mind with the 65% Boveda's vs the 68's.

I'm in an apartment too but we got lucky and have a big walk in closet. I can "hide" away the 120qt cooler, wife hasn't said a word about it in years so it can't be that much in the way!
 

Jreyesortiz

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I feel that. Winter time is time for me to stock up for summer smoking. Gets a few months on the sticks that way too. I attempt to hit up a lounge once a week, but have been slippin bad on that lately. Went last night, so that's a start :) Maybe that will be my NY resolution.

I know it's not much of a difference, but with the 2% variance in the Boveda packs, you're better off with the 65%. Worse you can get is 63 or 67%. If you're 68 is pushing 70% that's a bit too moist for cigars. If it's pushing 66% then you're golden. Like I said, not much difference, but for me, that's just more piece of mind with the 65% Boveda's vs the 68's.

I'm in an apartment too but we got lucky and have a big walk in closet. I can "hide" away the 120qt cooler, wife hasn't said a word about it in years so it can't be that much in the way!
So I had to check the humidor again.. It does make a "woosh" sound... It doesn't slam. But there is particle board on the bottom. And you can see an 1/8" gap all the way around and you can see the cedar. Just not sure how thick either is. The particle board looks to be about 1/8" thick or so.

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Particle board will never hold humidity.

Edit: I found an old thread on here before i joined where a guy was taking these old humidors like ours and tearing out the bottom and replacing it with plexiglass, then refitting it so that they would hold humidity and get a good seal. Interesting read. I'd link it, but too much work on the tappycrappy. Search it out. It's a very informative post.
 
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So I had to check the humidor again.. It does make a "woosh" sound... It doesn't slam. But there is particle board on the bottom. And you can see an 1/8" gap all the way around and you can see the cedar. Just not sure how thick either is. The particle board looks to be about 1/8" thick or so.

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Yep there's your problem right there. That particle board absolutely will not hold humidity.
 
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In my short cigar smoking career, I've had the desktop humis. One was a gift from my gf, is customized and works absolutely marvelous. One I have to watch carefully. One was completely useless.

Moving to tupperdores for my stash outside the one good humi was the smartest smoking move I've made, other than getting into cigars.
 
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