Need Advice On A Humidifier

[gitfiddl]

jagfandaddy - 6/2/2018  9:22 AM

gitfiddl - 6/1/2018  5:55 PM

I've got two 300-ct Empire/Windsor/El Diablo style humidors, three Tuscany-style 100-150ct humis, and fifteen or so 40-50ct humidors.  Oh, and a couple of tupperdors, too.  If I worried about constant humidity perfection, I'd go crazy!

And John, I started out with just one small 40-ct humidor ten years ago.  You might as well go ahead and buy you another big one now and get it over with...

     

Listen to what Dave said. He got me started a few moons ago and I haven't looked back since! Now I have my wife complaining about what I spend on cigars

Oh, so now it's all my fault...
 

[Gustoff]

jagfandaddy - 6/2/2018  12:22 PM  

gitfiddl - 6/1/2018  5:55 PM  I've got two 300-ct Empire/Windsor/El Diablo style humidors, three Tuscany-style 100-150ct humis, and fifteen or so 40-50ct humidors.  Oh, and a couple of tupperdors, too.  If I worried about constant humidity perfection, I'd go crazy!  And John, I started out with just one small 40-ct humidor ten years ago.  You might as well go ahead and buy you another big one now and get it over with...          

Listen to what Dave said. He got me started a few moons ago and I haven't looked back since! Now I have my wife complaining about what I spend on cigars

A complaint I know all too well...

[jagfandaddy]

gitfiddl - 6/2/2018  9:45 AM

jagfandaddy - 6/2/2018  9:22 AM

gitfiddl - 6/1/2018  5:55 PM

I've got two 300-ct Empire/Windsor/El Diablo style humidors, three Tuscany-style 100-150ct humis, and fifteen or so 40-50ct humidors.  Oh, and a couple of tupperdors, too.  If I worried about constant humidity perfection, I'd go crazy!

And John, I started out with just one small 40-ct humidor ten years ago.  You might as well go ahead and buy you another big one now and get it over with...

     

Listen to what Dave said. He got me started a few moons ago and I haven't looked back since! Now I have my wife complaining about what I spend on cigars

Yep!! Thank You!!

Oh, so now it's all my fault...
 

[WatchmanUSA]

appollo - 6/1/2018  12:22 PM

You can also wipe the inside of your humidor with distilled water to season it.

No, don't wipe down a humidor with any kind of water.  It will actually slow down the seasoning process.  You need to have humidity penetrate deep into the wood of a wooden humidor and that takes time, like two weeks.  

Putting water directly on the surface of the wood will not have it penetrate into the wood, it evaporates into the air inside the humidor.  The air inside the humidor won't allow humidity to penetrate deeply because the water on the surface layer is only on the surface and at best 1 or so mm into the wood.  What actually happens is the dry air, inside the humidor, absorbs the moisture placed on the surface of the wood until it is dry.  Only after the air inside the humidor gets to a high enough humidity level will any moisture be able to penetrate into the wood.

If you are going to use Boveda anyway, just get enough 84% packs to het humidity into the air volume of the humidor.  The rule of thumb is to take the cigar count estimate of the humidor and divide by 25.  A 100 count humidor is 4, 60 gram packs.  That rule is for seasoning and long-term storage as well.  The only difference is the RH rating of the Boveda packs used sor seasoning and storage.

I have a 150 count humidor and I use 2 of their 320 gram packs.  You can't over humidify so the added size allows the packs to respond more quickly so the humidity is more constant, plus they last longer.  I use 72% in the winter and 69% in the rest of the year.  In the winter I have humidity loss sometimes as much as 10 points lower than the pack rating due to living in MN.  In the winter, the air in the House sucks the humidity out right through the humidor wood.  Remember, wood is porous.  The other months the humidity loss isn't as much but my 69% packs keep the humidor between 66% - 68%.

Boveda has some great videos on YouTube including ones on the science behind the product.  Their product isn't the humidity.  Their patents are on the packaging that allows for the two-way humidification and the speed and accuracy of the process.

https://youtu.be/zV4wRKcmc78
https://youtu.be/y9OGvtMVklU
https://youtu.be/9KrWXY4YtOI

[DonM]

Economically, the suggestions given are right on point.  That said, I never had a tupperdor, I used a 500 ct humidor with Heartfelt beads for 10? years and it worked perfectly.

Deals can be found on Craigs list occasionally for cabinets, as I picked one up a few months back.  I am using an active humidifier with a lb of Heartfelt beads in the bottom with a home made fan.  Best investment I made cigar related and don't have to worry about storage issues (yet) and only monitor 1 humidor which is almost maintenance free.

And no, my wife still does not understand why I need so many cigars.  I was presented with a total of my cigar purchases  for the last year.  With her being the accountant of the house, she was less than impressed

[benchjockey]

What it comes down to is that there isn't any one correct way of storing cigars. We all choose the best way for us at the time. And that is subject to change with time. Many of us use more then one method.

[Gustoff]

I took a broken wine fridge and turned it into a wineador. It does a great job, and looks great with the glass doors! And I've tried Cigar Oasis, beads, foam and Boveda... I'm slowly moving to all Boveda.

[WatchmanUSA]

WatchmanUSA - 6/3/2018  3:01 AM

No, don't wipe down a humidor with any kind of water.  It will actually slow down the seasoning process.  You need to have humidity penetrate deep into the wood of a wooden humidor and that takes time, like two weeks.  

Putting water directly on the surface of the wood will not have it penetrate into the wood, it evaporates into the air inside the humidor.  The air inside the humidor won't allow humidity to penetrate deeply because the water on the surface layer is only on the surface and at best 1 or so mm into the wood.  What actually happens is the dry air, inside the humidor, absorbs the moisture placed on the surface of the wood until it is dry.  Only after the air inside the humidor gets to a high enough humidity level will any moisture be able to penetrate into the wood.

If you are going to use Boveda anyway, just get enough 84% packs to het humidity into the air volume of the humidor.  The rule of thumb is to take the cigar count estimate of the humidor and divide by 25.  A 100 count humidor is 4, 60 gram packs.  That rule is for seasoning and long-term storage as well.  The only difference is the RH rating of the Boveda packs used sor seasoning and storage.

I have a 150 count humidor and I use 2 of their 320 gram packs.  You can't over humidify so the added size allows the packs to respond more quickly so the humidity is more constant, plus they last longer.  I use 72% in the winter and 69% in the rest of the year.  In the winter I have humidity loss sometimes as much as 10 points lower than the pack rating due to living in MN.  In the winter, the air in the House sucks the humidity out right through the humidor wood.  Remember, wood is porous.  The other months the humidity loss isn't as much but my 69% packs keep the humidor between 66% - 68%.

Boveda has some great videos on YouTube including ones on the science behind the product.  Their product isn't the humidity.  Their patents are on the packaging that allows for the two-way humidification and the speed and accuracy of the process.

https://youtu.be/zV4wRKcmc78
https://youtu.be/y9OGvtMVklU
https://youtu.be/9KrWXY4YtOI

One more Boveda reference:

Using the Wipe Down Method to Season Your Humidor - Good Or Bad?

https://youtu.be/SBPa1rhXU_c

[Chefjohn]

Yeah, I'm going the Boveda route. That seems to be the most widely agreed upon and the most cut and dry (or would that be cut and humid). I started the seasoning process yesterday and tomorrow I'll calibrate the hygrometer. I'm excited about this.