new guy needing help!

[tcaflyn]

This is my first post on CW. I have a potential project for a humidor and need some advice for a newbie to this site. I have a cedar lined chest that I wish to convert into my cigar box. The size is approx. 42x20x20 inches. It can hold about 30 boxes or so. What I wish to know (in no particular order) is: Will the cedar that it is lined with work? What type and quantity of humidification devices should I use? Do I treat the lining with moisture before inserting cigars? How airtight should the lid be and what material would accomplish this? This is a nice chest and would make a great unit if I can make it work. Thanks in advance for any information and I look forward to discussing cigars with, and getting to know everyone here!

[dwhale69]

Welcome to CWBB tcaflyn!

The most important thing you need to address is stable humidity and airflow.
For some great humidification devices visit www.bargainhumidors.com they will carry all you need at great prices. Be sure and look at the new Climmax media, most here will give you a thumbs-up on this.
I don't know your experience level, but here is a good link to get the basics down http://www.cigarnexus.com/counsel/ci...age/index.html

ps - head up to the Smokin Post and introduce yourself. Good Luck and Happy Smoking!!

[tcaflyn]

Thanks for the advice Dave.

Tim

[tmdeguy]

I second the suggestion on Climmax Beads. They're GREAT! Once you've used em, you'll never go back to anything else.

Fire Up Another One!

[love_this]

tcaflyn,

Welcome to CW.

First, you cannot use the chest if it is red cedar, the type commonly used for closets that have that smell that repels little friends. That smell will permeate your cigars with the wrong smell.

Spanish cedar is what is commonly used to line humidors for 2 reasons. It holds moisture well for cigars and it does have the right scent. It is sometimes used as sleeves for cigars. I'm sure you know that.

I hope Vern or one of our other expert professional wood workers will help you with advice on this.

Climmax beads rock !!! 'Nuf said.

Read the archives for this room to find more good information.

Good luck with your project. I know we would like to see pics when you're done.

[rramstad]

Humidity can be very very hard on wood chests. It's entirely possible that the chest you have cannot be converted successfully into a humidor. The stress from humidifying the inside of the unit to 70% may be great enough that it causes the unit to split and break apart at the corners.

Another common problem is the use of bad adhesives in construction -- sometimes the humidity causes the adhesives to leech and gasify, which can ruin cigars and the box.

Don't get me wrong, there are successful conversions out there, but it's a lot harder than it seems.

Good luck!

First, make sure it is a lining of cedar. You are going to have to remove the cedar, because they don't make chests lined with Spanish cedar unless it is intended to be a humidor.

Now, you can use either Spanish cedar or Honduran mahogany. I would suggest Honduran mahogany, because you need to be careful in the selection of Spanish cedar so that you do not get a piece that will sap over time. Either one will work just as well, but Honduran mahogany won't sap and it does have a lower cost than Spanish cedar.

For humidification devices, you can use all kinds of things. You can use Climmax, Oshkosh, Cigar Oasis, Set and Forget, etc. I'd suggest the Cigar Oasis for this application for several reasons.
1. I have a TON of experience with them and all of it positive
2. It is very easy to setup and set the RH on.
3. It has a fan to circulate the air.
4. It has enough capacity to handle that size humidor.
5. It has a very reasonable price range.
I'm hoping Bob will see this to add some perspective on the Set and Forget unit which is also an excellent choice.

You always season a humidor before adding cigars otherwise the wood will just leech all of the moisture out of your cigars into the walls of the humidor leaving you with dried out cigars.

The lid shouldn't be completely air tight. You always want to have a small amount of air exchange into a humidor. You can simply apply some weather stripping to get a better seal around the lid. Alternatively, since you are going to need to reline it with either Spanish cedar or Honduran mahogany, you can construct them in the very typical lip type of fashion that regular desktops use. This is basically where the liner extends a small amount above the top of the base and the lid closes flush over it.

[tcaflyn]

Thanks for the great information. It is beginning to sound like a major conversion job.

[Bob Staebell]

welcome tcaflyn,

Sounds like you have a fun project in mind. Converting existing furniture can always be a challenge. I would suggest that you evaluate the lid/body interface to make sure that you can achieve a reasonable seal. Usually the hinges on a cedar chest are designed to have a small gap on the hinge side. One can use as someone pointed out, weather stripping to achieve the seal, which is somewhat forgiving of gaps, or create a traditional "humidor" seal with a small lip of spanish cedar or mahogany liner that protrudes in to the lid area.

The aromatic cedar that currently lines the chest is not a good thing. You will need to remove if possible, or seal with a wash coat of shellac if it is permanently installed. The aromatic cedar would eventually give your cigars an "ode de gerbil cage". Then put a liner in of mahogany or spanish cedar. Mahogany is neutral in aroma & will work fine--by the time you put 30 boxes in you will have plenty of traditional aroma.

The air volume you have is just under 10 cubic feet, which in my experience is too for the small cigar oasis to adequately circulate. I have found that device works best in wooden humidors up to 4 cubic feet or in coolerdors which are airtight up to 5 cubic feet. It could be augmented with a couple of "tubs" of PG/water or climmax bead type humidifiers to help even things out- or add a second fan to help circulate air. Depending on the quality of seal, plan on refilling or replacing the cartridge with some frequency if you use a CO.

I use the Set & Forget system in the cabinethumidors I build--It's a bit more sophisticated than the cigaroasis units in that one can match the humidfier fan size & resevoir to overall cabinet air volume. I use a system with a 20 cfm output & one quart resevoir for a cabinet in your size range vs a couple cfm/12 oz resevoir for the cigaroasis. It's large enough to adequately circulate total air volume, without going overboard. Too large & a system just dumps moisture without running long enough to completely circulate. Too small & it never quite keeps up or runs constantly, which will shorten life expectancy.

The S&F also incorporates it's own digital readout for temp&RH. The downside to the S&F is cost. Any of the devices or combinations will work-generally one is trading $ for "fiddle factor".

My only other suggestion is to really examine the chest for alignment, structural integrety, etc before tackling.

Good luck with your conversion-when they work, it is always a uniquely personaly humidor.

Cheers,

Bob Staebell
www.aristocrathumidors.com

[Ross]

"ode de gerbil cage".

I'll have to remember that! Great one.

For what it's worth, Spanish Cedar is NOT a cedar, but in fact an aromatic member of the Mahagany family. Thus the recommendation to use mahagany as a replacement. The Aromatic Red cedar used in the cedar chests is a true cedar from North America. Not the same and not interchangeable.

Scientists have developed two theories about arguing with women. Neither worked.