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Coolidor

E

Exavier Steel

New Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2012
Messages
8
Hi. First I would like to apologize for having not introducing myself first in a seperate post. I've done alot of reading, smoked some cigars, and want to quickly build a coolidor so I can start buying some new smokes at better prices. Problem...I have visiting relatives right now and will better introduce myself when they are gone, I swear. Meanwhile I hope and can get a few things on order though right away.

So as far as I can tell from all my reading, I just need to buy a cooler, a digital hygrometer, humidity beads, spanish cedar trays, and maybe a boveda humi pack to help out. Right? Below I have some links to what I'm looking at. Will these below do?

Digital Hygrometer:
http://www.ebay.com/...=item53ee870f35

Spanish Cedar Trays:
http://www.ebay.com/...=item43b4bae9b7

Humidity Beads:
http://www.ebay.com/...=item256c077c56


Few questions. One, how many ounces of beads per qt of cooler space. Two. Is their such a thing as too big of a cooler for too few cigars. I'd rather buy a huge cooler, but it might take me a while to fill with cigars. Is that ok. Three, is it more trays the merrier, or can, or should I just stack some of my cigars. Four, should I build a mini tupperdore for my flavored cigars to keep them seperate? Is it really necessary? Five, If I also use a boveda pack, what humidity percentage should I buy? Six, can I use a Boveda humi pack to calibrate my hydrometer, or should I spring for an actual calibrating kit?

Anything else I should know. I'd like to order and buy my stuff in the next few days so I can maybe order some cigars by this weekend, even before my relatives are gone.

Thanks.
 
Exavier Steel said:
Hi. First I would like to apologize for having not introducing myself first in a seperate post. I've done alot of reading, smoked some cigars, and want to quickly build a coolidor so I can start buying some new smokes at better prices. Problem...I have visiting relatives right now and will better introduce myself when they are gone, I swear. Meanwhile I hope and can get a few things on order though right away.

So as far as I can tell from all my reading, I just need to buy a cooler, a digital hygrometer, humidity beads, spanish cedar trays, and maybe a boveda humi pack to help out. Right? Below I have some links to what I'm looking at. Will these below do?

Digital Hygrometer:
http://www.ebay.com/...=item53ee870f35
This looks good to go, remember that even digital hygros can be off by several degrees so if you want to be truly accurate you can buy the 75% Boveda and stick it in 2 ziploc bags and recalibrate the hygro.

Spanish Cedar Trays:
http://www.ebay.com/...=item43b4bae9b7
If you buy boxes, just use the boxes to give off the cedar smell and absorb any additional humidity the beads don't pick up. Plus, the cedar tray may be too small if you buy a big cooler and they may topple off your boxes of cigars once you start filling it up. You can put singles in ziploc bags, the bags themselves are not airtight even if closed, but you can always crack them a little open.

Humidity Beads:
http://www.ebay.com/...=item256c077c56
The danger with that seller is beads come in various degrees of humidity. 60%, 65%, 70%. They don't specify which degree they are in that photo on eBay. A lawn care business is selling that? Sketchy at best. Use beads from a reputable vendor, try Heartfelt Industries or Cigarmony. I'll let the other members give you their preference in which RH they like to use in their coolidors.
http://www.cigarmony.com/
http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/


Few questions. One, how many ounces of beads per qt of cooler space. Depends on how big your cooler is. Buy a pound at least, more beads do not endanger your cigars Two. Is their such a thing as too big of a cooler for too few cigars. YES, the extra air will be harder for the beads to stabilize the cigars, but I've read that members use extra bubble wrap to take up the air mass in the cooler until you fill it with cigars. I'd rather buy a huge cooler, but it might take me a while to fill with cigars. Is that ok. Bubble wrap and you'll be fine. Three, is it more trays the merrier, or can, or should I just stack some of my cigars. Get empty cigar boxes for singles or just use ziploc bags, save your money for more cigars until you get used to stacking boxes as I'm assuming you are going to buy that much since you ARE buying a big cooler.
Four, should I build a mini tupperdore for my flavored cigars to keep them seperate? Is it really necessary? ALWAYS keep Acids in their own tupperware or in that small space of a cooler they will transfer their smell to your finer stuff. Easier to just buy a small tupperware and keep it outside the bigger one, just put some beads in pantyhose. Five, If I also use a boveda pack, what humidity percentage should I buy? The same as the RH percentage of beads you buy or one just feeds the other, creating an RH battleground. Six, can I use a Boveda humi pack to calibrate my hydrometer, or should I spring for an actual calibrating kit? You can buy the 75.5% Boveda kit for ease of use, but once you're done with it, you shouldn't put it in your cooler or the cigars near it will try to get to 75% too. There is a pinned thread about salt testing in the humidor forum if you like playing scientist, it's not rocket science. Try both and become better at this hobby. ;)

Anything else I should know. I'd like to order and buy my stuff in the next few days so I can maybe order some cigars by this weekend, even before my relatives are gone.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Welcome to CP, Xavier. Sounds like you're jumping in with 2 feet and have done some reading. My opinions (as humble as I can write them) are listed above in red.

Dave
 
Dave pretty much nailed it IMO. Welcome to CP and see you around !
 
Not really much more to add other than Welcome to CP! Enjoy your new adventure.
 
Hi. Thanks for all the help. I think I have almost enough to start buying my stuff.

Let me clarify a few things though as it might be helpful. When I said big cooler, we might have two different opinions of what big is. Also, when I said buy cigars, I didn't mean I was going to go out and buy 6-10 full boxes of cigars. I'm new and don't really have a clue as to what I really like yet so I'm going to buy some various samplers and let them be my guide. As a result I was planning on buying more in the neighborhood of 60-100 cigars at first. Granted I may in the future by some boxes, and could in theory in the next year have 200-300 cigars, (not likely but who knows) hence why I want a "bigger" coolidor, but I don't plan to have 500-600 cigars any time soon as I will never be the person who smokes 3-5 a day. I used to smoke cigerettes heavily and if I was going to smoke alot, it would definitely be those.

Having said all that, if my cooler is lets say big enough for the trays, and I think it will be, are those a good or bad thing. I could buy some empty cigar boxes, or pieces of wood, or trays and wood, but I don't want to buy more then I need. I certainly wouldn't relish buying just empty boxes, or begging for them at a cigar store that I have barley been too, but I will buy a few if that is better. I know a site that sells them for 5 bucks each. Buying trays will set me back 40-50 dollars for 3-4 trays with shipping, so what the hell right? I'm just trying to think ahead on all of this and start off right.

Thanks.
 
There is only one certanty wth this hobby...you'll always need more space.... :rolleyes:
 
For whats its worth, my local B&M sells boxes for between $2 and $5 depending on how nice the box is. I wouldn't bother with shelves even though it sounds like a good idea. 96 times out of 100 I am the only adding and removing from my humidor and I don't need fancy drawers, I would rather have that extra money for smokes. Plus your digging into a cooler.. Boxes are perfect.
 
Do you intend on aging the stick or smoke them? If smoke'em it is maybe you should go for 65% beads instead so the wont be 'wet' when you wnat to light one.

On the other side some seem to like 'wet' smoking their sticks....

EDIT: I say wet but you understand they wont be dripping anything right ? lol
 
Stick with the 65%, it's a better smoke and you shouldn't run into any over-humidified cigars.
 
I think three pounds is a lot. I have 1 and a 1/2 pounds in my wineador and it stays steady at 68.
 
Heartfelt website has a bead need calculator.

http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/calculator.asp
 
I noticed you said you were a heavy "cigarette" smoker at one time. You probably know this already but you shouldn't inhale cigar smoke. It's about relaxation, camaraderie and the flavor among other things.

Five years ago when I started I would've never thought I'd have a collection of over 500 cigars. :0 But I realized that I enjoyed the collecting aspect as well as having some aged sticks available.

Another option for calibrating your hygrometer is the salt test. You can find it in the humidor forum. I've always used it and it's worked fine for me. Don't forget that hydrometers are only accurate to maybe +/- 2 or 3 percent at best so don't get too anal about it.

Larry
 
Exavier Steel said:
Granted I may in the future by some boxes, and could in theory in the next year have 200-300 cigars, (not likely but who knows) hence why I want a "bigger" coolidor, but I don't plan to have 500-600 cigars any time soon as I will never be the person who smokes 3-5 a day. I used to smoke cigerettes heavily and if I was going to smoke alot, it would definitely be those.
Click to expand...

You don't necessarily need to smoke that much every day just to collect 500 cigars. But pulling out a cigar you've lovingly taken care of 5 years later is such a treat to light up, regardless of how much it may have changed. If it's nicotine you're looking to have in your system, just know a single cigar can have more nicotine than a pack of cigarettes. But delivered in a different way than inhaling cigarettes. At least I don't have that "stake in the chest" feeling when I take a super deep breath now as when I used to smoke a pack a day.
 
In this hobby, you will be amazed how fast you get a collection of cigars going. It wouldn't surprise me if you were at 250 or so within the first year, and that's if you don't really try.

One option that no one here has yet to mention is that this site had a "Newbie Trade Thread" in the Buy/Sell/Trade area. You will be able to get in touch with our more senior members, who will be able to set you up with a more personalized sampler that will fit into your budget. It's usually a better option than going to one of those online "megasites" and buying a random sampler from them.
 
2K6TBSS said:
In this hobby, you will be amazed how fast you get a collection of cigars going. It wouldn't surprise me if you were at 250 or so within the first year, and that's if you don't really try.

One option that no one here has yet to mention is that this site had a "Newbie Trade Thread" in the Buy/Sell/Trade area. You will be able to get in touch with our more senior members, who will be able to set you up with a more personalized sampler that will fit into your budget. It's usually a better option than going to one of those online "megasites" and buying a random sampler from them.
Click to expand...

This for the win!

Also, there was a thread a few months where a member made a small "Dorm" sized coolidor, search it out, and see if it fits your needs.

Tim
 
I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. You guys are great! To answer a few questions.

CBoukal, my B&M had a box of boxes for a buck outside their door yesterday, so I bought a few to use for storage and am forgoing any trays for now. Maybe in the future.

Louich, I've done alot of reading on this site, so I do know what wet is, but thanks for pointing it out. I can imagine some people thinking other wise. It was after all only a few years ago after all that I learned that you don't get an actual card, when you get your PGA tour card.

LarryH, No, I'm not inhaling, or even retrohaling as my sinuses can't take it, and yea, I'm the kind of guy who can get into the collecting for the sake of collecting myself. I'm amazed I'm not a huge hoarder...yet. I do have a popcorn bag collection though already.

4cbLn3, I know what you mean. That's why I can't go back to cigarettes. A lung full of air is something I won't give up....unless my doc says I'm terminally ill and then it will be like a carton a day until death. And while I do plan to mostly buy and smoke, I'd like a few to go the distance just for kicks.

2K6TBSS, I hear yea on the trade thing and plan to do that. However, I must admit I do plan on doing a few samplers from a "megasite" but only becase I think for a newbie like me, it will be a good thing as well. I like what their going to send me, and the price, and the ability to smoke a varity of smokes that I had planed to buy anyway, but at a cheaper price. I definitely want to do a trade though with someone in the future. Maybe next spring.

MX. Yea, I saw that dorm thread. It was good stuff. To bad I went to college mostly before the net. The easy info access kids have to day. *sigh* Thanks.

So I've decided to keep it more simple and not overthink or do anymore then necessary right now. I plan to purchase about 2-3 pounds of 65% beads, and two to three Digital Hygrometer's, one or two for the coolidor, and one for my flavored cigar tupperdore. I'm going to use a Boveda pack to check them as this is the easiest way and it's my first time. I plan to purchase my cigars next so I can then see how big of a cooler that I need, and then on the day they arrive go purchase an appropriate sized cooler based on what I think I will need both then and during the next year. I'm thinking I can always just buy a second cooler in the future or just buy a bigger one and the only down side is I own an extra cooler. Every guy can alwasy use an extra cooler.

I'd like to thank everyone for their help as without you I would have made some mistakes and purchases and regreted them. Much appreciated all around. I look forward to being on this site. Thanks.
 
Exavier Steel said:
I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. You guys are great! To answer a few questions.

CBoukal, my B&M had a box of boxes for a buck outside their door yesterday, so I bought a few to use for storage and am forgoing any trays for now. Maybe in the future.

Louich, I've done alot of reading on this site, so I do know what wet is, but thanks for pointing it out. I can imagine some people thinking other wise. It was after all only a few years ago after all that I learned that you don't get an actual card, when you get your PGA tour card.

LarryH, No, I'm not inhaling, or even retrohaling as my sinuses can't take it, and yea, I'm the kind of guy who can get into the collecting for the sake of collecting myself. I'm amazed I'm not a huge hoarder...yet. I do have a popcorn bag collection though already.

4cbLn3, I know what you mean. That's why I can't go back to cigarettes. A lung full of air is something I won't give up....unless my doc says I'm terminally ill and then it will be like a carton a day until death. And while I do plan to mostly buy and smoke, I'd like a few to go the distance just for kicks.

2K6TBSS, I hear yea on the trade thing and plan to do that. However, I must admit I do plan on doing a few samplers from a "megasite" but only becase I think for a newbie like me, it will be a good thing as well. I like what their going to send me, and the price, and the ability to smoke a varity of smokes that I had planed to buy anyway, but at a cheaper price. I definitely want to do a trade though with someone in the future. Maybe next spring.

MX. Yea, I saw that dorm thread. It was good stuff. To bad I went to college mostly before the net. The easy info access kids have to day. *sigh* Thanks.

So I've decided to keep it more simple and not overthink or do anymore then necessary right now. I plan to purchase about 2-3 pounds of 65% beads, and two to three Digital Hygrometer's, one or two for the coolidor, and one for my flavored cigar tupperdore. I'm going to use a Boveda pack to check them as this is the easiest way and it's my first time. I plan to purchase my cigars next so I can then see how big of a cooler that I need, and then on the day they arrive go purchase an appropriate sized cooler based on what I think I will need both then and during the next year. I'm thinking I can always just buy a second cooler in the future or just buy a bigger one and the only down side is I own an extra cooler. Every guy can alwasy use an extra cooler.

I'd like to thank everyone for their help as without you I would have made some mistakes and purchases and regreted them. Much appreciated all around. I look forward to being on this site. Thanks.
Click to expand...

That's interesting about the PGA tour card. I could have sworn lthat my friends has a physical PGA tour card in his wallet at all times. Maybe they changed something...

I wasn't trying to say that the "megasite" sampler is a bad thing, just from what I have seen not the best route. I know when I started out, I also purchased a few samplers from the "megasite" and found that of the 20 (or more) sticks in the smapler there were only 2 or 3 that I liked. So I did the CP trade thing, and was really impressed.


Just a quick thought on the cooler. You will want to "season" it before you put cigars in it. Check out the "Coolerdor" thread in the Humidor section. If you don't season it your cigars will absorb the plastic smell from the new cooler.
 
2K6TBSS said:
I wasn't trying to say that the "megasite" sampler is a bad thing, just from what I have seen not the best route. I know when I started out, I also purchased a few samplers from the "megasite" and found that of the 20 (or more) sticks in the smapler there were only 2 or 3 that I liked. So I did the CP trade thing, and was really impressed.
Click to expand...

I think Jeff is giving some excellent advice in this thread. Sounds like you want to try a wide variety of smokes to figure out what you like. The NST (newbie sampler trade) cuts to the chase MUCH quicker then a sampler from the megasite. Like Jeff suggests, the megasite isn't bad, you will just find more smokes you actually like and will buy in the future with the NST. Therefore, it's a better value to the person just starting out.

To address one of your original questions: I just graduated (FINALLY!) from a desktop to a cooler. There is a pound of Heartfelt beads in my 70qt Coleman that is holding steady at 65%. After it all was setup, I asked myself....out loud....why I didn't do this right off the bat...like people suggested. :whistling: Ahhh, the steep learning curve! :blush: Seems this coolidor thingy is right in my wheelhouse....idiot-proof! :laugh:
 
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