I'm thinking of building a Coolidor

[MAS_Puros]

I am thinking of building a coolidor and have a couple of questions:
1. Do I leave the cigar boxes closed or open?
2. If I were to close th boxes how will humidity get to the cigars?
3. Shoud I put a wet pillow in the closed box as well or will this hurt my cigars?

Sorry if I sound like a Newbie but I want to do everything possible to take care of 'MY PRECIOUS'!

 

[The Volusianator]

Leave the cigar boxes closed.

The humidity will get in the boxes, actually it should already be there and the RH in the cooler will just maintain it.

No, do not put a pillow in each box.

BONUS:

Just contact Viper or Cigarmony to see how many beads you need for your cooler and use them, you'll be fine.

Wade

 

[bfreebern]

I am thinking of building a coolidor and have a couple of questions:
1. Do I leave the cigar boxes closed or open?
2. If I were to close th boxes how will humidity get to the cigars?
3. Shoud I put a wet pillow in the closed box as well or will this hurt my cigars?

Sorry if I sound like a Newbie but I want to do everything possible to take care of 'MY PRECIOUS'!

First off, buy the biggest one you can find, you'll eventually need it.

1. Up to you, but I leave them closed.
2. The boxes will absorb the humidity and so will the cigars, via the boxes.
3. Wet pillow? Go here and check out the beads: Heartfelt Industries

 

[MAS_Puros]

Thanks a bunch guys! I am off to gets meeze a cooler and I will be preping it this weekend!

 

[gunsandcigars88]

Thanks a bunch guys! I am off to gets meeze a cooler and I will be preping it this weekend!

Make sure you follow the directions in the coolidor section. You don't want your "precious" smokes to taste like plastic. It doesn't take very long to get all the prep work done, but it is worth it. I leave my boxes closed and they seem to do fine. If you don't have a hygro yet I use the digital adjustable hygro with the calibration pack from heartfelt industries. It is very newbie friendly :thumbs: Which was a great thing for me. The beads from heartfelt are my choice and they work great

edit: As far as the wet pillows listen to the others on that, because I have absolutely no clue what they even are.

 

[MoeCizlak]

Do most of you vetern guys use the beads vs. the foam or sponge? I was thinking of building one myself and have a small 50 count humi right now with a sponge but from what I have read here so far, beads is by far the choice of the pros.

 

[MAS_Puros]

Do you guys think I should line the cooler with spanish cedar?

 

[xRanger]

Lining the cooler with Spanish Cedar is a waste of space IMHO. If you are primarily storing in boxes, that will be enough Spanish Cedar on its own.

 

[humboldtflyer]

Lining the cooler with Spanish Cedar is a waste of space IMHO. If you are primarily storing in boxes, that will be enough Spanish Cedar on its own.

x2... I agree with that post 100%

 

[Hoss]

Good choice. Coolidors are simple and inexpensive for storing a large stash of goodies. I still remember getting my first one a few years ago thinking that i'd never fill it. After 3 were full and i was thinking about cooler number four i finally took the plunge and just built a cabinet humidor slightly larger than the Tower of Power and now that dang thing's getting cramped. What to do? lol

Just take a new cooler (or plastic tub with decent seal) and soak it in bleach water over night. Allow it to dry out, moisten your beads (i prefer them to anything else and my cigars were well cared for in coolers for about 3 years before i went with the cabinet), play a little cigar box tetris (i also agree, boxes are good sources for cedar), plop in the moistened beads and a hygro (just to keep an eye on it for a while) and you're good.

I eventually stopped using a hygro altogether when i used the coolers. They were always dead on so long as you keep up on making sure your beads don't need misting with distilled or purified water.

Good luck with it!

 

[gunsandcigars88]

Lining the cooler with Spanish Cedar is a waste of space IMHO. If you are primarily storing in boxes, that will be enough Spanish Cedar on its own.

x2... I agree with that post 100%

X3... I also agree with that post 100%

My coolidor has the heartfelt 65% beads and the most drastic change was going from 65%to64% and has made no other changes. I generally just keep about 60% of my beads clear and the rest white, this allows them to keep the air moist and dry it if needed. I think heartfelt suggests keeping 80% of them clear, but I prefer about 60% clear.

 

[rectifythis]

Do most of you vetern guys use the beads vs. the foam or sponge? I was thinking of building one myself and have a small 50 count humi right now with a sponge but from what I have read here so far, beads is by far the choice of the pros.

Viper beads all the way. I use 65%.

 

[vortex]

Beads - 65% - 3/4 clear

I have found some cigars like it drier and some wetter. Cubans drier, Cammies and some mild smokes wetter. Just a 3% variance. Pepin issued a warning NOT to use over 65% on his blends!

You might want to use more beads than recommended. You don't have to recharge them as often if you overkill a bit on quantity.

(Viper paid me to put that edit in.) Yuck yuck

 

[BlindedByScience]

Do you guys think I should line the cooler with spanish cedar?

X4 - I ran four coolers before I got my cabinet and they were all unlined.

All linings do is take up space....not needed if you store your gars in boxes.....

Regards - B.B.S.