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need your advice...new to cigar smoking

C

cigarlover

New Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2006
Messages
11
Hello to everyone,
I am an amateur to cigar smoking. I recently bought 35 cigars, all samplers from an online retailer. That's when the problem began. I know somehow I had to purchase a humidor right away, so I went to EBAY to choose a humidor I liked. It took a few days before I could decide which one I really liked. I went from wanting to spend up to $250 to ending up spending a $17 humidor that holds about 30 churchills and 10 robustos. When I received the humidor, I noticed that on both sides of the humidor does not have a tight seal (plastic panel). Now I am worried that my cigars would be ruined with this cheap humidor. How much time will a cigar go bad. I've only had the cigars for a week in the humidor. Also was I suppose to put distilled water on the black round device? and how much water? If anyone here suggests a great humidor that will hold at least 50 to 100 cigars please advise. I am willing to spend up to $250. HELP!!

Thanks for your time
 
Welcome to CP from San Diego.

First off, it is customary to introduce yourself here, you could probably just copy and paste what you have written in this thread.

That said, the best system for you, IMO, is a coolidor with Silica beads. Go here, you will find everything you need to get going. You get can the beads from here, just email David if you have any problems, he will sort you out.

Good luck.

Brian
 
piggy backing on what Brian said...

Your 'gars aren't going to "go bad" by being in an untight humi or even without a humi for quite some time. Most likely a 'gar can always be salvaged unless its just been so long in a dry environment that the oils have dried out.

Placing a dried out 'gar in a humi for a couple months should regenerate it. So I wouldn't panic about the whole situation.

Follow the advice of Brian with the coolidor and you'll be ok. Also, if it's critical to get them in a nice environment now, tupperware makes a great temporary storage point. Just throw that humidification device in one container and you'll be good to go.

Welcome to CP!!
 
I agree with everything that was said. I do not have a coolerdor but I see myself moving in that direction.

DEFINITELY buy beads. Best move I have ever made. Bought the 65% beads from Heartfelt, and my hygrometer has not moved off 66%.

Speaking of hygrometer, do yourself a favor and go digital.
Digital Hygrometer

This will circumvent having to calibrate an analog device using the "Salt test".

If you are willing to spend $250 like you said, I think you could put together a great coolerdor with beads and a digital hygrometer for a fraction of that price.
 
wilmotrogers said:
I agree with everything that was said. I do not have a coolerdor but I see myself moving in that direction.

DEFINITELY buy beads. Best move I have ever made. Bought the 65% beads from Heartfelt, and my hygrometer has not moved off 66%.

Speaking of hygrometer, do yourself a favor and go digital.
Digital Hygrometer

This will circumvent having to calibrate an analog device using the "Salt test".

If you are willing to spend $250 like you said, I think you could put together a great coolerdor with beads and a digital hygrometer for a fraction of that price.
Click to expand...

While I agree with wilmo about getting a digital hygro. I would still do a salt test on it. Just because it's digital doesn't mean it's 100% on target. Doing the salt test will let you know whether it's a few percentages off or not and you can go from there.
 
Agree with Wyatt, doing a salt test will let you know how much the digital hygro may be off (usually anywhere from 1% to 6%!)

~Mark

ps - Listen to this week's Dogwatch Social Club! www.dogwatchsocialclub.com
 
I use 1 lb of beads in my cooler and dont even bother with a hygro.The amount of beads is overkill for my cooler so I just look at them and when they start drying out I place a small glass of distilled water in the cooler until the beads are recharged. :thumbs:
 
Anyone happen to have any pics of a coolidor?. I see one in my head after reading those instructions. But I need visual aids. any help there will be appreciated.
 
Hi All,
My name is Gerry and thanks to all that replied to my post. Is it safer to place all my cigars back to a ziploc while I shop for another humi? or should I leave them in my current humi after I do the salt calibrate test.

I appreciate everyone's help so far. Everyone in the forum seems to have great respect for each other.

Thanks again,
Gerrry

HI AGAIN,
HOW ABOUT THIS. I HAVE A WINE REFRIGERATOR THAT I BOUGHT LAST YEAR THAT IS NOT BEING USED. WOULD THIS BE AN ALTERNATIVE FOR A HUMIDOR? WILL THE SAME RULES APPLY FROM THE LINK INFINITY POSTED WITH THE COOLIDOR?

GERRY
 
here's a pic of the one I made. Worked GREAT, but the wife vetoed it after awhile and made me get a nice wood cabinet humi. Damn the luck...

DSC01795.jpg


they work GREAT... this was a 100qt cooler, with ribbing on the insides. I went to Home Depot and got wire racks for shelving, and cut them to fit. I got 1/4" spansih cedar on ebay and put them under the shelving with wire ties thru small holes in the corners. And then a pound of the beads, and bingo! A perfect working humi.

You can also just sit them like a normal cooler and use it like a chest- a little harder to find stuff in it, but more space usable.

Good luck!
Jim
 
cigarlover said:
Hello to everyone,
I am an amateur to cigar smoking. I recently bought 35 cigars, all samplers from an online retailer. That's when the problem began. I know somehow I had to purchase a humidor right away, so I went to EBAY to choose a humidor I liked. It took a few days before I could decide which one I really liked. I went from wanting to spend up to $250 to ending up spending a $17 humidor that holds about 30 churchills and 10 robustos. When I received the humidor, I noticed that on both sides of the humidor does not have a tight seal (plastic panel). Now I am worried that my cigars would be ruined with this cheap humidor. How much time will a cigar go bad. I've only had the cigars for a week in the humidor. Also was I suppose to put distilled water on the black round device? and how much water? If anyone here suggests a great humidor that will hold at least 50 to 100 cigars please advise. I am willing to spend up to $250. HELP!!

Thanks for your time
Click to expand...

Well, the time finally came. All my cigars $100 worth have dried up in two weeks. I threw them all away because I got so pissed off. I bought the humidicare can too late to help the cause. I just wanted to write to vent.

Thanks
Gerry
 
Just wanted to circle back on this one. Brickhouse is right - salt test the digital. When I had posted that reply, I had just read a thread which claimed salt testing could damage the mechanism. However, after performing a search on the forum, I realized that was not necessarily true. Nevertheless, it makes sense to know if your digi is off.
 
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