Heartfelt Bead Tubes

coachjamie

What is the best way to hydrate the beads in these tubes?

j0z3r

I take one cap off and use a spray bottle on the jet setting. Give it a few good shots and shake it up. Alternatively, you can use the spray bottle on spray and just spray the outside of the tube while rotating it. Both methods work, just do whatever works better for you.

ejenne87

I usually just drip a little distilled in one end after removing the cap.

Whatever method you end up using, shake it to get rid of any wayet that might drip out, and wipe down the outside. You don't want any water leaking on your smokes...

coachjamie

ok, so the end cap is not glued on? I messed around with it a bit and it seemed it was on for good. I did not want to force it off and break it or send the beads flying. I ended up finding a little spray bottle and sprayed the outside down quite a bit and then wiped it down. I cannot see the beads good enough through the tube to see if they are hydrated or not.

leonard

The end caps on mine were on there pretty good. Once you get them off, they remove easily.

jlmarta

coachjamie:

What is the best way to hydrate the beads in these tubes?

You guys are probably tired of hearing me say this, but I NEVER hydrate my Heartfelt beads in the way most folks think of 'hydrating'. I simply put them into whatever humidor/coolidor I'm going to use them in, place a small container of distilled water nearby, and close the lid.

The beads will absorb whatever moisture they need and will release it back into the atmosphere when necessary. I leave the container of water in there until my hygro reads higher than the rating of the beads (which tells me they're fully hydrated) and then remove the water. Period. End of explanation.

The RH in my humi/coolidor stays spot-on for quite a while - usually a few weeks or a month - until the moisture exits (either in a stick I'm removing to smoke or just from having the door open) and then I simply put the small container of water back in there for a while.

It works very well for me, and it sure ain't rocket science.

Marty

coachjamie

Well, that is how I did it at first. I had a saturated sponge of distilled water on a plate seasoning my new humi. I let it get up to 80% and then I put the bead tube in I let it site for a day and it came down to about 75% I then took out the sponge and it went to 70% and stayed there for about a week. Then all of a sudden it went down to 65% so I figured it did not get enough mositure from absorbing it from the sponge and in the air.

jlmarta

So, if it went to 65%, what is the percentage of the beads you've got? If you've got 65% beads, you're good to go. I use the 65% beads and I usually take out the water at around 68 or 69% and let it drift back down to 65%.

If you've got higher percentage beads, just do as you said and repeat the process. It usually doesn't happen overnight. The sticks you've got in it have to reach some sort of equilibrium before the whole thing will stabilize.

coachjamie

I have 70% beads. I will add the sponge back I guess if it is still not right when I get home from work.

phobicsquirrel

interesting method. I haven't tried that though I'm a bit nervous about putting some water in with my cigars. though if it works for you then it is probably okay. my humi's seem to stay pretty stable at 65 after moving them in a closet.