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Humidor seal

LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
in Cigar 101
So I've done the dollar bill test and the sides are good and tight but the front let's the bill slip through realy smooth with a little resistence.

So I've emailed the manufacturer and hopefully there is something that they can do, but in the meantime is there a good way to reinforce the seal on this bad boy? I thought of Vasoline around the brim so it IS airtight, but if I remember correctly Vasoline has an odor... (maybe?) but I'm at a loss, anyone else have this problem?

I drop the lid and get a *SWOOSH* but followed by a loud *CLUNK* onto the humi. So it's not the WORST seal, but it could be allot better I think
(Plus you've guys have read I can get a 10Degree swing and a 8%Rh swing in one day)

Comments

  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Hmm I'm going to pass this one to kuzi or someone. I haven't done any humidor repair and I'm not the most experienced wood worker.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    I don't think you wanna use Vaseline. There's not much of an odor, but it'd be a sticky, nasty mess. You could try a thin strip of felt.
  • CaptCapt Posts: 127 ✭✭
    I have a 1,000 dollar Diamond Crown desktop humidor that will fail any "test" you would put it through, i.e. dollar test, swoosh test, etc. It does however keep great humidity, and seldom fluctuates. As long as you are not loosing humidity or filling your humidifier constatnly, don't worry.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    Unfortunately, Lassy is experiencing RH fluctuations in his humi.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    My first inclination would be to agree with Capt, if there is no humidity problem then leave it. If, however, there is a loss of humidity due to this i would try placing one strip of scotch tape the entire length of the side in question and see if that might help, it is not much, but it may be all you need to help close the gap in your seal.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    j0z3r:
    My first inclination would be to agree with Capt, if there is no humidity problem then leave it. If, however, there is a loss of humidity due to this i would try placing one strip of scotch tape the entire length of the side in question and see if that might help, it is not much, but it may be all you need to help close the gap in your seal.
    Before I read your suggestion Joe, I thought duct tape strip. It hold up well, super sticky , no odor , thicker, couldn't hurt.. If it is something that bothers you, find a nice new box.. there are great deals on line . Shop around and rest your mind..
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    You know what they say about great minds kas... they try to fix everything with tape. I thought scotch only because of how thin it is, with any fine milled woodwork you are dealing with some pretty low gap tolerances, so my thoughts would be that duct tape, while able to fix almost everything (including a broken muffler assembly) might very well be too thick for this fix.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    weather strip. just cheap rubber weather stripping. the "D" shaped stuff is the best.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    on another note...

    duct tape is like the force. It has a light side, and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    kuzi16:
    weather strip. just cheap rubber weather stripping. the "D" shaped stuff is the best.
    I started to suggest that, but it sounds like the gap isn't big enough for it. (If I had a nickel for every time . . .)
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    urbino:
    kuzi16:
    weather strip. just cheap rubber weather stripping. the "D" shaped stuff is the best.
    I started to suggest that, but it sounds like the gap isn't big enough for it. (If I had a nickel for every time . . .)
    Hey urbi, I see you have the leash in your hand and your about to take this thread off the road .... again...
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    even if the gap is too small this will seal the humi. Itll have to be placed all the way around but... itll work.


    it wont look good though.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    kaspera79:
    Hey urbi, I see you have the leash in your hand and your about to take this thread off the road .... again...
    I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about. ;)
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    For those of you who said that Scotch tape is the answer you were correct. I put a seal all the way around the edge (not on oustide but laying horizontal where the wood from box and lid connect) and then another layer slightly skewed to go more IN the humi.

    Now when I did this in the A.M. it was at 68* and 67% humidity, came home from work and it was 74* and 70%Rh... and I have 70%beads so that makes sense.

    The scotch tape makes it so the Humi doesn't close but actually I have to push the lid down and get a GREAT seal. Thanks guys! Couldn't a done it without you!

    Now only if the manufacturer will help me out with only a three month old humi that is all taped up!
  • zoom6zoomzoom6zoom Posts: 1,214 ✭
    Tape, huh? I was going to suggest lining the front gap with dollar bills.
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    zoom6zoom:
    Tape, huh? I was going to suggest lining the front gap with dollar bills.
    Now that'd be a sight... a big desktop humi looking like it's eating my entire paycheck! At least with that idea I may have some strippers showing up!
  • vankleekkwvankleekkw Posts: 404 ✭
    I've been pondering on how to seal up a drawer on the bottom of my humi for months, but never asked. Does anyone have any suggestions? The bottom and sides seal up good, but the top doesn't hit anything to seal up.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    Kuzi's weatherstripping idea sounds like it might fit that job. It'd be ugly, but if I'm understanding you right, I'm not sure there's going to be a non-ugly option.
  • vankleekkwvankleekkw Posts: 404 ✭
    I've tried that. Unfortunately, there is no where to seal it. The design hopes that the top of the face of the drawer comes in contact with the bottom of the main humidor body. Pretty crappy design.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    Hmmm . . . have you tried that expanding foam? The brand I know is called "Great Stuff." Comes in an aerosol can. Spray it on, it expands and hardens, then you can shape it.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Just my two cents here, but I think expanding foam would be a bad and messy way to try and fix this one. I've got a lot of experience using canned expanding foam, and it is never nice to work with...one time I had dried expanding foam on my hands for two weeks before I was able to get it all off... nasty stuff.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    j0z3r:
    Just my two cents here, but I think expanding foam would be a bad and messy way to try and fix this one. I've got a lot of experience using canned expanding foam, and it is never nice to work with...one time I had dried expanding foam on my hands for two weeks before I was able to get it all off... nasty stuff.
    that and you never know just how it will expand. its alwas surprising to me how big that stuff gets. It crazy.

    if you feel like being a humidor surgen you can add a bit of Spanish cedar to the drawer part. it would have to work like any other humidor where it fits PERFECTLY under the face of the rest of the humidor. its a challenge but if you have had any experiance with wood working it shouldnt be that bad.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    You can also try foam tape. It's thicker and spongy.

  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    vankleekkw:
    I've been pondering on how to seal up a drawer on the bottom of my humi for months, but never asked. Does anyone have any suggestions? The bottom and sides seal up good, but the top doesn't hit anything to seal up.
    Hey Van, have you thought of glueing a thin strip of rubber (like a flap) to the top of the inside of the humidor? Then when you slide the drawer closed the rubber strip would take up the space between the top of your humidor and the top of your drawer. This should work and would not bo too visible so would not look too bad.
  • dan7876dan7876 Posts: 47

    Interesting...just got back in town from a three-day trip and noticed my recently-seasoned humidor was coming in at 62% RH, after being pretty solid at 65% for a week or two.  Also, my beads were considerably less charged than before (subsequently, I charged them up good).  My first thought was my humi may not be sealing as well as it should, then I cam on to this forum and bam, there's someone saying the same thing.  Never had heard of the dollar bill test, so I gave it a try.

     

    The sides were very difficult to pull the bill at all, but the front had less resistance, though still a pretty solid grip.  Suppose it could be my beads weren't charged high enough before I left, but I'm not sure...have to keep an eye on it for a few days to see what happens.

  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    Ugh....

    I've not had a cigar in over a week (I think) and this is killing me... the only thing that is making me feel okay about it, is the fact that I found out I have the bad Seal...

    Now with the scotch tape it steadied a little and since the weather has cooled a little I've moved it to the family room.

    Now with the new seal and the new room the Humidity is stationary at 70%, but the temp can flucuate... Maybe the seal wasn't bad, just the actual entire room being so frikkin' dry was the case (Due to the window air conditioner)... I'l let the 'gars reclaim a little bit and then take the seal off... see what that does
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