this is just my opinion, but i think 8 oz is almost enough, i would go with at least a pound maybe a little more. im sure the experts will be around soon!! good luck!
Isn't it nice when you don;t have to worry about that *** anymore?? Man.... I was just talking to a buddy of mine and laughing about how many times we each screwed up our seasoning when we started. I've got the wineador and two humi's rocking it now.
Isn't it nice when you don;t have to worry about that *** anymore?? Man.... I was just talking to a buddy of mine and laughing about how many times we each screwed up our seasoning when we started. I've got the wineador and two humi's rocking it now.
I love that I can set it and forget it. It also recovers very nicely from having the lid open. Couldnt thank you enough for the hook up.
I just added 7 Boveda packs I had left over to the Wineador. They were un-needed but figured what the heck. rocking 69-70RH all day. I will be lowering it come the hotter months.
? for those of you with litter in lady socks. How do you re-humidify the KL in the nylon? Do you set the KL filled nylon directly on the wood of the humidor or do you set with plastic bag/sheet between the nylon and the wood?
I used this method with heartfelt beads on a new 30 count that I recently purchased. everything went well and after a couple of days of nothing but the 70% bead puck that they sell, I was steady at 75% rh. I added cigars expecting a drop but, after a day, it has only slowly gone down to 73% now. I've dried the beads quite a bit and this is where I'm at. Is it normal for the rh to go down slowly like that instead of an "instant" drop?
I've ordered a 65% puck to be on the safe side and it should be here in a couple days.
I think I am going to go a cooler route very soon... So, about $65 for 2 lbs of "brand name" humidity beads, or $4 for 4 POUNDS of crystal kitty litter. Hmmmm
If I can nab a cooler for sub $40, I could make the whole project come in at under $60 I bet, which is what I would've spent on JUST BEADS otherwise.
I am glad I remembered this thread... I may be in the cooler business sooner than expected. It's just hard for me to wanna drop $100 plus on a plastic, home-made humidor.
That looks like it G4L, it's all the same, jsut different packages
Great! I will get started this weekend, with pictures. I saw a 120 qt coleman for $52, yes!
Reading through this thread, I looked at your links to "cigar beads" on ebay. The third link HAS to be KL. It even has the blue crystals floating around in it! They no doubt bought an 8 lb sack of it, and are re-bagging as premium beads...
I've really been wanting to go for a cooler, and I really need to get some beads in my 150 ct humi. It is pretty stable with foam, but my cigars deserve better, Lol! Thanks for the great thread. It conviced me to start a cooler and go ahead and give KL a try! Worst case, I'm out $4.
How often do you have to replace the old KL with fresh KL?
Thanks for this step by step guide, it's really helpful!
I had a brief fiasco trying to calibrate my hygrometer that wouldn't budge off of the reading out in the open in my living room after I put it in the bag with salt + water overnight but reacted to everything else (like simply blowing on the damn thing. ) Come to find out it's been a bit humid the past couple days and the weatherman says there is 74% humidity today. Who woulda thunk it.
I've had the sponge and water in my humi for right around 36 hours, I can't wait for this thing to be well seasoned and well stocked!
I have to agree with your whole regimen with KL...I've been a proponent since I started this type of humidification years ago and it's the best ....bar none...as to how to ensure that your cigars are properly taken care of. Without going into specifics on the debate...it doesn't have to be a debate as much as people should try different ways to properly humidify their cigars and not be so closed minded. The first things that always comes up.....KL is where cats piss on it....yes, cats use a product but that doesnt mean that product only has one use...the real issue here is what that product contains and when we research what silica is and does then we understand that this product is in our lives other than being used for cats to piss on...so let's get past that right off.
It's science and with beads and other media out there..a lot of them work but they tend to be a bit on the expensive side which for some is not in a real budget...so that means there are other ways to have something that works and works well and at the same time...it saves money and time. Well written post on the use of KL.
Yup G4L... I posted links in this thread somewhere of several types of "cigar beads" that we're repackaged KL.... It is the most stable humidity I've ever used.
For George, by all means since you are using Boveda packs you may substitute them for the part where the beads are used. However, getting that humi ready is the most important part of the game. You should go through the first steps and get it seasoned up and ready.
This is my main humi. It holds about 160 sticks. I got 2 of those large humicare humidifiers. Do you think they would hold enough KL? And I'm assuming since mine are already seasoned then I would start off dry and if the RH drops just do a little spritzing until its where I like?
I'm interested in what others will say about this. What I did in a similar situation is kept my humicare humidifier and added about 1/2-3/4 lb of kl in a nylon sock. That way when I need to add water to the system I just add it to the humicare device. I think the litter pearls would need a little spritz first but that might depend on the current ambient humidity in your area. If the humidity is high, then no.
If it is seasoned, it probably will not need much spritzing. The KL is in the high 50's rh ROTT. Some guys actually dry them before use, I will try that soon actually. The more surface area the better for them as well for containers. I have them in three humi's, from 50-300ct, all in nylons, and I never touch them... Two of those humi's I added the KL right in and never touched it. The main thing is to not over water them, and bring them up slow, then they will hold forever.
I have had some stability issues with my wineador, that has taken a while to get used to, but this only happens when boxes are added. The KL in that environment, is just as rock solid, but the spikes are much greater so spritzing them has to be minimal. I also keep all my Boveda packs in there to recharge them as well, and that has helped. For the most part, if I never added a box, I'd probably never have to hit them with water at all in the wineador.
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If I can nab a cooler for sub $40, I could make the whole project come in at under $60 I bet, which is what I would've spent on JUST BEADS otherwise.
I know to look for "unscented" KL... are most crystal KL's unscented? Will they specifically say "scented"? THis: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mimi-Litter-Cat-Litter-4-lb-Cats/12018928 is the KL I was looking at.
I am glad I remembered this thread... I may be in the cooler business sooner than expected. It's just hard for me to wanna drop $100 plus on a plastic, home-made humidor.
Reading through this thread, I looked at your links to "cigar beads" on ebay. The third link HAS to be KL. It even has the blue crystals floating around in it! They no doubt bought an 8 lb sack of it, and are re-bagging as premium beads...
I've really been wanting to go for a cooler, and I really need to get some beads in my 150 ct humi. It is pretty stable with foam, but my cigars deserve better, Lol! Thanks for the great thread. It conviced me to start a cooler and go ahead and give KL a try! Worst case, I'm out $4.
Thanks for this step by step guide, it's really helpful!
I had a brief fiasco trying to calibrate my hygrometer that wouldn't budge off of the reading out in the open in my living room after I put it in the bag with salt + water overnight but reacted to everything else (like simply blowing on the damn thing. ) Come to find out it's been a bit humid the past couple days and the weatherman says there is 74% humidity today. Who woulda thunk it.
I've had the sponge and water in my humi for right around 36 hours, I can't wait for this thing to be well seasoned and well stocked!
I have had some stability issues with my wineador, that has taken a while to get used to, but this only happens when boxes are added. The KL in that environment, is just as rock solid, but the spikes are much greater so spritzing them has to be minimal. I also keep all my Boveda packs in there to recharge them as well, and that has helped. For the most part, if I never added a box, I'd probably never have to hit them with water at all in the wineador.