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Newbie question before adding cigars

Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
edited July 2016 in Cigar 101
hi all year so go my wife got me a really nice humidor but I never got into smoking. this Christmas I decided to try again. Bought some cigars online learned how to season it and bought some glycol stuff to fill the old green plant sponge humidifier inside. Well my humidor always say 72 and thought I was fine. Until i learned about the salt test and realized my hygrometer was bad! Bought s new digital one and it says my box is at @ 50'RH! So kinda starting over. Here what I did and Need some last step advice.  I just:

- bough some boveda (sp?) solution to calibrate my new hygrometer 
- ordered some boveda 72 RH packs for humidification
- ordered a nice sample of new cigars from the store here

my questions are:

1) do I need to season my humidor again ?

2) if so what do I do with my new cigars coming tomorrow while it stabilizes? Are they shipped to stay in the pack for a few days?

3) are the old cigars shot? I've been smoking the occasionally and have enjoyed them. 

Thansk. I'm excited but don't want to rush it after reading on here. 

Comments

  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭✭
    1. Yes
    2. Throw them in an airtight PLASIC container with one of those Bovedas
    3. No

    Misc - Throw away the sponge. They harbor mold. Look into something a bit lower than a 72. 72 is pushing into the range that allows for mold growth. Bovedas will cover you completely, and the glycol will not be necessary. Also make sure you season slowly, over a 2 week period. Do it right upfront and you wont suffer for it later.

    Best of luck to you :)
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    Thanks so much. I do keep reading to take your time seasoning the humidor. But I can't understand how exactly I know when it's ready. Do I keep wiping it down with distilled water until it reads 70? Do I wipe it down until it reads what my boveda pack is for? Also these older dryer sticks - I know the humidor is more stable with more sticks in it. Do I put these older drier ones in? Won't they suck up a ton of humidity? Still a little confused. 
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Many new cigar enthusiasts buy a humidor without knowing all the work they
    encounter. It's kinda like buying an aquarium except you'd expect a lot of set-up and maintenance with an aquarium. But, the set-up and maintenance of humidors always seems to come as a surprise to new cigar enthusiasts. 

    Most here will tell you not to use the wipe-down method. And, most here will tell you that this next video explains the EASIEST way to season. 
    https://youtu.be/PH0qK1V15vg


    However if you wish to use distilled water alone, you will need to monitor your hygrometer. This means you have salt tested it. This means you have salt tested it properly and can trust that your hygrometer is accurate. I like the following video only to demostrate how to set up your sponges. But in deviation from the video I would add nothing but the sponges and let the humidor sit with the wet sponges untill the RH tops out. (Probably around 75%). Let that sit while the wood soaks up the moisture. How long? Hard to say. A week? Two weeks? As long as you don't leave it long enough to grow mold inside, more time is better because if you rush it the wood will not have enough time to fully absorb moisture.  
    https://youtu.be/kM76fdDHjaw

    See how much extra work is involved here as opposed to the Boveda products? I strongly recommend going the Boveda route. And for regular storage RH (after seasoning) I like to have mine around 65%. Boveda makes 65% packets too. 


  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,682 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Bob_Luken, I thought you worked for Nissan?
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah! They should pay me! I've had my problems with some of Bovedas marketing in the past but I can't deny that the products work exceptionally well and newbies especially need to use them. 
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    Great thanks so much. But still not sure I'm getting it.What is the green light to Tell me it's ready to put cigars in? Let's say I have a fully calibrated accurate hygrometer. What should it ready in an empty seasoned humidor? Or should the empty seasoned humidor have boveda packs in them?  Sorry I'm having trouble understanding the extract steps here. 
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2016
    Once your meter reads stabile at what you want (if using boveda, then what ever Rh, the boveda packs are) and it stays there, then you should be ready to put your cigars in. But be aware that when you put your cigars in, the Rh may rise or fall a little for a bit. That is because if the cigars are a bit moist or dry, it will affect your humidor Rh. After a while, it should come back to where it should be, especially if you are using Bovedas.

    So, if you are using Boveda 84 seasoning packs and the meter reads 84 for a several days, then pull the 84 out, put in the Boveda packs you want to use (65, 69  or 72).
    I like to let it level out to where I want it. Then put your cigars in.

    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Rule of thumb is 70 rh. Some like it higher some lower. But once it gets to 70 and holds it you can put your sticks in. I like mine anywhere from 65-70. The sticks you got should be fine. Now if it was a couple months at 50 then they might have lost some of their oils but can still be smoked they just won't taste like they should. 
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    Ok great, I got it now. Thanks for your patience!  SO here's where I'm at:

    • Hygrometer: I took my new digital meter and did a one step Bodeva calibration test. Its perfect, no variation out of the box.

    • Humidor: wiped down twice with distilled water then got educated on here. Past two days has been sitting with two Boveda 72 packs. After more education on here ordered some Boveda 69 packs. When those arrive I'll replace and wait for it to stabilze.  Its been a steady 72 for 24 hours now.

    • New cigars: arrived over the weekend. Have them in a sturdy airtight tupperware with a Bodeva 72. Its holding steady at 72.  Will replace it with a 69 soon.

    • Old cigars: I have them in a separate one gallon zip lock with a Bodeva 72. Will keep them there until I get a steady reading (assuming they're absorbing moisture) before I put them in the humi. 

    So a little patience and learning here and I think I might be on the right track?
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice work :)
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • dirtdudedirtdude Posts: 5,865 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sounds like you are well on your way down the rabbit hole
    A little dirt never hurt
  • Ryan1990Ryan1990 Posts: 526 ✭✭✭✭
    Way to go @Bh750!
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    thanks for the vote of confidence all!!! 
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,048 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Every one of us started out the same way. 
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    Thanks all. So now that I'm on the right track when is it considered stable? With two Boveda 69s in there it's at 69 most of the time but occasionally drops to 68 or 67. Never lower than that. Does it need to stay at 69 for say a few days straight?
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Open the lid for a few minutes then close it and check how quick it recovers.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • Rockethead26Rockethead26 Posts: 296 ✭✭✭✭
    I think you're fine.
    Life is good, don't waste it.
  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,682 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It's really too bad that the hardest part of our hobby/affliction has to be tackled at the beginning of the journey. 
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 27,928 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Boveda should sell pre-seasoned Humis with included Boveda packs. 
    Join us on Zoom vHerf (Meeting # 2619860114 Password vHerf2020 )
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    Fool proof noob set-up:
    40ct acrylic cigar jar with two 65rh Boveda packs.............add some cedar sleeves as you get them.
    Jars (the ones with the rubber seal and clipping lid assembly) available all over the place (cigar sites, Amazon, etc.) as low as $10.
    Fool proof, safe, economical method for storing cigars until one learns all the tricks of the trade/hobby.
  • 90+_Irishman90+_Irishman Posts: 12,409 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Holy chit KING!!!!! How the hell are you man?!?!

    Brett
    "When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
  • KingoftheCoveKingoftheCove Posts: 937 ✭✭✭
    Doing good man, and I hope you are as well.
    Like Marty said, I can still fog up a mirror............probably cause I'm a FOG now!
    Spend most my time at big sister's auction site forum, but I pop in here every now and again.

  • 90+_Irishman90+_Irishman Posts: 12,409 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Glad to hear you are doing well and still smoking and happy brother, don't be a stranger we miss you around these parts ;)

    Brett
    "When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    So I guess I'm learning first-hand why everyone says its this step is so important and patience is key. Threw two 69% Bovedas in the humidor 9-10 days ago. It seemed to stabilize quickly. Held at 68 for a few days and I thought it might be ready. Then dropped to 67 and then stayed there for a few days. Now its down to 65 the last 24 hours.  The Boveda website says it will take 2 weeks.  So holding patient!
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The wood of the humidor will absorb a butt load of humidity. Try putting a container of purified water in there with the bovedas.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    i have some of this 50/50 glycol solution. would that be better?
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nope. That's a shortcut, but you'll get better results taking your time and doing it right. 
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
  • Bh750Bh750 Posts: 9 ✭
    sorry I meant better than a "container of purified water in with the bovedas"
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,369 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No, you'll want to stick with purified water in case it accidentally spills.
    "Cooking isn't about struggling; It's about pleasure. It's like sǝx, with a wider variety of sauces."

    At any given time the urge to sing "In The Jungle" is just a whim away... A whim away... A whim away...
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