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Question on my new humidor

dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
in Cigar 101
I got a new humidor and it seems I am having trouble seasoning it. I read a couple of different techniques and did the following: I wiped the inside down with a brand new sponge dampened w/ distilled water, and left the damp sponge inside on a small plastic bag so the sponge would not be directly on the cedar. I, also, added to the humidor a power stick that was activated with distilled water. After a day and a half I saw not much movement on the hygrometer. I, then, refreshed the power stick (gel humidifier stick) and replaced the damp sponge with a glass dish filled w/ distilled water. The instructions that came w/ the humidor called for a shot glass of distilled water. This is slightly larger. I have left this dish inside, w/ the humidifier, for an additional 2 days. This makes 3 days total seasoning so far. The humidity inside, according to the factory installed hygrometer that came w/ the humidor, fluctuates between 60-66% humidity, but no more.  I am reluctant to store cigars in the humidor until it at least stabilizes at 70%, but how long should I wait before I determine that something is not right? I've read it can take as long as 10 days to season a humidor, and I don't mind waiting this long (i guess) as long as I'm not waiting in vain. Has anyone a similar experience or any advice?

Comments

  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,506 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    What's wrong is the hygrometer on the humidor is junk.  Get a decent digital hygrometer and you'll be good.
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
    You know, I thought about that. I've read numerous places the ones that come w/ the humidors are junk. Thanks for the advice. 
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,360 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Slow and steady. Next time skip the wipe down and just put the dish in. Let it sit for 2 weeks without opening the lid and she should be just about there.
    "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...
  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,506 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Bye.
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
    Wylaff, I thought about skipping the wipe down. In fact, the instructions that came w/ the humidor expressly said not to wipe the cedar w/ any liquid. I'm going to put in a digital hygrometer and just be patient.  This is my first humidor, and I can't believe w/ today's shipping abilities, people can't buy pre-seasoned humidors. 
  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,506 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It would be great if it became widespread knowledge to forbid buying a humidor until you're a year into the hobby, because after using a tupperdor or cooler nobody would be wasting money on humidors except those who knew what they were doing and actually wanted one for display. 

    I'm not inferring the OP doesn't know what he's doing, but it intrigues me and no doubt would astound us how many humidors are bought by new smokers who either outgrow or get frustrated, give up and move to a better way to store cigars.
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,734 ✭✭✭✭✭
    There are a lot of things that can go wrong in seasoning a small desktop. Keep seasoning. Get a digital hygrometer. Best advice I can give you is to invest in some Boveda packets. 65% RH is my favorite RH. They make 69% Bovedas too if you want. Keep your cigars in tupperware type container with Bovedas until you've seasoned the humi. Don't rush it. Don't expect success with you're desktop either. Some of them are total lemons. A lot of things can go wrong. Oh I said that already. LOL well it's worth repeating. These cheap china-made starter humidors are hit and miss when it comes to doing their job right. 
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 27,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Don't skimp on leaving the humidor alone for two weeks without peeking during seasoning.  Boveda seasoning packs are the dead simple way to break in a new humidor.

    If you've got cigars waiting, put them in Tupperware or a Ziploc bag with some  Bovedas, and keep in mind that a lot of the "seasoned" cigar smokers around here prefer lower humidity Bovedas which also avoids any trouble with mold.
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  • GuitardedGuitarded Posts: 4,705 ✭✭✭✭✭
    peter4jc said:
    It would be great if it became widespread knowledge to forbid buying a humidor until you're a year into the hobby, because after using a tupperdor or cooler nobody would be wasting money on humidors except those who knew what they were doing and actually wanted one for display. 

    I'm not inferring the OP doesn't know what he's doing, but it intrigues me and no doubt would astound us how many humidors are bought by new smokers who either outgrow or get frustrated, give up and move to a better way to store cigars.
    This should be an article in Cigar Aficionado, ( or on the home page of every cigar website) and a prequesite read before anyone gets in to this hobby. Of course the people who make and sell cheap humidors would have a fit, but the frustration of attempting to season a new cheap pos and useing a useless dial hygrometer would end. End rant. 

    Good of luck with the new humidor, now go get the biggest Locktite Tupperware you can find. 
    Friends don't let good friends smoke cheap cigars.
  • miller65rodmiller65rod Posts: 3,630 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2017
    Yeap buy a cooler and skip the humidor unless you want something to look at. By then it will be too late. You will run out of room before you know it. The count for them is not even close. 100 ct is more like a 40 ct. 

    On the seasoning part I will keep saying it, buy the Boveda seasoning pack and wait 15 days and you are done. No mess, no worry about warpage or over saturation which can cause mold. If your just starting out this is the easy way to go until you figure out if this hobby is for you. Later on you can experiment with beads and kitty litter etc. Get a good hydrometer as well. But if your using boveda it's not really necessary IMO. Always good to have one though for self assurance. 

    Low humidity (65%) and cool temps (65 or below) make seegar's smoke great. 

    In the meantime if you are married be sure to talk to a good lawyer. Your gonna need it down the road. Just saying lol.
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  • deadmandeadman Posts: 8,853 ✭✭✭✭✭
    peter4jc said:
    It would be great if it became widespread knowledge to forbid buying a humidor until you're a year into the hobby, because after using a tupperdor or cooler nobody would be wasting money on humidors except those who knew what they were doing and actually wanted one for display. 

    I'm not inferring the OP doesn't know what he's doing, but it intrigues me and no doubt would astound us how many humidors are bought by new smokers who either outgrow or get frustrated, give up and move to a better way to store cigars.
    I think most new to the hobby believe that it is needed. Everyone that asks me about cigars at some point ask if I have a humidor. Mine was a present from the family. I store some in it but mostly the cooler.
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 27,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah, mostly in my winedor, right now in the summer, I've got all of them in the winedor because I don't have central air.
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  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
         So, checking back in - My 'Caliber IV' digital hygrometer and thermometer by Western Humidor arrived today and I eagerly put it in my humidor which had been seasoning as described in my previous posts. I was curious as to how close the factory installed hygrometer, which I suspected to be the cause of my consternation, would read as compared to my new, already-factory-calibrated digital model. I let it settle and watched it climb to 74, 75, 77, 78% humidity. The analog read the same 62 that I had patiently been waiting to see rise.
         Lesson learned.
         Btw, I was able to decrease the humidity to a comfortable 71% w/ a temp of 75. A touch warm, but certainly within acceptable parameters. I'm using a gel stick humidifier that seems to be working just fine keeping it right around 70%.
         I don't know that it would take a year in the hobby to be able to enjoy a cigar fresh from a desktop humidor. It took me about a week. My humidor, albeit a beginner model, is starting to hum along nicely. I just ordered my second batch of cigars from Cigars.com to go in it (sampler pack of 12 most wanted), and my early humidor collection is off the ground, just waiting for my enjoyment.

  • deadmandeadman Posts: 8,853 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Now get some boveda packs to help out the gel stick. What size humidor is it?
  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
    It's a 50 ct. Not very high end. I think it retails for $35 or so. Good for starting out, I guess. My next humidor I'll get a fairly decent one and I'll season it a little differently. I'd skip the wipe down w/ distilled water and just put a shot glass of distilled water and a good humidifier and wait for it to stabilize at 70/70 for a couple days before putting anything in it.
         What do the boveda packs help do? 
  • WylaffWylaff Posts: 5,360 ✭✭✭✭✭
    They are 2 way humidity. They add or remove humidity to keep it at a set amount. I don't even have a hygrometer in my cooler because they are so stable.
    "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...
  • YaksterYakster Posts: 27,598 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your next humidor should be a cooler :)
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  • peter4jcpeter4jc Posts: 16,506 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yakster said:
    Your next humidor should be a cooler :)
    It would be a lot cooler. :)
    "I could've had a Mi Querida!"   Nick Bardis
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,734 ✭✭✭✭✭
    peter4jc said:
    Yakster said:
    Your next humidor should be a cooler :)
    It would be a LOT cooler. B)
    FIFY! 
  • deadmandeadman Posts: 8,853 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Two 60 gram packs should do it.
  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
         I've seen the discussion about the coolers, albeit only cursorily. I've always been open to taking advantage of advances in technology. I'll look into them. I'll enjoy this one for a while, kind of get acclimated to the hobby, then upgrade.
         I do like the idea of the two way humidification device, though, w/ the Boveda packs. I live in Southern New England, so we get a lot of fluctuation in ambient weather and I've noticed some susceptibility to changes in the humidor I have. Not so much w/ humidity, though, more in the temp. My humidor fluctuates around 5 degrees or so, from 70 to 75 deg, depending on how warm or cool it is in the room. Not sure if this is normal, or a flaw in the humidor I have, or if it is unrealistic to expect a humidor to maintain a constant 70 degrees without some level of variation.
         I would imagine a cooler would eliminate that problem, which is one of it's allures?
  • cbuckcbuck Posts: 8,706 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Where in southern New England? @dsec1
  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
    Hey, Milford CT  :), that's not too far. Fairhaven, here.
  • cbuckcbuck Posts: 8,706 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nice! We will have to get together sometime! @dsec1

  • dsec1dsec1 Posts: 8 ✭
    No question about it...)
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,033 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I love my humis but I think I can see a cooler in my future. 
  • jd50aejd50ae Posts: 7,900 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Can't do nothin bout the weather..............or congress.
    But I keep my humidors in the most consistently dark spot I found. Away from all heat sources, with no surprise temp fluctuations. I don't think a 5 degree heat fluctuation would bother me as long as it is not a rapid change.
    I pay more attention to humidity, which I try to keep at 68 to 69 RH. In my daily or smaller humidors I use one of those clear plastic round humidifiers and 1 or 2 Boveda 69 packs, depending on humidor size. With location and the humidifiers it is fairly constant in both temp and RH.

    I got a Havana Foot Locker Humidor (for aging) on the recommendation of a sales rep (can't remember his name) and added an Cigar Oasis electronic humidifier, and it turned out to be a truly great system.
    Post edited by jd50ae on
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