Coolidor Sizing

Willy_MN

So, I've been (foolishly?) trying to season a couple of wooden desktop humidors, using Boveda 84% packs, for the past two weeks. It was two weeks yesterday, and neither has climbed past 60%. I am considering abandoning them and looking at doing a coolidor instead.

Being fairly new to the hobby, my stock isn't very large right now, but I see it growing rapidly. I know...big surprise, eh?   I received a box of Onyx's from my cousin a couple weeks ago, and have ordered my first box of cigars thru one of the B&M's in the area. They will be in the middle of next week. Anywho, my question is whether it's recommended to start with a smaller cooler, or will a mid-size one (50-70 quart) maintain RH well enough even when not heavily stocked? I would say that, with the two boxes of cigars, I am right around 60-65 sticks.  Any advice you have is appreciated...Jeff

BKDog

I wouldn't get a bigger than around 52 quart, get a good cooler with a lid that seals well. I am heading to pick up another Coleman Xtreme tomorrow. Damn cigars keep coming to the door all the time.

And yes, the more empty space, the tougher it is to humidify, but those coolers hold RH very, very well. Even if you fill the voided area with empty cedar trays Like I do until it fills up, it will help. In the winter, I don't use my wooden humidors, but they work fine for me in the other seasons. Not all wooden humidors are equal, however. I have Sure Seal, decent ones, but by far not the best.

I do some strange things to humidify, some folks here might not like my suggestions on that.

CalvinAndHobo

So what I would say is get one small one and one that's as large as possible. Since a good cooler is air tight, the size won't be a problem if it's not full. You have a family, so it won't be long before someone complains about having a gigantic cooler stored somewhere convenient for you to grab out of. The small one doesn't have to be a cooler as well, you can use a travel case or a tupperware or whatever. Then you keep the smaller one wherever you smoke, and grab out of that. Then go to the giant one to restock it when it gets low. That lets you keep the large one somewhere hidden, which prevents complaints from the family and it keeps hidden exactly how much you have, which will also prevent complaints. 

Bob_Luken

The biggest I use is 70 qt . Got a few of them. Not real big, not real small, so they're easy to move around, and stack nicely because they're all the same dimensions. Also have a couple of 28 qt size that are good for first time cooler if you want to start small. You could probably get 5 or 6 boxes in the 28qt plus room for singles too. Plenty of guys will say skip the small ones and go big but, I still have mine in use alongside my big ones.

Technically it will be easier to maintain RH if there is less unused space inside the cooler but, in reality, coolers are very forgiving when it comes to RH maintenance.   

The only ones I've ever used is the Coleman Xtreme line of coolers. Great sealing lids, and you can get many different sizes for very little $. 

Markwell

Definitely go big. I started out with a 50 ct humidor which worked for about a month. Then I used an old coleman lunch cooler (well cleaned with bleach, then distilled water and baking soda) for overflow. About a month later I was in need of more space and found my first Coleman Xtreme on Craigslist for $15. 

Now here we are at the two year mark and I'm outgrowing the 62qt Coleman Xtreme. Gonna be stopping by Wally World this afternoon to price out a new one. I'll then have one for boxes and one for loose sticks...at least that's the plan. 

So in conclusion, I'd say go crazy. Get yo'self a bigg'un and start filling that thing up. I use boveda 65 packs for humidity control. They're worry free and immortal so long as you keep them charged up. Just be sure to wipe down the cooler interior with baking soda and distilled water before putting cigars in there. Best to let it air 24-48 hours afterwards. 

Yakster

Some of the brothers and sisters on here need a walk-in closet sized coolidor.  Just saying.

peter4jc

I'd say look at how many you smoke in a day/week/month.  Then calculate for a year's worth of smoking.  Buy a cooler that will hold the first year's worth, and a cooler for the 2nd year's worth, and smaller unit to smoke out of, like Calvin said.  This way, you'll have a cooler dedicated to aging cigars, which is what all the cool kids do... not intentionally, but it happens.  Damn CAS will have you aging cigars, so you may as well have a place to put them.

BKDog

Man, I am bad at math, apparently.

Yakster

Factor in that some of the advanced cigar smokers on this forum like to age certain cigars up to and beyond five years and you may end up needing more room for aging.

And when you stop and ask yourself how you'd ever end up with cigars that old, just keep checking the daily deal and buying cigars and that problem will take care of itself, much to your partner's chagrin. 

Willy_MN

Thanks for all of the advice...I appreciate it! Looking at the wooden humidors after work today, it's looking like the 50 stick one is seasoned and starting to hold RH decently. Perhaps that would be a good start for one to smoke out of. The more I look into it, I think a cooler with some cedar trays is the way to go.

deadman

If you just want to jump into the cooler game then grab an island breeze 48quart at Walmart for $15. That will get you started 

Willy_MN

You guys talked me into it...picked up a 50 quart Coleman Xtreme at Wallyworld yesterday. I assume this is where things get sideways (in a good way) with the CAS?

TX98Z28

150qt. Coleman will do ya right! Plenty of room to grow.

peter4jc

Don't be like me... buying boxes based on reviews (online or by inference from what the rest of us are smoking) and based on price.  "Ooooh!  These sticks are normally $250 a box, marked down to $90.  And, at least 3 famous online reviewers say they're awesome!"  Boom!  Before you know it, you have a dozen boxes in your cooler with two sticks smoke out of each one that you don't want to smoke more of; maybe because they weren't all that good in the first place, or they're good but not in your wheelhouse.  And remember, almost every deal, every "super-duper sale price / I'd be losing money if I didn't buy these cigars"  will come around again before long.

Don't be like me... buy what you like, smoke what you like.  Don't try to keep up with the cool kids and buy stuff just because they are.

BKDog

peter4jc said:

Don't be like me... buying boxes based on reviews (online or by inference from what the rest of us are smoking) and based on price.  "Ooooh!  These sticks are normally $250 a box, marked down to $90.  And, at least 3 famous online reviewers say they're awesome!"  Boom!  Before you know it, you have a dozen boxes in your cooler with two sticks smoke out of each one that you don't want to smoke more of; maybe because they weren't all that good in the first place, or they're good but not in your wheelhouse.  And remember, almost every deal, every "super-duper sale price / I'd be losing money if I didn't buy these cigars"  will come around again before long.

Don't be like me... buy what you like, smoke what you like.  Don't try to keep up with the cool kids and buy stuff just because they are.

And remember, I don't make you look so fat.

Words of wisdom, man.

Willy_MN

peter4jc said:

Don't be like me... buying boxes based on reviews (online or by inference from what the rest of us are smoking) and based on price.  "Ooooh!  These sticks are normally $250 a box, marked down to $90.  And, at least 3 famous online reviewers say they're awesome!"  Boom!  Before you know it, you have a dozen boxes in your cooler with two sticks smoke out of each one that you don't want to smoke more of; maybe because they weren't all that good in the first place, or they're good but not in your wheelhouse.  And remember, almost every deal, every "super-duper sale price / I'd be losing money if I didn't buy these cigars"  will come around again before long.

Don't be like me... buy what you like, smoke what you like.  Don't try to keep up with the cool kids and buy stuff just because they are.

Wise advice...this should be stickied somewhere.

NOGILLS2

I started with a small cooler 28 quart I believe, then a 52 quart and settled on a 150 quart. I stood it on end and installed metal closet shelves with cedar trays. I use cat litter for humidifier, I have three stockings filled with about 5 pounds of litter. I also bought an indoor / outdoor thermometer to monitor temp and humidity. I have had this for a couple of years now and no problems. 

Markwell

@NOGILLS2 didn't you post pics of that 150qt after it was up and running? Can't find that thread. Looking to do the same thing here for my second vault. 

Willy_MN

Markwell said:

@NOGILLS2 didn't you post pics of that 150qt after it was up and running? Can't find that thread. Looking to do the same thing here for my second vault. 

@NOGILLS2 I'd love to see some pics of that as well!

NOGILLS2

I thought I did, let me find the link.

peter4jc

NOGILLS2 said:

I thought I did, let me find the link.

Hurry.

dirtdude

^^^^Floyd sighting^^^^

ForMud

Thanks, now you made him nervous and we'll never get to see the picture..... 

Markwell

The suspense is killing me 

BKDog

I found this one: https://forum.cigar.com/discussion/795656/cooler-for-sale-w-shelves-closed-sold

And this one: https://forum.cigar.com/discussion/898761/the-coolidor-is-seasoning

Willy_MN

Ok, so I got things switched over to the cooler this afternoon. I currently have (4) 60g 65% Boveda packs and (2) 65% Heartfelt bead tubes spread around inside the cooler. The hygrometers were sitting out while I loaded the cigars, and read around 30% when I put them into the cooler. I would guess that there are 90-100 sticks in there that have been in tupperdors up until they went into cooler. Approximately two hours later, they're reading right around 48-49%. Do you think I have enough humidification in the cooler? How long will it take for things to stabilize? Also wondering if I should be worried that it's that low of an RH right now?

Cooler is this 50 quart Coleman Xtreme:

Here's the cooler as it is now...there is a tray under these two as well:

Thanks for any advice you may have...Jeff

Markwell

@Willy_MN Looking good Jeff!

First question I'd ask is have you calibrated your hygrometers? If you have, then I'd suggest more boveda if the RH don't kick up to range within 24 hours.

Your sticks should already be hydrated from being in the tupperdors and with the cooler, it only needs the air within to rise up. I seem to remember it being a pretty fast stabilization. 

May be overkill but I'm running four 120 gram and six 60 gram bovada in my 72qt just to give you an idea. I don't use beads though. 

Afterthought: are those cedar trays already seasoned? If not you should probably put the cigars back into their temporary tupperware homes and season the cooler as if it were a regular humidor. Dry cedar trays will absolutely dehydrate your whole operation. 

Willy_MN

Markwell said:

@Willy_MN Looking good Jeff!

First question I'd ask is have you calibrated your hygrometers? If you have, then I'd suggest more boveda if the RH don't kick up to range within 24 hours.

Your sticks should already be hydrated from being in the tupperdors and with the cooler, it only needs the air within to rise up. I seem to remember it being a pretty fast stabilization. 

May be overkill but I'm running four 120 gram and six 60 gram bovada in my 72qt just to give you an idea. I don't use beads though. 

Afterthought: are those cedar trays already seasoned? If not you should probably put the cigars back into their temporary tupperware homes and season the cooler as if it were a regular humidor. Dry cedar trays will absolutely dehydrate your whole operation. 

@Markwell Thanks for the reply.I ended up putting the sticks back in the tupperdors until I can get more humidification.

The hygrometers are calibrated and the trays are seasoned, but things just weren’t moving. It’s been very cold and dry here lately, and I don’t want to take a chance with the cigars.

Not sure whether I’ll go with more Bovedas or the beads yet. I think I trust the packs more. I appreciate the reference on the quantities that you’re running...that helps a lot!

CalvinAndHobo

Just remember there’s no such thing as too many bovedas. 

BKDog

Add as many Boveda as you can, and in the spring you can remove more if you need to. In the 50qt. (I use 52qt. without wheels because they drive me nuts) I have at least 12 of those 60gm packs, sometimes more.

miller65rod

Buy the 320 gram Boveda's 2 in cooler will be more than enough. Don't waste your time with the small packs. 

I have 6 120 qt coolers and each of them have 2 - 3 320 gram boveda's in them. Humidity is at a rock solid 65%